JACKAL AMONG SNAKES

“I think that the answer should be obvious.” Elenore stared Argrave down. “When you’re fighting an opponent, there’s only two ways to gain advantage. Strengthen your own side, or weaken theirs.”

Argrave narrowed his eyes at her suggestion. “Weakening him kind of defeats the purpose of this being a test, doesn’t it? If you turn down the difficulty when you get beaten into the dust, you don’t learn how to overcome the challenge. It’s… cheating, basically.”

Elenore shrugged. “Fine. Why are you even asking me? Ask Anneliese—she’s the one with magic.”

“I will. But in the meantime, I respect your opinion, too.” He leaned on her desk. “Besides, you were right alongside Orion and I when we melded into the Tree of Being, and you have the most experience around talking with Vasquer.”

“Alright…” Elenore stood up. “Then I reiterate—make him weaker. You aren’t playing a game, you’re fighting a war, a battle—and learning how to weaken Raven can be applied to Gerechtigkeit in much the same way. They’re similar, even, in how terrifying I find them.”

Argrave thought on it for a moment, then realized she did have a rather ironclad point. Beyond changing his own strategy, the only other option was to make the opposing side weaker. It was a skill that did have some hope of reapplication in the times to come.

He knocked her wooden desk with his knuckles. “See, and that’s why I came to you first. Thank you. You’ve given me a good foundation for me to ask the others about.”

“Hold on. You’re sure this… bizarre endeavor will stop Gerechtigkeit?” Elenore asked. “It’s important we be timely. I’ve started to make arrangements for some of the god’s agents to come and restore order—well, the gods that I trust, at the very least. Law’s Justiciars are already working to uphold it in the most badly-affected areas. But things are getting worse, day-by-day. Time was, we could stop suicide pacts before they’d even formed. But they keep growing and numbers, and they’re starting to throw themselves upon either our soldiers or their blades in numbers we can no longer realistically prevent.”

“Provided I can win…” Argrave nodded. “It’s as good as done.”

“Then beat his damned ass for me.” Elenore sat back down. “And shut the door on your way out. I’m busy enough as is.”

Argrave made to leave, a faint smile on his face. Before he could…

“Sophia keeps asking to see you,” Elenore called out as he opened the door slightly. When he looked back, her gray eyes met his own. “Might not hurt to pay her a visit. Boost that resolve, remind yourself what you’re fighting to protect.”

Argrave gave a steady nod, agreeing. Last time they’d spoken, Argrave had said that Sophia was like a daughter to him. Then, he’d gone out to get some smokes with Jaray. It was overdue to end that. And at her mention of people he wanted to protect, he already had some inspiration for what might weaken Raven.

#####

Argrave consulted the others about what he might do to win the fight against Raven. They had much the same thoughts that Elenore did, yet they added their own refinements that fit their character. Galamon in particular had the most poignant insight.

“Even if it hurts, fight again, and lose,” he’d instructed Argrave. “Learn how to fight against him without the weakness. Lose battle after battle, skirmish after skirmish, yet win the war.” The old Veidimen commander grabbed Argrave’s shoulder as he imparted his advice seriously. “It’s what I’ve done. I’ve suffered humiliating defeats more times than I can count. I’ve never lost a war, though. That’s key.”

As Argrave stared, Anneliese affirmed his opinion with a nod. “He’s right. Callous yourself. Nothing is better than experience.”

“You don’t seem to follow that advice,” he pointed out. “You just learn how to do things, and then do them. Even in battle, you just… figure it out, on the spot.”

“You aren’t me,” Anneliese reminded him. “Gaining from pain is essentially your favorite tactic. Why’re you looking for a different route?”

Argrave shook his head, annoyed at how well she knew him. “Why did I choose blood magic? Am I stupid?”

“I have asked that question of you many times,” Anneliese reminded him.

“Which one?” He looked at her, and she smiled coyly.

Argrave sighed, coming to terms with the fact he’d need to jump back into the wringer.

#####

After he’d gotten enough advice from his general to cram his head full of tactics he might employ, he did precisely what had been advised of him—endured hell. The second time was every bit as painful as the first, despite the fact that Argrave was preparing for its arrival. As was the third, the fourth, the fifth, the seventieth… time and time again, Argrave and all the forces his imagination could conjure were wiped out, and the confrontation was capped with a single world from Raven.

“Return.”

When he could endure no more, he took Elenore’s advice and paid a visit to Sophia to heal his soul. In so doing, he visited with someone he’d also been intending to reach out toward. After all… he’d still yet to weaken Raven at all.

“Hause,” he greeted. “Sophia.”

“Argrave!” Sophia broke away from the blonde goddess of potential, coming to rush over to him. He picked her up and held her high. She stared with bright red eyes and a smile, pleased merely to be held.

“Why were you with Hause?” he asked her, looking between her and the goddess.

“I thought…” Sophia began, but trailed off.

“Go ahead,” he prompted her.

“I thought I should… learn more about my power,” Sophia explained. “And Hause’s temple has the shelter, so she wanted to learn how to be relaxed around me.”

Argrave took a deep breath, ambivalent. He was proud Sophia was taking the initiative to understand her own power, but he was somewhat ashamed she had to do so much at such a young age.

“I’ll let you speak alone,” Hause said, dipping her head slightly. freewёbnoνel.com

“No. Stay,” Argrave stopped her. “Sophia… could you give us a moment?”

“Miss Hause didn’t do anything wrong,” Sophia insisted. “I was the one that asked first, Argrave.”

“It’s not about that,” Argrave assured with a smile as he set her on the ground. “How could I be mad at you? Like I said… you’re like a daughter to me. I meant it then, and I still mean it. And that’ll never change, unless you want it to. I want to talk to you in a minute, but this is another matter entirely.”

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Sophia’s face lit up a little brighter, and then she obediently went to join her escort—one of Law’s Justiciars. Hause stood there patiently, hands crossed before her purple dress politely.

“What did you wish to speak of?” Hause asked.

“Two things,” Argrave said. “For one, I think it’s time to tell your people—your followers that survived, the ones he saved from the past—that Raven is still alive. That he saved them, and he still lives today.”

“What?” Hause’s eyes widened. “Raven… he’s ready for that? Ready to meet them, confront them?”

Argrave rubbed his hands together. “Sometimes, friends need to give friends the push they need to be better. That’s all.”

“Interesting.” Hause nodded. “You know this present form of his better than I do. I hope you’re right, for all our sakes.” She looked backward, into her temple. “Some of them have already guessed. I think… I think they’ll accept him, even as he is.”

“Raven managed to overcome his problems,” Argrave said, all but lying. “He’s becoming more human day by day. I think this proves that your ability isn’t as dangerous as you thought it was. And the coming circumstances… I think you’ll agree they necessitate a new font of power.” He walked forward. “That’s the second thing. I think it’s past time for you to start unlocking the potential of some of our allies.”

Hause’s jaw tightened. “You’ve seen the Smiling Raven—in spirit as much as in flesh, I’m told. Even Erlebnis’ shallow imitation in his vault rings in my head, to this day.” She shook her head firmly. “It’s too risky.”

“We’re getting to the point where it’s riskier not to do it,” Argrave said, looming over her. “Everything is relying on such a small group of people. I don’t want to live in a world where Blackgard remains safe, but every distant city dies because all of the power-hitters are comprised of my inner-circle. We need more power. We need more options.”

Hause couldn’t meet his eyes—perhaps because she knew he was right, or perhaps because he intimidated her. Either way, he backed away, feeling self-conscious.

“I’ll… consider it.” Hause ran a hand against her impeccably braided hair. “For now, shall we speak to my followers about Raven?”

“Let’s,” Argrave said, beckoning her forward.

There was some guilt in what he was doing. He knew Raven wouldn’t want this, but he did genuinely think it would be better in the long run for the man to know the people he’d saved when he was the Smiling Raven didn’t hate him.

And even more than that, he needed to point out Raven’s half-hearted attempts to persuade Hause to unlock people’s potential. He’d made little progress—or even effort—on that front.

With the Heralds and Gerechtigkeit both watching, they needed every advantage.

#####

After imparting the knowledge to all of Hause’s followers, Argrave returned to the regularly scheduled programming of dying miserably. That was all he could do while he waited for the seed to sprout roots. On the bright side… his efforts did result in something.

After what felt like an eternity of Raven battering Argrave with all manner of horrible abominations, they finally had what Argrave might dare call a real battle. In a minute-long exchange of firepower, his soldiers managed to cut enough of a hole in the relentless wave of chaos that they got a payload jam-packed with nuclear magic right onto Raven’s body. The resulting explosion burnt Argrave’s eyebrows right off… but it barely ruffled Raven’s feathers. Like a child fighting an adult, even once Argrave didland a hit, it didn’t amount to much.

After some point, Argrave actually became eager for the next battle. Eager enough to briefly forget the seed he’d sown while he was waiting for Raven to arrive in his lab. He stormed down through the ceiling like he was swimming through water instead of volcanic glass. He seized Argrave, and slammed him against the wall.

“You had no right to tell them I lived,” he said, true anger in his icy voice. “No right at all.”

Argrave sent out one of his blood echoes, swapping places with it. The moment he could breathe again, he said, “Maybe they had the right to know! Maybe they deserved to know!”

“Who are you to decide that?!” Raven took three steps forward.

Argrave stood defiantly. “You’re shaken that they don’t all hate you—admit it. You’re not half the damn monster you think you are, Raven, or half of the one you act like. You got dealt an awful hand, and you still did better than most anyone could’ve.” Argrave pointed to his heart with his thumb. “Even me, who you make a damned golden statue of.”

“Why do this? Why now?!” Raven demanded, throwing his tremendous arm wide.

“Perhaps because you’ve been dragging your feet in doing what you’re supposed to—convincing Hause to use her power for our cause.” Argrave tapped his chest. “Or perhaps because I’m your friend, and I want you to move past all this self-hatred you mire yourself in.”

Raven’s teeth ground against one another audibly. “No. No, I know you. You wanted to weaken me. You wanted to catch me by surprise, lower my defenses. Well… we’re taking a break for the day. You won’t rattle me, Argrave. I will not have you weak.”

Raven stared at Argrave with his gray eyes, eerily still. Argrave thought something might happen, but he merely turned and walked away, his steps heavy and hard. When he’d left, Argrave sunk to the floor, frustrated and defeated. He sat there for a long while, sorely regretting having missed the opportunity to reveal what he’d done mid-fight. It’d never seemed like the right time.

“Blew your chance?”

Argrave looked up just in time to see Lorena walk in the room. She had her arms behind her back and walked with a light-footed saunter.

“Maybe,” Argrave conceded. “How much did you hear?”

“Enough.” Lorena sat on the table he was typically operated on, coiling her tail around her waist. She raised her hand, then effortlessly created a ward that encircled them to block listeners. “Want some help?”

“What, a tag-team?” Argrave chuckled.

“No, some advice.” She ran her hand across her tail. “I know Raven pretty well.”

“How?” Argrave narrowed his eyes. “You were on the moon before he was born.”

“Because I’ve been watching him for a long, long while.” Lorena smiled, almost sadly. “I… pity him, I suppose. But I also respect and admire him, and many things in between.”

“You’ve been watching him,” Argrave repeated. “Why?”

“All of my people were watching him when the Smiling Raven came to being,” Lorena continued. “Haven’t you ever wondered how he survived becoming such a thing? How he went from that, to the Alchemist?”

“He told me,” Argrave disclosed. “He cut away the emotions, and fixated himself on a task—stopping Gerechtigkeit, and researching various things that might aid in that cause.”

“How?” Lorena asked.

“How should I know? Ask him.” Argrave threw up one hand dismissively.

Lorena leaned in a little closer. “It was a rhetorical question. He wouldn’t know the answer, either. But I do. And all of the lunar dragons do, as well.”

Argrave narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying?”

“This isn’t the first time Raven and I have met,” Lorena disclosed.

Argrave felt his guts swirl. “You’re joking with me, right? Are you getting at what I think you are?”

Lorena said nothing, raising her brows and smiling until her sharp teeth faintly shone beyond her red lips.

“I always thought you were weird around him, but…” Argrave laughed. “You saved him? Why?”

“I did more than save him.” Lorena shook her head. “As for why… I saved him because he deserved saving. And I still hold the beliefs I held back then, now.”

Argrave looked into her eyes. He was almost certain there was something deeper to those words—not merely that she thought Raven was worth saving, but… the beliefs that she likely helped implant in him, the focus that he likely held even to this day.

Lorena had helped form the personality of the Alchemist—the Alchemist, single-mindedly focused on ending the cycle of judgment. If that was true… from the beginning, she was their ally against the Heralds.

“How’s that for a bomb to drop?” Lorena smiled. “He’s going too hard on you, and he knows it. The flies that Gerechtigkeit tries to kill you with won’t be a millionth as strong as his soul is. Tell him what I told you, and I’m positive dormant memories will resurface. Memories I suppressed. And then… you can win.”

“I can’t help but wonder if you’re trying to get me killed.” Argrave scratched his cheek. “But… hell. That’ll work. That’ll work, for sure. Thank you.”