Jackal Among Snakes - Chapter 513

Argrave and Anneliese stood together flanked by many Veidimen guards. At Argrave’s feet was the broken god of storms, while Ji Meng waited cross-legged in the snowy coast with his hands bound behind his back. Despite the frigid air, he didn’t shiver a bit. And ahead of them, gods walked Vasquer as allies, for perhaps the first time in its history.

“Who are these people?” Ji Meng looked back and up at Argrave.

Argrave stayed silent for a moment as he looked at all who came, and then decided to answer. “The pale-skinned woman in the purple robe with the weird hair that looks like a night sky is Almazora, goddess of magic. The blonde boy walking with her is Yinther, god of exploration, discovery, and curiosity. The man in the luxurious burgundy outfit is Raccomen, god of space. The buff lady with the wolfskin and the body paint is Stout Heart Swan—a hunter, as you might’ve guessed.”

“Hmm.” Ji Meng nodded, his cold eyes watching them dispassionately. “And the one in black?”

Argrave was puzzled for a moment, but Anneliese answered. “That’s Rook, god of deception.”

Argrave only realized after she spoke that Rook was hiding in their number. He blended in far too well.

“And enshrouding them all is Law,” Anneliese finished. Argrave looked at her, confused, and she asked him, “Do you not see him?”

Argrave looked back at the scene of them walking through the snow-ravaged valleys. It was vague... imperceptible, almost, but there seemed to be an aura of gold enshrouding them all. As they drew closer, Argrave felt something tugging at the blessings within him. They were strengthened, magnified. It was quite the empowering feeling.

Argrave rubbed at his chest to dispel the feeling, but his hands met only the ornate breastplate he wore beneath his coat. “The only absentees are Lira and Veid. But Lira’s power isn’t well-suited for combat, and I suspect Veid will be coming along shortly.”

“These are gods?” Ji Meng narrowed his eyes as he watched. “The gods we know are grander, larger. They dominate the battlefield with their sheer size.”

“And these can, too. But just as they can stand above us, so can they walk among us.” Argrave looked down at him. “Perhaps there’s a lesson there. A lesson being taught at your imperial court.”

Their group went silent as the guards came before them. Argrave could hear the noise of the Veidimen entourage behind stiffening, every instinct they had screaming at them that these new arrivals were dangerous people. But Argrave walked forward, falling into Law’s presence. The god Law, like Erlebnis, was formless. His formlessness was somewhat more mystical than the monstrous liquid metal that Argrave had encountered. Regardless, Law, Erlebnis, and Qircassia were ancient gods. Sataistador fit the category too, but his lack of a true divine realm and mortal servants often excluded him from the title.

“I’m glad that all of you were able to come on such short notice,” Argrave held his arms out as he walked up, then bent down to grab the god of storms that the Qircassian Coalition had sent. He dragged the broken man along by one arm, then laid him before his fellow coalitionists. “By luck, we noticed their scouting attempts, and with adequate preparation we were able to beat back the first wave the Qircassian Coalition sent. We thought it was an invasion by the Great Chu alone at first, but... this bastard here should tell you all you need to know.”Investigate the source of this data, deeply rooted in n0v(lbin★

As the gods looked among each other, Yinther walked away and touched the body. “Hmm... this is a divine being, but...” his boyish hands paused over a tattoo. It looked Celtic, but the explorer god seemed to recognize it. “Ah. This is Tyx, god of storms. He and his two triplet brothers are former sailors turned into gods. They govern tides, winds, and storms.”

“The other two are dead,” Argrave nodded.

“I know that they certainly serve the coalition. How did you manage to kill them?” Yinther looked at him seriously.

Argrave put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her forth. “Come on, let’s—”

“Tomorrow.”

Argrave jumped and turned quickly, where the Alchemist stood above them. He watched the lava flow almost hungrily, a great mouth wide open on his chest to speak to them. Argrave stared at sharp teeth as he spoke.

“Tomorrow, enough magma will have been cleared for us to descend. And tomorrow, we will descend. Though our security is ironclad, the lack of trouble from Dario, Traugott, or Mozzahr unsettles me. We cannot be held back when we are at the cusp of true progress—progress that things beyond our comprehension deign to meddle in.”

“Are you serious?” Argrave stepped closer to him. “But the heat—”

“It will be no issue. This was a physical barrier, and now that barrier is being broken before our eyes.” The Alchemist gripped his obsidian staff tightly. “I can taste it. A desire I’ve left unfulfilled for millennia, at the cusp of the first bite. A desire for the truth. A desire for a way out.”

Argrave was worried hearing the Alchemist’s tone, and fumbled for the Ravenstone almost by instinct. He felt it there, protecting him. Hearing the man once known as Raven speak of desire was a disquieting thing that harkened to his past.

“Tomorrow, then.” Argrave released the Ravenstone.

#####

Argrave peered down into the endless hole before his eyes. The day had passed far too quickly, and all those necessary for this voyage were assembled. Once, he’d felt heat in this chamber. Now, there was nothing but dim vestiges. Even the machine that’d caused this situation lay disassembled in the corner. It felt like nothing more than a sauna. The Alchemist stood beside Argrave, and he pulled free the vial containing Gerechtigkeit’s energy.

“I can feel its pull,” he noted. Even Argrave saw the mass of energy swirling within. He hid it away within his body, then held his hands out. A mana ripple spread, and Argrave stepped away as the Alchemist completed an S-rank spell. Argrave felt wind encircle him.

“That spell will allow you total freedom of movement,” the Alchemist said. “To all of you. In addition, it will protect you from lingering heat.”

Argrave looked back at his allies. Anneliese, Melanie, Onychinusa, Orion, and Castro... a small party, but their forces were stretched thin. And if what Dario said was true, then whatever was within Sandelabara was something that the immoral might exploit. All these here had proven their trustworthiness for this venture, he felt.

“So... are we just jumping, or?” Melanie asked, holding her black blade nervously.

The Alchemist merely stepped away and fell into the pit, and Argrave let out a small, ‘ah,’ of exclamation when he dropped. Argrave peered down, watching as he fell... and then realized that it was his turn to take the plunge.

Argrave looked down into the endless darkness... and at some point, when courage found him, he fell into it.