Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave felt like he had a parasite in his body, and though he longed to move to cut it out, he saw the sense in what was said. If this was an attack, it likely wouldn’t have started with words. He would listen—listen distrustfully, listen with total suspicion, but listen all the same.

“Thank you,” Lindon said, relief flavoring his tone. If this was an act, Argrave already thought it was a better one. “I shall say it bluntly; whatever you spoke to was not me. I was recovering from the daze you inflicted by banishing me from your mind. Vasquer’s death wounds me as much as it does you. Two millennia old… she was a fucking kid. And that animal, I can’t even say his name—he killed her.” Silence reigned—Lindon’s grief, or a travesty of it.

“Nothing can make it right. I’m going to tell you what I conjecture, and then I’m going to give you provable facts.”

Argrave leaned the blade of blood up against his knee as he sat on the rock, saying nothing further.

“Gerechtigkeit must’ve found a way to work through the Gilderwatchers as I do. It may be that he’s had this ability for countless cycles, yet only now shown his hand when an opportunity presented itself. It may be that I am that conduit, and he’s been using me from the beginning. Even I lack total certainty. Regardless, I believe his plans are threefold. He plans to destroy the treaty limiting my abilities and that of the Gilderwatchers. That ties into his second plan; destroying the White Planes themselves. Without its binding scriptures, alliances around the world would crumble overnight. Everyone in the Blackgard Union would no longer be dictated to defend one another. Notably, by achieving the second, he would achieve the first.

“I can feel a tremendous mental energy reverberating around the world, mindlessly throwing itself against the forces that prevent us from acting in ways contrary to the treaty. If I am merely powerful, it is omnipotent. And worse yet, it’s growing in power as surely as the calamity descends. For now, only the Gilderwatchers are vulnerable—them, and those related to them. In simpler terms, you and your siblings. But later, his power could be far greater than ours ever was in the days of old. I believe you’ve already seen some of that—Sophia’s dreams.”

Argrave believed nothing that was said… but he wasn’t in a hurry to forget it, either.

Lindon continued. “His third goal is as it ever is. You’ve built a terrible power in the Blackgard Union and the nations you’ve united. By fracturing it, he hopes to throw the world into chaos and achieve victory. But more than the world, I suspect his target is you, specifically. You, and all those close to you. He will attempt to isolate and mitigate all those you have even a remote relationship with, because you are ostensibly the final barrier between him and Sophia. You are the glue holding things together.”

Argrave felt a chill. Whether this was Gerechtigkeit or Lindon speaking, that message was ominous. He had been right in assuming that the incident with Vasquer was an assassination attempt.

“I have given you conjecture,” Lindon continued. “I will now relay fact. Anneliese’s prediction was correct; that rumbling Raven reported is related to the Gilderwatchers. They heed a false Melding, heading for a Tree of Being I did not establish. I am terrified of what it entails. You can verify their movements for yourself, and Raven might feel traces of this false Melding in the continent of Anorexhai. Furthermore, if you depart to the White Planes, I suspect you would see it strain against the calamity’s power.”

Argrave took note of these things. Could each of these be a trap? Possibly. But traps could be disarmed, and if these words did prove to be true, it gave some credence to this conversation.

“In parting, I say this. Do not trust my words. Do not trust any Gilderwatcher. Assume we are yet another of Gerechtigkeit’s puppets as the golems or the undead. Assume all of my words have been flavored in deception designed to entrap, and trust only that which you, yourself, have verified. I will move to fight against this mental energy, and this false Melding, likely to my death. My people march toward what I assume must be a slaughterhouse, where their wills and flesh will be processed into meat for one who judges the world. I must do something or die trying. And above all—find ways to protect yourself. Your bloodline has been a boon, but now it is a tremendous vulnerability as Gerechtigkeit strengthens. Even having consumed the Fruit of Being, you remain at risk.”

Argrave could think of no further response. It took a sophisticated scammer to recommend distrusting them, or it took an honest person. The line wasn’t entirely clear. Regardless, Argrave felt a hidden pressure in his head abate and was certain Lindon had gone. Even still, he brought the blade of blood near his head, letting his power melt away whatever might be inside there.

That talk about the death of the Gilderwatchers… either it was something immensely concerning, or bait to attract Argrave toward a battle he might not win. Argrave agreed with the notion of acquiring protection, but even to that end, he wasn’t willing to divert his forces chasing after what Lindon had highlighted. There were proverbs about the number of times one had been fooled, and Argrave didn’t care to explore them.

But there were people that owed them debts, and gods that could be enticed to act in their stead. With a person in mind, Argrave made to find Elenore.

#####

Elenore was all too eager to follow up on Argrave’s plan. Her manner of dealing with grief was somewhat similar to Argrave’s—work, work, work. There was a severe gap in their defenses with Vasquer’s parting, and it needed to be filled long before the funeral could be held. That was one of the few burdens of their position.

In no more than a few hours, the one that Argrave hoped to speak to sat across from him. He was nearly too short for the chair he sat upon.

“You didn’t participate in the battle against the Qircassian Coalition in the slightest,” Argrave said, arms crossed on the table before him.

Yinther, god of exploration, curiosity, discovery, had the look of a blonde child ill-suited for the title of god. He listened to Argrave with impassive golden eyes.

“Anneliese bore my blessing. She helped you every bit as much as I might’ve,” he disagreed. “Seeing the true nature of things—there is little more that I can offer than that. I am not a fighter, unless you consider falsities and misinformation an enemy to be fought.”

“Then I have no doubt you’re very enticed looking at me.” Argrave held his arms out.

Yinther narrowed his eyes. “It sounds very queer when you put it like that. But… yes, I’ve never seen anything like as what occurs within your body. Are you asking for my assistance in finding it out?”

“No, merely confirming some thoughts.” Argrave sighed. “Listen. We made you a senior partner in the Blackgard Union, despite your lack of participation in the battle.”

“You did,” Yinther nodded. “Quid pro quo; is that the gist of what you suggest? I’m not opposed. My greatest use is my blessing. It might be said that blessing so many people is the reason I remain so weak. Is that what you would ask of me?”

Argrave shook his head. “No. I want you to go to the White Planes. I have it on good authority that it’s under attack right now, and I want you to scout it out, scrutinize it, and tell me everything that you learn about said attack.”

“An attack on the White Planes, where all gods are made equal before it? The very idea is ridiculous.” Yinther crossed his short arms.

“But very curious,” Argrave rebutted.

“Do you think my mind matches my appearance? That I would lose my mind and go gallivanting to a supposed warzone simply because it’s a curious idea?”

Argrave smiled without saying anything.

After a while, the silence seemed to make Yinther uncomfortable. He asked, “What could even attack the White Planes? You know what they are, don’t you?”

“Does anyone actually know what they are?” Argrave answered the question with a question. “I think I have a better idea than most, given recent events.”

Yinther went quiet, fidgeting on the chair that was a little too tall for him. He looked liable to ask countless questions, but his mouth opened and closed without asking any. Eventually, he turned and jumped down off the chair, his curiosity spurring him to action.

“I’ll look. But… this trip best not waste my time.”

Argrave sincerely hoped it did, but said nothing to indicate as much. This first matter was settled. As for protection…

#####

“You want another Ravenstone?”

Argrave nodded, looking up at Raven. “It was supposed to protect from mental attacks. When Erlebnis died, it went away with him. I don’t care about its ability to keep you contained, but given Vasquer’s death, that’s something I need. Not just me, either—all of us. My siblings for starters, but in time, everyone. Maybe the whole nation.”

Raven shook his head. “The Ravenstone ‘went away’ because it was made out of Erlebnis’ blessing, and consequently died with him. Powerful blessings from ancient gods aren’t common. You’ve only one. We might use the Fruit of Being for such a thing, if you’d let me experiment with them.”

Argrave shook his head. “No one’s using those, not for a while.”

“Why? They have verifiable results. You’re fine.”

“Just… because,” Argrave answered weakly. “Just in case.”

Argrave expected chiding, but Raven said, “So be it. I understand. But if you’re asking me, that means Erlebnis’ wiki had nothing on the subject of mental protection?”

“Nothing magical. Most of it links back to the Gilderwatchers or certain gods. Dead gods, mostly.” Argrave shook his head. “But it’s a lot to parse through.”

“I’m surprised.” Raven narrowed his eyes. “But perhaps I shouldn’t be. My mastery of the mind can’t be called true mastery. I’m likely the foremost practitioner of psychic magics, if you can even call what I do such a thing, but most of it centers around my own personal power or rigging other powers to my ends. The theory for it didn’t come from me, however. It came from Llewellen.”

Argrave looked at him in shock. “The one who made Anneliese’s A-rank ascension? The one who helped Emperor Balzat make [Requite] and [Subjugate], all of the imperial spells?”

“The very same, although I didn’t know he worked with Onychinusa’s grandfather. He was far more intelligent than me, but had such a low affinity for magic it was astounding he made it as far as he did,” Raven admitted as though declaring someone was smarter than him didn’t deserve special mention. “If you wish for inspiration as to where to begin, I suggest reading about him on the wiki. Erlebnis won’t have it all, but he’ll have enough for me to fill in what remains. Then, we can talk more about the possibility of psychic magic.”