jackal-among-snakes-16091326
chapter-38

Argrave swished water through his mouth and spit it out into the snow as he walked. Ahead of him, a neatly cobbled stone road winded across an endless field of white snow. His cane clicked against the stone as he moved. The center of the road had black crystalline objects embedded in them, faintly shining in the daylight. Argrave put his feet on one of the black crystals, and he felt heat emanating from them.

“You clean your mouth every morning and night. A human ritual?” Anneliese inquired. She and Argrave had been talking nonstop during his tenure as a god’s mortal agent in Veiden. She was an endlessly curious person, and Argrave was fascinated by a culture that was largely absent in ‘Heroes of Berendar.’ They had been exchanging questions every waking second.

Argrave smiled widely, deliberately showing all of his teeth. “No, a personal ritual. I have been blessed with veritable pearls for teeth, and I wish to keep them that way,” Argrave said with exaggerated cheer. He turned his head back to the road. “You know, I’m surprised to find paved roads in a desolate place like this. No offense, of course,” he added. “The roads are heated, even. I thought I would likely die from cold.”

“They are new. Collaborative efforts by many mages melded the earth to form these roads. After, craftsmen placed those hot crystals to keep the snow from building up.” Anneliese kneeled down and pointed, carrying on her explanation with expertise. “When the snow melts from the crystal’s heat, it seeps into the road through some purifying minerals. Aqueducts below the surface carry it to the cities' wells.”

Argrave’s brows furrowed in contemplation, but he smiled. “That’s very fascinating. You know much about most things in this place.”

Anneliese stood up, staring up at him with her amber eyes. “It is as I told you. I enjoy understanding and learning about the world.”

“Looks like I chose the right tour guide to Veiden, then.” Argrave nodded. “Come to think of it, that’s probably why you wanted to come with me on my fool’s errand.”

“It wasn’t the only reason, but yes, it was the largest factor.” Anneliese nodded. “What you’re doing is important. I want to be a part of it.”

“That’s it?” Argrave pressed. “You want to come with someone you barely know to be a part of something important?”

“I do not think I can be satisfied waiting here in Veiden, honing my magic quietly,” Anneliese shook her head. “Maybe what you said about me achieving great things got to me. Maybe I also want to leave behind a legacy. All I know is that I want to do this.”

Argrave nodded. “Well, you won’t be dying. There’ll be no legacy. You’ll be a living legend; I’ll make damn sure of that.”

Anneliese nodded, and then she carried on down the road. “What do you hope to find in Veiden’s capital, behind the Ice Wall?”

“Besides Galamon’s family?” Argrave turned on his heel and continued walking. “Lots of druidic magic. As much as I would love to waste away my days reading a new culture’s writings, I’m on a schedule. I need to get what’s useful to me. Berendar has no druidic magic—it’s exclusive to Veiden. Beyond just learning it, I could propagate it and make a fair bit of money. I don’t think such a thing would be unethical in the face of a world-ending calamity.”

“Rowe manages all of the spellbooks in Veiden. You will not be able to take them without his permission.”

“So I’ll get it,” Argrave said without much concern. “I can trade illusion magic or the process for creating enchanted items, both of which the Veidimen lack. Such things would bolster your forces and make the future battle with Gerechtigkeit easier.”

Anneliese nodded. Argrave rubbed at his stomach as they proceeded down the road. He noticed he was gritting his teeth, and not from the cold. Anneliese watched him.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

Argrave paused in the road as a cold wind blew by, sending Anneliese’s incredibly long hair waving about in the wind. Once the wind settled, Argrave said, “No, I’m not, if you care to know the truth. Guilt gnaws at my stomach. I feel like I’m going to vomit.”

“Over Mateth?” Anneliese pressed.

“What do you think?” Argrave said snappily. “Came all this way, did everything I could to try and change what I viewed as an inevitability. I get to the end, and I think I’ve won—I’ve done it. All this, only to have that victory flavored with death and misery. And for WHAT?! What does this achieve?” Argrave held his hands up. “Bupkis. Nada. Makes me sick. And back there I just... threw in the towel, because it was the ‘strategic thing to do,’” Argrave did a hand-puppet impression of himself.

“Stood there like a drooling idiot, smiling and nodding,” Argrave continued his rant. “No resistance. And I tell myself, ‘Dras already made up his mind, you can’t change that,’ or, ‘the battle is already happening, and you can’t change that.’ The simple fact is, I didn’t even try. And now, try as I might to think of something I might do to change the outcome, my mind’s just drawing blank. I missed my window.”

Anneliese stood by quietly as Argrave proceeded. “It’s just a reminder of how useless I am. Impotent. I can’t…” Argrave’s voice trailed off as a lump grew in his throat. “I settled for second best. Couldn't find the perfect solution. I should have gone to that council Dras held even if I was coughing blood. Now I just have to sit by, hat in my hand, and come back like some sort of savior when I didn’t change anything. What good am I? Nothing changes; time’s still a flat fucking circle.” Argrave tossed his cane to the road and threw up his hands.

Anneliese waited in silence for some time. She picked up Argrave’s cane and handed it back to him. “That day Dras summoned us... he told you to come at your leisure. Do you think that was not deliberate? By the time you two spoke, the vanguard was likely already moving.”

Argrave opened his mouth to answer, but closed it quickly, expression pensive.

“From the beginning, Dras would never have abandoned his ambition of earning a foothold on Berendar. The battle may have been already underway while the two of you spoke that morning.” Anneliese stated, her passive tone making the words sound cold. "It's probably why Dras removed me from the council-- if I brought news of his intentions to you, you might've done something. At least... that's my conjecture."

Argrave could only stare for a moment. He swallowed, and then took the cane. "Hah..." he weighed it in his hands. "That does... seem like something he would do. Now I'm here, isolated. He gave me free rein of the whole place..." Argrave spread his hands to the snow fields and the forests beyond them. "...because he knew I could do nothing to stop it. I have no allies here. Could send a useless letter, at most. Maybe not even that. He takes Mateth, then holds it until Gerechtigkeit comes."

"Why are you so certain Mateth will fall without your help?" Anneliese pushed.

"Because..!" Argrave began, cutting himself off before he could say, 'it always happens.' "Whatever," he finally said, lowering the cane to the ground. "Galamon was right. I'll get lost if I focus on 'what if's.' Have to keep moving forward. Have to get used to this."