Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 662: Lunacy

Following Orion’s presentation of his findings, Argrave gathered together all of his closest counsel to consult about the path that they needed to pursue. It came alongside reports of growing unrest—for the first time, there was what could be called a riot in one of the cities. Dirracha, underneath the yoke of Hegazar and Vera, had a brief rebellion that was quickly put down by the effective, if at times excessive, pair.

“Just from initial reports, I can tell you that seventeen people passed away in the fighting. Elsewhere, we’re getting reports that tax collectors are being turned away,” Elenore recounted.

Argrave scoffed at the ridiculousness of the sentence. “Tax collectors? Even now, with things as utterly ridiculous as they are?”

“Ridiculous? That’s naïve,” his sister chided him unabashedly. “Cities are only able to support as large a population as they are because they tax rural settlements and their harvests. With outright refusal, we could have famines on our hands. It’ll be difficult to tax those villages without the army getting involved—and as it is, the army is stretched thin. Worst of all, we have some reports from my scouts that the undead and some stray few automatons have begun to rally under the banner of silver-armored knights similar to the ones that assaulted Blackgard many weeks ago.”

“And these reports are regional. We’ve not yet begun to account for my wife’s homeland, the Great Chu,” his brother Orion said, shaking his head in dismay. “Gerechtigkeit’s mental malignance is a global phenomenon, with global consequences. We were warned of as much, yet I never dared imagine it might manifest in this callously indifferent way. This makes it all the more imperative that we choose a route to focus on to block him.”

“My people are the worst affected by this,” Durran said, looking between them all with his arms crossed. These days, he was more proudly displaying the golden tattoos on his tan arms. “The only reason that they followed my lead in joining with Vasquer was because they thought they did so as equals. With Gerechtigkeit spreading poison, more and more people are beginning to view independence as a viable option. I’m doing my best to keep them cohesive, but I can tell that things are reaching a breaking point. It doesn’t help that the solution Artur has offered is insufficient, especially insofar as my people go.”

Durran wasn’t often serious, but when it came to his people, the southern tribes of the Burnt Desert, he could lay things out very rationally and calmly.

“It’s not the Burnt Desert alone. I have petitions from the Archduchy of the North to allot more of the mental-warding rings to their people. Clearly, it’s gripped the hearts and minds of just about everyone.” Elenore nodded. “I agree that we need to shift focus, and quickly, before it all spirals out of control. The only question is which route to focus on.”

“Alright, let’s run down the list.” Argrave clasped his hands together. “Anne. You’ve been keeping apprised on the research team. Do you think that we’re anywhere near coming up with a large-scale magical solution for the problem of mental corruption?”

His queen seemed to lose herself in thought for a long few moments, biting her lip almost as though she hesitated to say something. Finally, she said with a large degree of certainty, “No. We’re no closer. Druidi—excuse me. Soul magic is particularly fussy. It needs direct interaction with the soul. The only reason the rings work is because they contact with skin, allowing it to interface with the wearer’s soul to protect it.”

Argrave accepted her expertise with a quiet nod—of everyone, she was the only one barring one other who might even approach replacing Llewellen. He looked to that second person and prevailed upon him. “Raven.”

“I concur with your queen’s assessment of things. On the other matter that you’ve had me looking into, I’ve had no luck reinforcing the White Planes.” He shook his head, having anticipated the next question. “How they were created is beyond my ken. The gods that I consult are similarly clueless. If Erlebnis’ vast store of knowledge truly has nothing on the subject, then their fate is inevitable collapse. Gerechtigkeit assaults it artfully, pulling together the thread that ties it precisely where it needs to be pulled.”

“And nothing can be made to replace it?” Argrave suggested.

“I believe its original creators, and the powers they used, have long perished.” Raven held out his too-long arm. “It is a fruitless endeavor. We are best off turning our focus to other things more worth our time.”

When Argrave turned his gaze to look at his brother, Orion, he could see some eagerness, some hunger on those stony gray eyes of his. He had been looking for other ways to demonstrate his worth besides rote battle—particularly because he finally believed he was of more use to people than simply swinging his fists and employing his blessings in stalwart defense.

“If you give me and my retainers the opportunity, Your Majesty, we can empower the Vasquer family,” Orion promised. “Even as we speak, I’ve sent out Boarmask to the distant continent where the family related to dragons lie. If he establishes contact, we can begin to make a study of how it works. If you join in on this search, Your Majesty, we can learn how to apply it to our own bloodline.”

Raven crossed his arms. “That is a fool’s errand. I have examined Argrave so utterly as to know more about him that anyone in the entire world. Additionally, I am intimately familiar with those that have assimilated the lineage of other creatures. There is nothing to unlock. There is no dormant potential,” he promised.

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Argrave’s own reading into what Erlebnis had compiled on the subject of humans related to other creatures led him to conclude similar things. The bloodline of Vasquer was young, however, and wholly unique—never before had there been a species of human associated with the Gilderwatchers, and it was less than a millennia old. Erlebnis never had any contact with them. And Orion wasn’t one to make large promises without large evidence.

Orion, despite the opposition, did not grow incensed. He look at Raven and asked calmly, “What would you suggest in way of my route?”

“I would suggest what is pragmatic—preparing to do away with the Gilderwatchers. We need not genocide them as the gods of past generations intended. But we do need to remove them from Gerechtigkeit’s influence, one way or another. And if we cannot… at the very least, eliminating some of them would eliminate vast amounts of Gerechtigkeit’s influence. He would have less hold over the minds and souls of men.”

Argrave expected anger from Orion, but none came. Instead, he nodded. “I agree that we should be pragmatic.”

Everyone looked at him in some surprise.

“…but being pragmatic doesn’t mean that we should exclude all of the options,” Orion continued. “There is much sense in looking toward what needs to be done. That does not mean we should turn our eye of scrutiny away from what could be done. So, I ask you again, Raven, in respect for your prudent guidance over the years—what other routes exist?”

Raven looked to the side, thinking. “Hause remains in play. Her very role is unlocking potential. It has been, of yet, difficult to wear her down… but these new developments in mortal society can surely serve to make her reconsider her hesitance to employ her ability to bring about your full potential.”

“You have the closest ties with her,” Orion pointed out. “You would be best served in aligning her to our perspective, and our need of her abilities. Moreover, you stand as evidence of the full power of her ability, and dually a testament to the fact that your potential can be mastered and turned to a more benevolent, righteous cause. You are one of many wings that help Vasquer’s benevolent ascendancy.”

Raven scoffed. “This isn’t about your kingdom. I’ll concede your point, however. Hause…” he considered the matter. “I can speak to her. I can… be the man that I once was, even if he existed only for a brief time in my very long life.”

Orion looked back at Argrave. “And speaking to Raven’s point, he is correct—we should prepare ourself for the grim task of fighting against the Gilderwatchers ourselves. But we need not close off to other options. Countess Melanie of the Low Way has been working closely with some of the dwarves and the Sentinels of the Low Way to produce wonderful results in way of clearing pathways.”

“I am here,” Melanie pointed out, running a hand through her long red hair as she sat in the corner of the room. “You don’t need to speak about me as if I’m not.”

Orion gestured at her. “I suggest that we delegate the task of preparing for the struggle against the Gilderwatchers to Melanie. Meanwhile, I beseech you, Your Majesty… allow me to walk this route with the might of our kingdom at my back. I swear that there lies potential in it.”

Elenore frowned. “Is it, perhaps, your intuition speaking? We’ve proven as well as we could that your gut turned out to be a useless predictor. Your intuition told you that you were dying, and yet here you stand. Not that I’m complaining, of course,” she felt the need to add quickly.

Orion clenched his fist and put it against his heart. “My intuition does tell me so, but that isn’t my sole lodestar, anymore, and I would not so confidently ask Argrave to stake our futures on what may end up as a dead end. I speak on behalf of the people serving under me, all of whom possess rare intelligence, and all of whom believe that there lies a route to call upon the Gilderwatchers’ mastery of the soul.

“Some of their hearts are stained with their misdeeds of the past, be that Mial and Georgina both working on behalf of the Ebon Cult, or Dario in his misguided vengeance against Argrave,” Orion continued. “I believe firmly that the blackness marring their soul does not consign them to a life ill lived for its remainder. It could be said that this darkness encourages them to glow ever brighter in service to our cause, to do away with their actions in the past. That, certainly, motivates Georgina. Mial, meanwhile, seeks closure to the tale of the entity that her father was so obsessed with.” Orion shook his head. “I ramble in advocacy. My point is thus: this is very real.”

Argrave rubbed his hands together. “What would the full support of the kingdom actually entail?”

Orion said seriously, “We would need to come in contact with both the producer and the product—namely, the dragon and its descendants, respectively. The descendants merely require Elenore’s considerable information-gathering abilities. The dragon, meanwhile… we have legends alone. But each and all are remarkably consistent—unusual, insofar as these things go.”

“So…” Anneliese looked at Elenore. “We would again need Elenore’s capability. Verify fact from fiction.”

“No.” Orion shook his head. “This dragon is said to live on the moon, after having refused godhood countless times.”

“Orion…” Durran put his hand on his forehead. “The moon? Are we reading children’s fables? Worse—are we taking them seriously?” He looked at Argrave. “The Shadowlands is one matter. Don’t tell me you intend to take us to the moon, next.”

Orion shook his head. “The moon is beyond us. But we can call it back to earth. We can end its long hiatus.”

Argrave leaned back in his chair. “Melanie—get to work on securing a pathway to seek out the Gilderwatcher nexus. Raven—sweet-talk Hause, seduce her with your tragic backstory and immaculate gray skin. Everyone else… let’s give Orion’s ideas the same attention you’ve all given my ridiculous ones over the years.” He looked at him. “I trust my brother, after all.”

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