Jackal Among Snakes

The moments after Erlebnis took the form of a lone man were very chaotic.

“We need to flee, now! Fall back!” Anneliese pulled on Argrave's arm, shouting, after the strange and tangible outpouring of power from the Palace of Heaven. The Stormfield had stalled, somewhat.

Argrave turned his head away from the gray-haired old man who'd newly arrived. “Why?” He asked quickly.

“Because he's after you,” she continued urgently. “You, and only you. We fall back, cut him down slowly.”

Shortly thereafter, the wizened man jumped from the castle walls. He landed harmlessly, and it began to dawn on Argrave who he was dealing with: Erlebnis. When his chilling words echoed across the stone plateau, Argrave concurred with his partner immediately. The god of knowledge had lost it, had totally snapped. And in the face of such an uncertainty, it was best to regroup.

“Hold on,” Governor Zen shouted. “This is our opportunity. A rabid animal is blind to traps. Let me set up an array to protect. Then, Sataistador can come to our aid.”

He’s shown his hand, Argrave thought, eyes flicking between the urgent governor and this terrifying new development ahead. He could flee—their retreat was covered. But from the beginning, they knew Sataistador was going to try something. That time, it would seem, was now. But could they risk it?

“How long do you need?” Argrave asked insistently.

“Thirty seconds, maybe a minute,” Zen vowed. “Then, you’ll power it, block him. Not a speck of his power will pass. We’ll batter him.”

As Argrave thought, the voice of this strange new Erlebnis cut into his thoughts. “…burn the whole of House Parbon, exterminate the House of Quadreign, and end all of Leopold’s lineage. All of the snow elves, all the citizens of your kingdom, everyone you even remotely like—they’re dead, because of you.”

In the end, he knew Sataistador wanted to claim Erlebnis’ head. And they’d been preparing for the god of war’s treachery this entire time—they just needed to keep their guard up, both during and after this mortal struggle.

“One at a time, Erlebnis!” Argrave shouted—an answer to the god of knowledge’s ravings, but equal part declaration of his intentions. “Get to work,” he told Zen just after.

In response to his command, Zen opened his robe, and put on a bizarre glove with sharpened nails that coursed with magic. He inhaled deeply, then plunged his hand into his chest. He gripped his own ribcage, screaming, and pulled free one of the bones. It glowed with an indescribable power. Zen healed the wound, fell to the ground, then began scratching the earth with his bone. Where it marked, that same power hummed.

Argrave was aghast, but… if the man would do something so drastic, he most likely wouldn’t be lying. Besides—Law was here, an ancient god of his own. What could go wrong? Reminded of his blessing, Argrave called upon the Domain of Law, declaring, “In this domain, time is slowed for those within it.”

Argrave felt things warp as he saw this new Erlebnis—this markedly human Erlebnis—hurtle across the battlefield as the Stormfields reignited, taken over by a new custodian. Law’s form began to condense, his power gathering close at hand, and Argrave felt some relief… only for that relief to be shattered when Law’s golden blade hurtled away ineffectively. His heart calmed when the Justiciars took his place… only for the rollercoaster to again dip sharply down as they all ignited beneath a blast of magic flame so hot Argrave could feelit on his skin.

Argrave recalled the Alchemist into the Ravenstone, releasing him in a defensive panic. The Alchemist created an impressive bulwark—the same defense that had blocked attacks from Mozzahr, and so Argrave was comforted… only for the Alchemist to be cut in half by a spell of unimaginable power. Argrave tried to help with his blood echoes, but they seemed like firecrackers against a tank. Orion, too, was swatted aside like a fly.

“Use [Echo Step]!” Erlebnis raved as he neared. “Leave Anneliese behind! Watch me crush her skull!”

“It’s done! Back here, Grand Commandant! Power it when he comes!” Zen shouted, rushing past Argrave to retake his place.

Argrave backstepped as quickly as he could, seeking this array. He could see writing in the earth. If he only scribbled in the earth, and this is how I die… my Undying Soul is going to be the nastiest ghost imaginable.

The army that Argrave had brought got to work—even unexpected additions like Oynchinusa appeared in stalwart defiance of her old master. Their spells rocked toward the deity in unison, and Argrave thought Erlebnis would struggle. Only, [Requite] reared its head—a [Requite] wielded by a god. All of the magic in the world slowed, stalled… and Erlebnis prepared a spell of unimaginable power to dwarf them all, aiming it right at Argrave’s face.

Argrave stepped onto Zen’s divine-warding array, and felt a hollow void of power beneath his feet beckoning for the power he offered. He gave it what it wanted, and he could feel it pulling from the magic and the spirits within him like a vacuum. Given his terror, Argrave likened the experience to crapping his pants. He very nearly had a point of comparison for that metaphor.

Erlebnis’ spell coursed toward Argrave—a solid ball of fire, writhing with the red liquid metal that constituted his divinity. Yet that liquid metal slammed upon an invisible wall, while the fire made wholly of magic kept its course toward Argrave. Argrave quickly improvised a ward that shattered. The flames slammed into Argrave’s face. Artur’s armor did protect him well enough, yet he felt hair and skin burnt away and grit his teeth in pain.

But when he opened his eyes, he was alive… and Erlebnis stood there, his arm held out with an expression of wrath. He pushed that arm forth with what seemed to be tremendous effort, yet Zen’s array did not wield. Argrave saw one of the crowning achievements of the Great Chu manifest, and even as his skin burnt hot, let out a sigh of relief. Divinity in all its forms—whether gods, or the spirits they bled—ceased to function before the array Zen had made.

It was comforting, yet extremely alarming simultaneously, that Governor Zen possessed this power.

Erlebnis reeled away. “The imperial palace’s ward? Then, as promised…!” He looked to where Anneliese retreated to the distance, and Argrave felt his heart thump as the god of knowledge made to move.

Law’s blade descended once again, yet this time, there could be no mistaking it—Law was as present as he could be, all of his golden aura condensed in the shape of a great titan. He was a knight of gold, and he clenched both of his hands around his greatsword and plunged it down. Erlebnis did not rise to meet it—rather, he ducked low and jumped to the side, quickly pivoting around the array Argrave shielded himself in until he was on the other side. Law’s blade met the same resistance Erlebnis did, and the attack was nullified.

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Erlebnis gathered divinity and magic in hand, ready to attack any number of Argrave’s scattering allies. Yet then a figure descended from on high, swinging a huge hammer. Erlebnis dedicated all of his attention to the new attacker, and two wards rose to block the attack. The hammer broke the first ward, and Sataistador’s fist broke the second. The god of war lunged at Erlebnis, whose back was to Zen’s array.

Erlebnis didn’t dodge—he caught Sataistador’s charge. His hand wrapped his throat, and to Argrave’s shock and awe, Erlebnis slammed the god of war to the ground as if he were a child. “Vulture,” Erlebnis spat, his free hand preparing magic. “Fucking lice, all in my hair.”

Sataistador punched Erlebnis, and though the god of knowledge staggered away, he still completed his magic. A lance of liquid red metal shot out with the speed of lightning, and Sataistador only barely dodged. The projectile grazed his shoulder, causing a small burst of spirits flying into the air. They merged with Law’s form, whose titanic body stood to its full height while readying that golden greatsword. Argrave felt a turtle in a shell as three ancient gods did battle all around.

“Your woman was right,” Sataistador said, hefting his hammer. “He’s after you and those close to you. Fighting and killing him is one thing, but we can’t guarantee your safety. That array won’t hold if the ground beneath it fails, which is sure to happen if we let loose. Law and I together can stop him for a time, but you must run if you want to live. Bring Zen, head for the Palace of Heaven. Get inside, however you planned to, and claim the Stormfield.”

Argrave briefly considered the notion that Sataistador might be trying to get him killed, but ultimately he dismissed it and broke out into a run toward the Palace of Heaven, right into the Stormfield. Reinforcement Justiciars joined him, protecting him and those near him from the worst of the array.

“Everyone, group up closely!” Argrave shouted, then recalled the Alchemist into the Ravenstone. He clutched it as he ran, asking the man, “Will you live? Can you fight?”

“He cut me in twain with his divinity. I can fight no more,” the Alchemist stated plainly. “I must focus all my faculties on recovery, lest I perish.”

Equal parts relieved and concerned, Argrave made his way toward the Palace of Heaven. As he did, he asked Elenore, “Galamon in position?”

“Yes,” she responded. “Apparently, the pressure lightened on his end. They’re waiting at the breach point for the signal.”

“Situation’s desperate on this side,” Argrave informed her. “Law’s fully occupied. We can’t conserve one of the Giantkillers as we intended if we want to punch through. We need it over here.”

“I’ll tell him,” Elenore promised.

Argrave pressed on, joined by Zen, Anneliese, and Orion. Onychinusa hung back, perhaps wishing to do battle with Erlebnis. Zen still had some of his own rib bone in hand, ready to write another array. Soon enough they were met with the second deterrent of the Palace of Heaven—its walls. He wasn’t talking about their physical aspects, but rather their magical ones. A pressure emanated outward from their sleek gray surface—one from above, the other fighting against them, both as constant as gravity.

Every step that Argrave took felt heavier than the last, the fortress looming high above them. His eyes felt like they were being turned to goo, his ears rung, and his bones pushed against his skin and armor as if threatening to burst free. Argrave could hear, could feel the battle between Sataistador, Law, and Erlebnis. He heard Erlebnis’ desperate, ravening struggles to reach Argrave, but the two ancient gods proved capable of warding him away, even if only for a time. Judging by the fact that the sounds were growing closer rather than further… that wouldn’t be forever. Governor Zen fell to one knee, but Argrave grabbed him and hefted him along.

“Rook’s crossing to your side of the fortress. He has the Giantkiller on hand,” Elenore informed him.

Argrave looked to the weak spot, at the point where the Palace of Heaven met the mountain. Galamon would be standing on the opposite side, waiting for the order. Argrave’s joints felt useless, and Orion supported everyone weaker than himself with a firm hand. Even the Justiciars were feeling the strain. They made it to the wall, and Argrave leaned against it with one hand. That proved to be a mistake—pain surged through the hand, as sharp as bones breaking, and he retracted it with a hiss.

“Make another array,” he commanded Zen.

The governor seemed barely able to respond beneath the pressure of the Palace of Heaven’s indomitable walls, but he collapsed to the ground and slowly dragged his bone against the ground. Just then, Argrave spotted a bright light—looking up, Rook descended down into the valley, bearing a dagger that glowed with the light of more than ten thousand lightning strikes.

Argrave slumped down, looking behind in cautious relief. As he watched, Erlebnis stood his ground against Law’s greatsword. With a great heave, a blast of his divinity sent Law reeling. Sataistador approached from behind, and though Erlebnis twisted and delivered a powerful blast of ice against his face, Argrave saw a dagger slip deep into Erlebnis’ shoulder. Spirits flew into the air as a steady stream, like a smoking wound.

But rather than punish the reeling law, press the advantage on Sataistador, or pull out the dagger embedded in his shoulder… Erlebnis flew toward Argrave furiously, finally free of the two gods. Sataistador and Law chased, bridging the gap just as fast… but ‘just as fast’ wouldn’t be good enough, considering he had a lead. Argrave looked to Rook and shouted, “Hurry!”

The god of deception pushed past the pressure of the Palace of Heaven and handed the dagger to Argrave. In his head, he told Elenore, “Tell Galamon to send it!”

Argrave raised the blade in spite of tremendous resistance, and plunged the dagger in the part where mountain and fortress met. Lightning collected from the Stormfield for the hours it’d been working surged into it. Ordinarily Argrave and Galamon both would’ve just consigned themselves to death, as the electricity coursed through the earth, into their highly-vulnerable fleshy bits. Now, however, it was attracted toward a particular point—something that Traugott had planted. There, it was amplified, concentrated… and released, precisely where they wished it.

A great white pillar of concentrated energy surged upward with the fury of an erupting volcano. Argrave backed away, feeling some of his strength returning as the foul magics embedded into the wall of the Palace of Heaven vaporized. The plan had been for Law to supplement one half of this attack, leaving Galamon with one Giantkiller charged that they might use on Erlebnis.

“Array’s ready!” Zen shouted, scrambling out of the way.

As Argrave looked behind, Erlebnis had nearly made it. Argrave lacked the energy to power the array, but Anneliese’s power poured inside it long before the god of knowledge could make it. Erlebnis halted, gathered his power, and then fired it straight into the earth. The defending Justiciars fell into the earth, and then folded inside it, crushed. The whole of the mountain seemed to shift, and Argrave’s eyes widened as the array fragmented and cracked.

Argrave thought to head inside the Palace of Heaven, yet the blast of white energy still persisted in destroying the wall. As fear set in… Rook stepped in between Argrave and Erlebnis. He plunged a dagger into Erlebnis’ chest. It barely seemed to break the skin, yet Erlebnis was forced to confront him. Rook stubbornly clung onto Erlebnis, wrestling his hands to prevent his use of magic.

The god of knowledge gathered divinity and magic in his right hand, then grabbed Rook’s head. Malignant energy tore through the deity, and in no more than a few moments… he perished, the spirits comprising his being consumed by Erlebnis shortly thereafter. Those short few moments were enough for Sataistador to catch up, and Erlebnis was forced to turn around and block a potentially deadly stab.

Just then Argrave felt the power breaking the wall fade, and when he turned around… their path into the Palace of Heaven had opened.

Argrave, first of any in history, ran into the breach of the Palace of Heaven, jumping a cavernous hole. His allies followed him shortly thereafter. And coming through, on the opposite side… the gods of the Blackgard Union entered.

“Let’s go!” Argrave shouted, taking no time to think. “To the Stormfield!”