Jackal Among Snakes

Meanwhile, Durran, Argrave, and Anneliese, standing on the roof, waited for opportunity for precise attacks. It was imperative that they not damage its head, as the Alchemist claimed that was where the core of its power rested. They targeted the rotating orbs of rings comprising its joints, wearing away at those.

Orion, meanwhile, locked down its movement. Physically, he was about its equal in strength—he stood near its feet, contesting it physically whenever it attempted to make a move. He was caught in the crossfire one too many times, but never seemed to complain, let alone notice it.

Melanie was their lookout. Argrave had instructed his Brumesingers to stay with her, utilizing their mist enhanced by the dryad’s mysterious magic. Blindness, magic dampening, and all other foul maladies inflicted the living beings that walked within their mist—emissaries included. Fortunately, Melanie had been immunized with a blessing from a dryad just as all other members of this party.

She roamed the alleys of the City Annals, shielded by the brume as she killed unsuspecting emissaries attempting to support the Lodestar. Raccomen’s blessing allowing her to travel through space was invaluable, as it could completely bypass wards and get her out of harm’s way for any spells. Even without magic—or her sword, for that matter—she proved more than equal to the task. Every second she earned her place in their party even despite her self-doubt.

But Melanie was not infallible—emissaries started to make their way through, targeting all of them with precise magic. They were being surrounded body by body, just as they surrounded the Lodestar, and the circle tightened as they waited out the five minutes. And even amidst all of that, it was abundantly clear that Mozzahr was coming.

Then, like a nozzle turned on a faucet, the five minutes granted by the Blessing of Supersession ran out, and the Lodestar was left with nothing. Argrave perceived the change and shouted, “Hit hard! He’s vulnerable!”

But Argrave didn’t need to speak—the Alchemist stepped forward, spear in hand, and cut right through the Lodestar’s limb. Its metal groaned as it collapsed to the ground, then lunged out at the Alchemist like a beast. He stepped on its huge bronze hand, then plunged the spear into its elbow, dismembering one of its arms.

The Alchemist leaned forth on his spear and jammed his fingers beneath the head of the fallen Lodestar. He pulled, pulled, and pulled upon its head, keeping its body still with his foot. Then, with a mighty creak, it ripped free of the place. The bronze body sagged to the ground, lifeless, yet the head still droned on, reporting its actions.

“Bloody hell!” Durran shouted, jumping off the roof of the building as several spells headed his way. It slammed into the building he’d been standing on, and broken books scattered everywhere. The magic within them dissipated upward, heading for the red sky above. The man collapsed on the ground, grunting painfully. But he was alive—and that was more than enough.

Argrave looked back as emissaries swarmed their position. He realized that Melanie’s good work was nearing its limit, and decided to head down to the Alchemist before he met Durran’s fate. Everyone else had similar ideas. As they came to the Alchemist standing before the body of the Lodestar, he subsumed its head inside himself.

At once, the indomitable Alchemist hunched over, clutching his chest. His whole body glowed, and the strange metallic red liquid poured out of his eyes, his ears, as his entire body bubbled viciously. He was alchemizing its head to consume its power and use it for himself. Argrave couldn’t begin to imagine what was actually happening within him.

“Protect him!” Argrave shouted, hoping that this wasn’t an ill omen.

The emissaries came onto them like a swarm of hyenas. Melanie persisted alone for a time, but even she was forced to come back and rejoin the pack. With [Requite], they could stem the tide of emissaries… but the emissaries seemed to be well familiar with Argrave’s tactic, now. They did not seek to bombard with relentless power as they had in the Bloodwoods—now, rather, they were like biting wolves, lashing out only when weakness was shown. And it was nearly working. With greater numbers, they’d fall.

“It’s done,” the Alchemist said, his voice strained and quiet. “The Lodestar’s power is mine.”

Argrave dared a glance back. The monstrous man rose up, using the spear to straighten. Hands sprouted from his armor of bone and reached out to them, grasping their heads, and then he cast [Worldstrider]. The world shifted around them as Argrave accepted the teleportation.

When sight returned, Argrave staggered around, getting his footing in the unfamiliar location. They were on a distant building in the city, but as Argrave looked around, he saw the scene of their fight. The Alchemist had not taken them far.

It’s over, he realized, walking with shaky steps to a railing on the roof. The scene was eerily quiet, as all of the emissaries had likely pooled over where near Argrave had been.

“Yeah!” was the first thing Argrave heard, as Durran walked about celebrating. “By the gods, that was a close one.”

“It was excellently performed, Your Majesty. I could feel the Lodestar’s weakness after your barrage. You deserve the glory,” Orion praised him.

“Glory? Who’s around to watch?” Melanie protested, then shook her head, breathing heavy. “I need a little… break,” she sat down. “Water, mages? Please? Make some?”

Durran walked over, conjuring water in Melanie’s empty cup. “That was a tense fight. But you made the right call,” he pointed at the Alchemist. “That weird elf never found us in time.”

“I didn’t advise we fight that Lodestar because it was prudent.” The Alchemist looked at the scene. “Erlebnis has vast hoards of knowledge, true. But he also has… more treasures.”

“Wait...” Anneliese stepped up to him. “Where does this come from?”

“I didn’t lie. The spear does degrade as I use it,” the Alchemist said simply, looking down at Argrave. “But if we had gone to another Annal, far from Mozzahr, and found its Lodestar… it would have been simpler, and safer. I was not entirely truthful about that.”

“What the hell was that, then? A good bit of fun?” Melanie gestured at the site of their fight. Mozzahr had arrived close, now, and chaos was reigniting as the swarm of emissaries descended upon him in place of them. “Are you bloody mental?”

“After that fight, Mozzahr will know that we are Erlebnis’ enemies, now, the same as he is,” the Alchemist continued. “You claim he’s intelligent—and if he is intelligent, he’ll ask the emissaries where we are.” He looked at Argrave. “They’ll tell him. They won’t ally, but they will tell him where we are, simply because they lose nothing by doing so.”

Argrave stood there, mouth agape, and huffed in disbelief. “Melanie’s right—are you bloody mental?”

“Erlebnis’ vault of treasures isn’t open as the Annals of the Universe are,” the Alchemist said. “Only he, himself, can access what’s within. Alternatively… someone roughly as powerful as him might break in.” His eyes wandered to where Mozzahr was likely waiting. As if in ominous prediction, the site was silent. “I suggest we use Mozzahr to open Erlebnis’ vault.”

Wide-eyed, Argrave leaned up against the building’s railing. His mind raced. Only one person had managed to steal something from Erlebnis’ vault—that person was Oril Valar, the vampire that Argrave had sold down the river at the very beginning of his time here. By betraying him to Erlebnis, Argrave had earned the Blessing of Supersession, an invaluable power that had carried him through most of his life here.

But Argrave knew there was much more there. Erlebnis didn’t deal in knowledge alone—oftentimes he needed wealth or items to entice people to give him what he wanted. The vault was built to entice. Erlebnis sometimes took the player on tours there, showing them everything that was within to manipulate their sense of greed.

And damn if that greed wasn’t flaring, now.

“The things within that vault have been collected by a god over millennia of existence,” the Alchemist said. “They are tools meant to sway kings, queens, emperors, and even gods. And nothing would please me more than to head within, and deprive Erlebnis of everything. Rob him blind.” The Alchemist’s grip tightened around the white spear.

“Stealing his knowledge is one thing—all of it exists within his mind, so he would truly lose nothing. But stealing his wealth? His actions on this plane would be hampered irreparably. Not all men and women bow before the lure of knowledge—some are swayed by material things, and he would lose that option for a long time.” The Alchemist gestured toward Argrave. “You may keep it all. I ask only to borrow what I wish from it upon request.”

“Keep it. Yeah. All this is assuming we pull this off—which I’ve gotta say, sounds like a damned impossibility.” Argrave laughed in disbelief. “What if Erlebnis himself shows up? What if Mozzahr is a little bit too much of a bull for us matadors to wrangle?”

“It’s difficult…” the Alchemist nodded. “But not impossible. I would assume most of the risk. Mozzahr wants this spear, as he’s demonstrated. I am the ideal target. And with Mozzahr in eager pursuit, Erlebnis will target him before us. He is the larger threat, and he’ll tolerate no mortals in his realm beside slaves. I doubt Mozzahr would be willing to broker a deal, either. He seemed uncompromising, judging by our exchange before coming here. He’s too proud for cooperation.”

Argrave started laughing loudly. Everyone else was watching the streets in paranoia, but they were having a lucky break—or perhaps the streets had thinned while converging on them, and now Mozzahr was dealing with the aftermath of that.

Anneliese crossed her arms as Argrave giggled, staring at the Alchemist. “This stems from something else beside greed, or hampering Erlebnis’ activities on this mortal realm.” She walked closer. “This is personal.”

Argrave quieted, his humor dying when Anneliese spoke with certainty. The Alchemist offered no answer for a time, and everyone stared at him tensely.

“It isn’t impersonal,” he said, voice low and gravelly. “But pragmatic and personal aren’t mutually exclusive. This is the right choice,” the Alchemist insisted. “But it’s still your choice.”

“Really? After that stunt you pulled, making us fight that Lodestar unnecessarily? You had all damned month to disclose this,” Durran said, waving his hands around.

“I agree. The deception was unwarranted,” Orion nodded. “The Alchemist exposed us to the danger of Mozzahr by outing us as the enemy of Erlebnis. He’ll be able to track us better, now.”

“What’s done is done. We’re unharmed. Let me think for a moment,” Argrave raised his hand. “Just… let me think.”

The heist was, reasonably, over. The Alchemist could use the Lodestar’s power and discover the location of the knowledge they needed. Between [Worldstrider] and the spear, they had unprecedented mobility in this area. They could be in and out. Barring bad luck, it was a simple finish.

But did Argrave take his profits… or take a chance to financially ruin a god?