Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave arrived at the top of the tree. He had been expecting some sort of vast field of golden leaves at the top, but instead, he found himself crawling through an open manhole. He rose up out of the sewer, looking around at the room he found himself in. In a few moments, he realized it was something like a museum. There were exhibits all around, many of which were directly related to his time here on Berendar and the world beyond it.

Argrave climbed up, coming to stand as he looked around further. There were antiquities from the Burnt Desert—miniature replicas of the metallic towers at Sethia and a recreation of the heart that had been created to replace his own. There was the Plague Jester’s scepter, and a small ring that Argrave knew once belonged to Induen. There was a scale from Vasquer’s body, a feathered hat from Relize, and a set of eyes clenched by a taxidermized bat.

The exhibits carried on, each of them highlighting some various aspect of his journey. He followed them down chronologically, paying attention as they became more and more recent. Finally, at the end, there was the final exhibit—it seemed to be the centerpiece, yet it was blocked away with yellow tape that read, ‘construction in progress’ in bold and bright letters. Beyond the yellow tape, there was a navy-blue curtain. From beneath the curtain, a gleaming golden light peeked out, dancing at the edge of the floor. He could see two orbs, each projecting a light that barely indicated their presence. Just beyond would be the suns, he was certain. He wasn’t clear on what to expect.

Argrave walked up to the unfinished exhibit, looking around. A door opened to his right, and from it came a cloud of smoke. Argrave braced, prepared to fight anything that might come. Moments after, Jaray walked out, shadowed by someone unrecognizable. Argrave narrowed his eyes as he looked at them, not entirely relaxing.

“What is this?” Argrave expressed his disdain openly.

“Congratulations on getting past the souls Gerechtigkeit sent after you,” Jaray commended. “I said that I’d be busy arranging a meeting with the Heralds. Well… I knew that you’d be coming here, given what you and Lorena intended. So, we came here in advance and waited. This is a fitting venue for conversation, I think,” he said, looking around at the place before his eyes narrowed at the ‘no smoking’ sign plastered on the wall. “Mostly.”

Argrave looked at the second figure warily, finally grasping things. “You’re a Herald?” He questioned. “How did you come here?”

“Piggybacking on a mortal soul, of course,” Jaray answered.

The man looked at Jaray, then at Argrave. “There is never a shortage of people willing and able to help us when we need it. Even those with undying souls.”

Hearing that the Heralds had already found a patsy to confront him with—and one so rare as to possess an undying soul—Griffin’s conversation echoed fiercely in Argrave’s head. His claims that the Heralds would do anything gained more and more credence. Argrave had largely said what he needed to pass the calamity by, but his foe’s words had rattled his cage and disturbed his mind.

There was no denying that Griffin had gotten into his head—at that, at least, he’d won. The man spoke well, spoke passionately, and treated Argrave with an amount of respect that was almost something to return… but that was provided he hadn’t killed Vasquer and billions of others over the years. As Griffin said, he may have been oppressed by the Heralds, but that still didn’t make him a good person.

“So, what is this?” Argrave looked between them, shaking his thoughts away. “Are you going to try and stop me?”

“Stop you?” The Herald raised a brow. “We’re only trying to make things even again. Balance the scale, so to speak. If you’re willing to be reasonable, we can offer you unreasonable things.”

Jaray pointed his pipe at Argrave. “It was very difficult to get them to agree to come to the bargaining table. You’ve cost the Heralds a lot, and you’ve proven to be someone that’s rather uncompromising in what you believe in. Still, despite all that, this man has agreed to hear you out.”

Argrave exhaled from his nose, looking back at the unfinished exhibit wordlessly.

“Tell us what you want, Argrave.” The Herald walked up beside the exhibit, into his field of view. “Tell us what you actually want to protect by doing all of this.”

“I want the cycle of judgment to end.” Argrave looked at him with contempt. “I want your exploitation of all these people to end.”

“You’ll have learned by now that can’t happen,” the Herald responded without missing a beat. “What you’re asking… you’re decently-educated in the world you come from, correct? It would be akin to destroying the tectonic plates to stop earthquakes, or eliminating everything that created wind to stop cyclones and hurricanes. The cycle of judgment is but another natural disaster, just as an earthquake.” He gestured. “Come now—be mature. Surely you can understand how futile it’d be to try and fight to end earthquakes?”

As the Herald chuckled at the notion, Argrave responded, “Earthquakes aren’t engineered by an outside force. Your people, whoever they are, established this cycle of judgment. Your people came to this world, did something in Sandelabara, and turned things to what they are. That’s nothing like an earthquake.”

The Herald shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple.”

“Then explain it to me,” Argrave suggested. “Explain to me why this is necessary. Explain to me why I shouldn’t revolt. Explain to me who you are, and why you’re here.”

The Herald threw up his hands. “I don’t have the time, nor the clearance, to explain it to you.”

“Then make time, and get clearance,” Argrave continued.

“Would that I could…” the Herald laughed like it was a joke as he looked back to Jaray. “I came to have this conversation because he assured me you’d be open to discussing an alternate path. Were you wrong, Jaray, like I said would be the case?”

Jaray was spurred to action by the glance, stepping forward. “Argrave, you’ve seen what Lorena’s become. Despite everything, she lives a good life. A fulfilling life. You could have all of that—all of that, and far more. You just have to accept the situation for what it is. Heed the examples of the past to avoid repeating their mistakes.”

“Their mistakes?” Argrave repeated, smiling. “Can I take that to be a threat?”

Jaray shook his head. “No, I—”

“You can,” interrupted the Herald. “You have been obstinate and belligerent while not possessing half the talent of those before you who’ve come just as far. You’re interfering with the business of very important people—and I number among them. Just because your soul was ferried in from somewhere else doesn’t mean you have the right to solve whatever you perceive as a problem.”

“Very diplomatic,” Argrave noted, wondering what he meant by ‘ferried in.’ “Very persuasive, denigrating all I’ve done.”

“I’m offering to build you a paradise. You can live with your happy family—your entire kingdom, totally separate from all the miseries of this world. The troubles you fight against now would be out of sight, out of mind. This planet could become nothing more than a distant star as you live in peace, building the society of your dreams alongside those you love.” The Herald shook his head. “And yet you condescend, judge, complain, and bitch, bitch, bitch. Do you think I want to be here?” The Herald sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You’re pulling me away from other obligations—actually important matters. You’re fighting me as I try to make you happy. Can your tiny brain understand why I might be a mite annoyed?”

Argrave could only blink in stunned surprise at the tirade. This Herald came here, acting as though everything that Argrave mentioned was just… an annoyance. Like it was dirt on his shoe, or a mustard stain on his shirt. Like there were thousands of other more important matters on his plate. He sounded like an overworked, arrogant businessman more than some arbiter of life-and-death. That made it all the more terrifying, in his eyes.

“Argrave…” Jaray began, emptying his pipe. “He’s not joking around with this. I don’t know much. But I know from past experience that they’ve been moving, frantically, to prepare for a more… final solution… to your Blackgard Union. They’re operating under the assumption that you’re unwilling to cooperate, driven by ideals before pragmatism. I’m hoping that they’re wrong.”

Argrave studied him. “And your part in this?”

Jaray looked at Argrave squarely. “They’ve had me speaking to gods. Setting the groundwork for…” he trailed off, saying nothing. “Once the White Planes break, it’s open season for all deities. And… well.”

“You’re saying a bunch of gods are already prepared to betray us, when the time comes.” Argrave smiled grimly.

“I can’t speak for what the Heralds have been doing, but… yeah.” He shook his head. “To end the cycle of judgment would be to end divinity. You concealed that fact, but I revealed it. Knowing that, it didn’t take much to convince most. Small promises, and continued survival. Both were enough to shatter most of what you’ve built.”

Argrave did wonder how much of that was a bluff. Elenore had been very choosy about which gods she’d allowed to occupy Berendar and the Great Chu. Those that she allowed would assuredly keep their word, even at the cost of their own lives. Yet… Jaray had been able to force Law’s hand, even. Perhaps Argrave truly did have no chance.

“It would be cheapest for both of us to settle this here and now,” the Herald continued. “Ideals are costly. Your world has been lucrative for both parties. I don’t want that to change, and it doesn’t have to… provided that you act intelligently.”

“How can I trust you?” Argrave looked between them. “You betrayed Gerechtigkeit, didn’t you? How can I know we don’t have the same fate in store?”

“He spoke to you, did he?” The Herald shook his head. “Tried to poison you against us? You’re genuinely swayed by the words of someone whose very reason for being is to destroy?”

“I’m just concerned about getting taken advantage of,” Argrave continued, choosing not to mention the enraging fact that they had created this destructive being. It did confirm one thing—the Heralds had not been listening to the conversation he’d just had.

“We do have our reputation to maintain,” the Herald said. “You may be unaware, but a lot of very important eyes are on this incident. The one you know as Gerechtigkeit was never betrayed—he’s an asset prized for his indefatigability, and little else. We have an agreement in place which forbids me from saying more.”

Argrave glanced between Jaray and the Herald, saying nothing even as his mind whirled. He pointed at the curtain. “Do you have issue with me carrying out what Lorena and I have drafted?”

“Not particularly,” the Herald said. “Why?”

“I’m going to finish this job,” Argrave said. “And then you’ll have my answer.”

“Fair enough,” the Herald said with a heavy sigh.

Argrave stepped forward, grabbing the navy-blue curtain. Beyond it, he could see the suns, as clear as day. He began to pull, wondering what might lie beyond.