JACKAL AMONG SNAKES-Novel

What did Lindon want?

“He allowed us to chere,” Elenore’s voice entered his mind through Lira’s connection. “There’s significance to that act.”

Orion, however, spoke aloud. “Gods, no matter their kinship, remain ever-bound to their domain. Lindon has mastery over minds, dreams, and consciousness.”

As Argrave took in their opinions, accepting they were deferring to his choice for now, he had thoughts of his own. Was the answer in front of them, as plain as day? Had Lindon merely wanted the Fruit of Being? Even despite that bizarre journey they’d gone through, details remained muddled as to what that fruit actually was.

“I’d like to ask a question,” Argrave called out to Lindon as the tide of snakes raged all around him.

The tree that Lindon coiled about glowed brilliantly, and Argrave recognized that familiar sensation—the glow of amusement. Argrave thought the serpent’s silver maw was inches away from his face, yet somehow the deity moved it miles closer until Argrave could feel the warm breath from the serpent’s nose.

“I am glad the atmosphere did not make you act overeagerly,” Lindon said, his voice echoing around Argrave’s skull like a bullet ricocheting in a metal room. “You may each ask one, but I shall decide how to answer, if at all. Elenore has already expended hers.”

They looked between each other, and Argrave pointed to himself indicating he had something he wished to ask. Neither dissented, and so Argrave walked across the tide of gold.

“Being,” Lindon said as if it was a stupid question, and Argrave briefly considered if he was going to be mocked and answered with that alone before the snake continued. “Should you plant it into the ground, life would sprout; a Gilderwatcher, born of your collective will and tempered by ours. Such is how the first of us were born. We are will manifest, but the fruit is more than merely that. It is potential. It is the future.”

Lindon pulled his head backward and ascended in a corkscrew. “Should you eat it, you will be made greater, reforged by your will and that of those within the tree. Should you cut it, bountiful fertility will pour from its wound, reshaping even the most barren wastelands into fertile fields capable of growing crops enough to feed millions. Should you desire anything else of it, you need only act with conviction. Anything that is within its power, it will do. Is that not the nature of Being?”

Rather, the crux of the Gilderwatcher’s philosophy was harmony. Whether it was with themselves, with others, with any who was feasible—they wanted peace, and little more. Despite their great bulk and fearspresence, Argrave had never once seen them use great force. Argrave knew Vasquer sustained herself not on the flesh and blood of animals, but by the mere presence and will of those within Blackgard.

Their power rested in others. And that was all the realization Argrave needed. Read Web s Online Free - Fire Fire -

Argrave looked at Orion for him to ask his questions, but he was taken aback by the conviction on the man’s face. His brother bunched his large black beard together and said, “I believe I know the answer, Argrave.”

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Ordinarily, Argrave might’ve stepped in and dissuaded his brother from acting—Elenore, too, for that matter. She might’ve been more insistent, in fact. But after everything they’d been through, they understood each other. Orion wasn’t dull-witted, or wrong, or malignant. He was merely different. Orion was as deserving as giving the answer as any of them.

“Go ahead,” said Argrave with a nod. And Elenore joined him in offering consent.

Orion looked right at Lindon, perched up and reaching toward heaven from atop his tree. He held his hand out and said, “You wish from us nothing more than any other Gilderwatcher. You wish us to Be.”

Argrave closed his eyes, listening, while Elenore crossed her arms and nodded.

Orion continued, “You want us to persist in this world, taking in its malevolence and benevolence with open hands. You wish us to return here, rest at the base of your tree, and share all that we are with the sopenness as we received it. You wish us to remain as one with our kin, united by the fact that we have Been, and will continue to Be.”

The snakes forming the ocean ceased to writhe, and in moments the whole of them beccalm. Lindon craned his silver body across it all, coming down from the tree. His colossal silver body slowly wrapped around them, obscuring everything from sight.

“Is that your final answer?” Lindon’s voice tore into Argrave’s skull, almost enough to make him stagger. “Does he speak for all of you.”

“He does,” confirmed Elenore.

“Yep,” added Argrave.

Lindon’s body compressed, wrapping around them. When it met Argrave, he was greeted by darkness.

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“You’re spacing out. ‘Alright, let’s’ what?” Thɪs chapter is updated by ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt

Argrave heard a voice, and whipped his head to spot Rook. When he looked around more, he realized that he stood in front of Raccomen’s gateway. His brain whirled, before he finally realized this was the spot where Lindon had first spoke to Argrave. He turned his head toward his siblings. From look alone, he knew they’d just experienced the sthing. He spotted something peculiar on their person, and soon enough, realized he had some, too.

After remembering what Lindon had said, Argrave walked toward Orion. “Set down the box,” he insisted.

Orion nodded, placing the golden cube he held in hand down on the ground. Rook, however, urgently gripped Argrave. “What are you doing?! Isn’t… isn’t the Smiling Raven in there?” he whispered.

“Not any longer,” Argrave shook his head. “Just trust me, won’t you?”

The great figure within slowly emerged, rising from a compressed mass within the cube to something vaguely human. Argrave was both eager to speak to the one within, yet reasonably cautious about what could go wrong. Perhaps Lindon intended for one of them to use the Fruit of Being to cure the Alchemist. Whatever the case, Argrave was ready.

Gray eyes took shape on that familiar imposing form. They looked around, taking in the sights as his body stayed still. His hair grew, forming a robe around his body, and a mouth slowly split open on his face.

“Where are we?” he asked, voice splintering ice just as Argrave remembered it.

“New portal near the Great Chu,” Argrave told him. “How do you feel, Raven?”

The man looked at himself, his whole body, as if it was foreign. A long while of silence passed under his silent scrutiny, before he turned to look at Argrave.

“Whole,” he finally said. “Alive.”