The Step Of Palimpsest
#14

No need to beat him. Enough to beat him back or scare him. After all, not all magicians can defeat magic of this magnitude. Shit, it's like this because Cashel jumped into the river to save me. Then, I never heard anything about this snake being an ally of father. And what was the reason when he forbade to approach this lake but brought me here again when the Spirit Eye was opened?

Let me think again. I'll find the answer to this snake myself.

Pieces of the snake's body are still warm and fresh which means this is part of the snake itself. His blood, flesh, and bones contained strength and memory. The flaming element that was suitable became an additional component to Cashel's sword. Ancient creatures such as titanoboa, the difference is that this one snake moves very agile and is able to chase us from the water to the mainland. The most formidable predator of his time, now he woke up because of us

I kneeled right in front of the fresh flesh and flowing blood. I put my palm on the surface of the warm, twitching flesh. I slowly immerse the edges of my fingers into the flesh. Ah, it was a bit strange when I was conscious I was holding snake meat. Just imagine this fish meat that has not been cleaned from its scales. Close your eyes and don't breathe.

"Percoluted in silk-white cloth, her purity stained by a drop of blood. The murup-murup of his crown, when the shade of his petals, passionate like the color of the saga fruit. Thou shalt the wild blood that awoke from his sleep, reveal to me the character of your kulawangs. Sanguis lotos."

I felt my palm being sucked up by that living flesh. Slowly in the darkness, I glanced at the beginning from the first point of view when he first came into the world and came out of his egg shell. From childhood he wrestled with his brothers. Ah, I can understand her feelings. The older the age, the more intense the competition. He was only a small part of this world, but finally with hard work he had the power to occupy the top hierarchy.

A body capable of crushing hundreds to thousands of bones of living creatures in just one round. Described as a form of gluttony, as it is able to swallow its prey just by opening its mouth once. Being a source of fear, everyone ran away in a storm when they saw him wriggling in a state of full stomach. However, it is also often symbolized as wisdom, eternity, and tranquility.

His life was burning slowly. Many lives were lost for it so that it could survive. Until thousands of years ago he entered this lake to take refuge from climate change. The river is very peaceful and there are many prey that can be hunted. Until the incendiary rope has reached the gunpowder dust that will create a big explosion. It was there that he found his first ally and made the lake his home.

I-i understand. He didn't let them be no master for too long. Being lonely for such a long time is excruciating. Despite making my head dizzy from seeing the long life journey of this snake, I was finally able to learn serrejopent language, the ancient language of the ancestors of the snakes used by the titanoboa species. In this way, we don't have to bother hurting him.

"Cashel, lure him towards me!"

"Huh? What do you want to do?!"

"Just do it!"

Cashel pulled out one last slash to escape the snake's grip. He ran towards me until he stopped right behind me. The serpent chased him, now he had two prey that he could eat directly, his wide mouth was gaping with sharp teeth and a deafening roar. I stepped forward to stop him, ignoring the screaming voice of Cashel.

His mouth was almost in front of my face, until I said his name. "Piscinoboa."

The snake didn't eat me right away, but it wrapped around me like it didn't let me escape. Then his body language signaled confusion and curiosity. It seemed like he still remembered his name, even after thousands of years had passed when he hibernated down there. I know how it feels to be disturbed while sleeping. The moment of rest is very important, otherwise I will not be able to put in my main performance for tomorrow.

"I'm sorry for disturbing your sleep." I put my hand on her hard scales, while not taking my eyes off her sharp eyes.

"What can I give you in exchange for the loss? I promise you, I won't bother you anymore."

"Be ... my ally."

"What do you think I am?"

"You are a magic .. who has no home .. I will give you a home .. and a friend."

So, I'm not a human or a witch anymore? I see, so I've surpassed everyone. Though father is still Daylight level, but in vain have done this much. Well, she was indeed the genius magician of the Ginova family. He was the pride of the family before me or Dorothy would take his place. The lowest or highest level was meaningless to him. He proved that he was at the top, really showed himself that he was superior.

"I can't be your friend, but you can be someone else's friend."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't like to make small talk, I just want those who have clear goals. He'll ask a lot of questions from me."

"She's a strong advocate, so she won't think long of making you her ally."

He continued hissing as he surrounded me, watching my curves from head to toe. Then, he closed his eyes by continuing his his his hissing. Meanwhile Cashel was about to approach me, but I asked him to stay where he was. I'm in the process of important negotiations. Whatever happens in the future, everything is within my grasp.

Everything depends on me.

"I understand ... By sending you into the past like this, he'll pay me dearly."

"What would you ask of him?"

"Your sister."

My breath's choked. My chest was like being hit by a giant nail. Ah, it feels like receiving a mouthful by an evil shaman. Dorothy tried to kill me, but I didn't try to kill her back. I just want him to go to jail without being executed. Even Casildo agreed with me, the proof was that he could have set the thunder from his sword to be able to directly burn Dorothy's heart and brain. However, he was only trying to cripple it. Not that you can't kill, but you don't.

I would suffer on my own if I were this naive. I'm not going to kill people that easily. No, I could have been more ruthless than them. Death will ease the pain they have inflicted on me, but if they are imprisoned then they can be worth the pain. I can't believe anyone else hurt Dorothy but me.

"Lately they've been hungrier than usual. Since I am supported by them, then I must comply with their wishes. I promise you, I will give you justice in this world or another."

The serpent was philosophized as a symbol of wisdom and ingenuity. But really, what does that mean? That other world means when I was Karmina? I don't remember ever meeting or seeing a big snake in person. Or maybe, in addition to the interrelationship between the future and the past, there could be something more to it than this? Something that was beyond the shadow of a human, such as the fate for the unknown Level Eve magicians.

They immediately 'disappeared' after turning 75 years old. That's why Dorothy and I never saw our grandparents after our 16th birthday.

"Another world? Whatchu mean?"

"You just have to bide your time, The Eclipse."

He twisted his body, no longer locking me inside his circle anymore. He again moved the tree hoses with his abdominal muscles. It continued to move back towards the lake, leaving blood spots from the tail that had been cut by Cashel. He sauntered without giving a word, not even looking back. Leaving me in question marks with no intention of freeing me from my confusion deduces the meaning of his words.

"What do you see of me? Please, tell me! H-hey, Piscinoboa!!"

Limply. My legs were too limp to accept the fact that he would surface again after I interrupted his sleep for the second time, to eat Dorothy in exchange. Ah, is there no other way to correct the child's mistake? No, his death would be my fault. One of us had to die so the other could survive. Damn, what kind of parasitism is this symbiosis? There must be a collision if one wants to be maintained.

In the novel world, Theomund wants to defend Dorothy, so he closes his eyes to the child's sin. However, in this world, he had already allied himself with Piscinoboa and was now willing to sacrifice Dorothy so that I could cross the boundaries of the Rankings. Genius and madness are different.

Cashel's heavy footsteps approached me, he knelt down and then lifted my knee that kissed the ground. "What are you talking about?"

The wind blew carrying all the scents mixed into one. The scent of petricor that my nose can greet kindly. The rancid smell of snake blood and fishy from the mossy lake water. Then, another one was the pungent scent of magic. He's on his way here one way from the corner where this gust of wind is coming from. He darted from Ginova Castle on his horse. Even with his Spirit Eyes closed, he was already attractive like this. Piscinoboa must have been unknowingly hypnotized by this aura.

Ayah—Theomund—being headed this way. There's no way I'm showing myself with a mane of hair that looks so much like his.

"sorry. I have to go."