A Snake's Life

by Kenaren

  “Wait, is that it!?” Although I was slightly happy that I had a higher chance of finding the next animal. I would have preferred a non-water world first.

  “Oh well, Planet Iorus, it is!” The force returned and started pulling me along.

  I was unsure of just how long I was inside the Bifrost, though it probably wasn’t a small amount of time.

  Eventually, a clear ring formed in front of me and my body was pushed through.

  After reforming on the other side and clearing my head of the disorientation. I looked around and saw buildings that had been built around the Branch in a circular pattern, and expanded out into a sprawling city. It would have been an amazing sight… had it not been in ruins.

  The buildings were made with white stones, that had been slowly overrun by moss. Most of them were still standing high, with the tips appearing to brush the clouds that passed overhead.

  “What is this place?” A pop-up appeared.

  Welcome to planet Iorus Island of Brelt

  “Well, that tells me where I am, but not what this place is…” I moved around the Branch to get a look in every direction.

  After a few rotation, I believed that I had at least some idea of which way I should go. Because on the portal side of the Branch, was the ruined city. On the other side, was a sheer cliff that led to the ocean.

  “That’s… A long way down.” I was looking over the edge for a safe way down, so I could try my luck at finding the water creature I need. After a few minutes of this, however, I decided to circle back and head deeper into the city.

  “There’s got to be a way down, somewhere.” So, I resolved myself to search the city until I found one.

  * * *

  I explored the city for days, sleeping when I felt like it and just enjoying the fact that I wasn’t constantly starving. The city was an amazing sight. Litteral skyscrapers dotted the cityscape, and it seemed as if a beautiful vista could be found around every corner.

  “One day, if it’s still here… I’m going to bring Sarah.*Sigh* She would love this place…” Which led to a question… if this place, this beautiful paradise, was left to ruin… Where did the inhabitants go?

  From what I’d seen since arriving, this place had everything. The ocean was an endless supply of food, and fish could almost constantly be seen jumping out of the water below. Massive gardens filled with food were scattered around the Island, and yet… no matter where I looked. I had yet to find any clues as to a way down, or where the previous inhabitants went.

  “It’s almost as if this place was a prison, but surely that can’t be… You don’t just turn a place like this into a prison.” So, if this place wasn’t meant to keep something in, then what was it keeping out?

  “I’m not sure I actually want to know…But, I need to find that water creature. So, I guess, I’ll find out eventually. Regardless of what I want.” If I was going to search the ocean for that creature, then I had to leave this place. Even though I didn’t want too… “Wait… don’t I want to leave?”I was beginning to develop a headache.

  ” Maybe I should go lay down for awhile…” In fact… the longer I thought about it, the better that idea sounded.

  *Yawn* “That’s what I’ll do, then.” I moved through the city until I arrived at my favorite sleeping spot. The grassy hill behind the branch, that overlooked the ocean.

  Once I was there, I lay down and allowed my head to dangle over the edge. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I really enjoyed looking at the water below.

  *Chuckle* “Maybe, I should just jump?” Instantly, my headache worsened and I grew dizzy.

  *Groan* “Alright, Alright. So, jumping is a bad idea…” I tilted my head further away from the cliff, as that was slowly easing my headache. Except, I leaned over a bit too far and fell over.

  It was slow at first, but as I fell, my mind began to clear. That was also when I saw IT.

  A massive creature, or the remains of one, was holding the city on its shoulders as it stood in the ocean. The water only coming up to its calves emphasized just how massive the creature was.

  The only things I could clearly see was its dark blue skin that was covered in tribal tattoos, long black hair that almost reached the water below, the two curved horns on either side of its head, and the massive chains that held the island together on the creature’s shoulders.

  Then, I impacted the water and the creature was obscured from my vision. Although I was lucky because the impact with the water didn’t kill me, it just knocked me unconscious and left me at the mercy of the waves.

  Said waves, carried me far away from the creature and the paradise it carried on its shoulders.

  Chapter 13

  I woke up sometime after dark to find myself floating in the water. The waves were slowly pushing me up and down, and side to side… Honestly, it was the most relaxing thing to happen since I’d come to this planet.

  *Sigh* “I don’t know what that island was, but it was terrifying.” I’d only been semi-conscious since the first day. Every day after, my mind became more unclear. And it continued until I eventually fell.

  “Maybe I was correct about it being a prison…” However, that left me with a few questions.

  What was that place?

  What was used to cloud my mind?

  And what was that creature carrying it?

  “When I see it again, I’ll have to be much more careful, lest I become trapped there again.” Deciding to push it to the back of my mind. I pushed my head under the water.

  The water was crystal clear, but it was currently too dark to see very far. So, I completely submerged myself and began exploring.

  After swimming straight down for a few minutes. I found an expansive coral reef and a multitude of ocean life. Fish of all sizes called the reef home, and a few sharks could be seen swimming in the distance.

  “Guess I won’t be lacking in food, anytime soon.” I swam closer to a large, orange coral bed, and found a hole large enough for me to fit inside.

  “Hmm.. not bad.” I swam inside and ‘introduced’ myself to the previous occupant. A family of bright orange and black fish. They numbered in the several tens of fish, so it took me a little while to catch them, but as they couldn’t get passed my body once I’d coiled my body in the entrance. They were easy pickings.

  After finishing them off, I returned to the surface to breathe, then swam back down to the reef.

  I’d search the reef for about twenty minutes, then return to the surface to breathe, and repeat.

  As I lacked a place to call my own. I was searching for a coral bed large enough for me to occupy, for the night.

  Luckily… Or unluckily for me, I suppose. I accidentally intruded on a… cousin. I’d been searching a massive piece of red coral, that was so large, a small building could easily fit inside. when I found the entrance to a rather large chamber.

  When I first poked my head in to look around. I couldn’t see any creatures swimming around inside, and as my heat sense wasn’t detecting anything either. I assumed it was either empty, or the owner was out.

  What I didn’t expect to find was a massive white serpent, with beady black eyes staring at me. It had a pair of large red fins on its tail and gills on either side of its head.

  “Uh… Hello?”

  “Greetings, little one.”

  “Oh, you’re friendly?” A loud rumble filled the chamber.

  “So long as you provide me with a reason to be.” Oh… Shit.

  “Well, I mean you no harm?” It shook its massive head.

  “Try again.”

  “I can help… You?” It shook its head again.

  “Still no. Last chance to convince me or you’re going to be a late night snack.”

  *sigh* “I taste awful?” It shook its head.

  ” I’ll be the judge of that.” I quickly turned and swam back out of the chamber.

  “Oh, goodie. I love fast food!” I could hear it crash into the walls in its haste to
follow me, but with my much smaller size. I had a much easier time getting back out than it did. However, that was only in the confined space of the coral. Once I’d hit open water and it only a few seconds later. Its massive fins easily helped it to, not only catch up, but I could see its shadow eclipse mine in the moonlight. I turned and swam beneath it back towards the coral reef.

  ”Where are you going, little one?” I heard from beside me. I glanced over and saw it casually swimming with a smile on its face. Its teeth were seemingly glowing in the darkness.

  “Nowhere important!”

  “Is that so~ Then, how about joining me for dinner?”

  *Gulp* “I’ll pass, thanks!” The coral reef was all too slowly, getting closer.

  “That’s not nice. And here I was, hoping to have you for dinner.” It seemed to pout.

  “I’m sure a nice guy like you can find a dinner date!” I was almost at the reef, now.

  “… I’m a woman!” It yelled and snatched me up in its massive jaws.

  “Fuck!” I was lucky enough to turn my head in time to avoid its teeth, but now, I was inside the creature’s mouth.Then I heard a rumbling sound and a powerful suction pulled me deeper into its throat. In order to keep myself from being completely swallowed, I bit into its uvula and held on. It yelped in pain.

  “What do you think you’re doing!” The creature yelled, and though I couldn’t answer it out loud.

  “Something incredibly stupid…” I tore off a chunk of the uvula and was pulled deeper in the throat, then into the esophagus. I swallowed the piece of uvula and bit into the esophagus walls.

  I heard the creature yell again, but I was too focused to hear it. I held on until the suction stopped and began eating my way through the esophagus wall. The creature began swallowing other creatures in an attempt to stop me, but I just bit deep into the wall and held on. Even when the creatures slammed into me and knocked me loose, I quickly reattached myself and continued.

  I eventually made it through the esophagus wall, and into the muscle tissue beyond it. Where I continued to eat my way out.

  I did run into a problem at this layer, however. More and more blood began to fill up the esophagus and splash on me. Normally, this wouldn’t be much of a problem. Except, this creature’s blood felt like acid on my scales, and was slowly eating its way through them and into my muscle.

  I started eating even faster than before, and only stopped for a few seconds at a time to spit out what I’d ripped off, once I’d eaten my fill.

  Finally, after about twenty minutes of digging my way out. I bit through the final layer and was just inside its scales, which took me a few minutes to dig through, as they were so tough.

  After finally escaping, I quickly swam into the reef. The creature was thrashing around on the ocean floor in severe pain, so I could have taken this opportunity to try killing it. But, with how exhausted I was. I didn’t believe that I would be able to live through the attempt, so I made my escape while it was distracted.

  After a few minutes of swimming, I realized something was wrong with my body. Stopping to give myself a once over, I saw patches of scales had been completely dissolved and the muscles beneath were damaged.

  “I don’t feel any pain, though?” Deciding to find a safe place to rest before that changed. I continued on my way and only stopped again, once I was safe inside the massive reef. I had managed to find a large coral piece with a tube that stretched up to the surface and formed an air pocket inside. So, I swam inside floated inside the air pocket as the adrenaline faded and the pain finally caught up to me.

  The severity of this pain rendered me unable to move or even think, and before long, I fainted.

  * * *

  I woke up late the next afternoon to two things. The first being a Pop-up floating in front of me.

  You have eaten the following race for the first time. Leviathan: Tier 7

  You have unlocked the following evolutionary path. Gluttonous Water Basilisk Would you like to evolve?

  *Groan* “No…” But then, another Pop-up surprised me.

  You have unlocked the following evolutionary path. Gluttonous Dual Element Basilisk Would you like to evolve?

  “That’s… new?” I thought for a few seconds before asking.

  “Can I add the other elements later?” A secondary pop-up answered me.

  Provided you do not evolve to a new race, you can add the missing elements later.

  Well, that makes this an easy choice then.

  “Yes, I’m ready to evolve.” Just like the first time I evolved, a white shield formed around me, and I sunk to the ocean floor.

  Your Evolution is underway, and a shield has formed around you until it is complete. Time remaining until completion is 6d 23h 59m 42s

  Instead of being left awake, like I had previously. I was forced into a deep sleep, to await my completed evolution.

  “Hopefully, I’ll heal during my time in here…”

  Chapter 14

  I heard a ding through the darkness, which caused it to recede and I was allowed to wake up. Upon opening my eyes, I was greeted to a pop-up.

  Your evolution is complete. You have gained two new traits and a new skill

  Venomous As a basilisk, you have a very potent venom. *Note, due to the gluttonous trait. Your venom also possesses acidic properties.

  Aquatic Due to the water element, you now possess the ability to breathe underwater as well as outside of it.

  Petrifying gaze Due to the earth element, you have gained a second set of brille. This set is capable of being opened or closed like an eyelid, and should it be opened, anything of your tier or lower that meets your gaze will be turned to stone.

  “Finally, I’m venomous!” I internally cheered as the last pop-up appeared.

  Name Torga

  Race Gluttonous Dual Element Basilisk

  Classification Tier 5

  Skills Minor Stealth, Heat detection, Major Durability up, Major strength up, Petrifying Gaze

  Traits Gluttonous +2, Growth +2, Venomous, Aquatic, Strong Willed

  I went over my new information and was honestly surprised I’d gotten to the fifth tier so quickly. However, my excitement was somewhat lessened, by the next pop-up.

  Congratulations for making it this far! After the fifth tier, your deeds become more important than your food. Also, you can no longer combine races should you complete their requirements. Instead, by completing the race requirement, you will gain a trait or skill of that race.

  Consume a creature of Fire to unlock

  Flame Basilisk

  Consume a creature of Wind to unlock Wind Basilisk

  Complete the requirements of all other evolutions to unlock Elemental Basilisk

  Survive 100 years to unlock this path Dual Element Hydra

  Consume a Ruby, a Sapphire, a Tiger eye, a Diamond, an Emerald, an Amethyst, and a piece of ebony ore, all at once to unlock Duel Element Naga

  Crush five ships to unlock Duel Element Leviathan

  “So, I can become the same as that monstrous serpent, I can also become a Naga or a Hydra… Can I get a description of each?” Like before, it either ignored me or couldn’t accept my request.

  *Sigh* “I thought not. Well, It’s not like, I have to decide now. After all, I can’t get access to the ‘Hydra’ path for a hundred years, and I still need to unlock the remaining elements. So, I don’t need to rush myself.” With that decided, I set about breaking out of my shield. I lifted my head off the ocean floor and repeatedly slammed it down until I began to see cracks.

  Eventually, the shield was broken and I was set free. I immediately swam to the surface and exposed my newly healed scales to the warm air. I also took the opportunity, to look at my new body.

  I was mostly the same color, though the gray was starting to overrun the green. My scales were also much thicker now than they previously were. In fact, they looked more like armor than scales at this point.

  “Hmm… I have fangs, now?” I shou
ldn’t have been so surprised. After all, a venomous snake had to have fangs… right? But my fangs were very large, at least a couple of feet long. And when I opened my mouth, venom and acid would drip off of them and splash into the water. I also saw rows of razor sharp teeth lining the inside of my mouth, and unlike my previously curved teeth, aside from two rows at the front. The rest were all pointing down like other carnivorous creatures’ teeth did.

  “I’m going to need to control that, lest I use up my venom in one bite…” I also noticed that I’d grown… a lot.

  I wasn’t sure how much I’d grown since I began evolving. But, I could spot the difference in length and overall size quite easily, so it was probably a decent increase.

  Of course, how could I forget about my two new features? My gills were on prominent display, on either side of my neck. I also played around with my new ‘eyelids’, opening and closing them repeatedly until I got used to them being there.

  After playing with them for a few minutes, I also noticed a few other things… scars. The Leviathan’s acidic blood had eaten through so many scales, that even my new scales were scarred. Patches of white burn marks could be found over most of my back, and sides.

  *Sigh* “At least I’m alive.” The scars would be a constant reminder for me to always remain cautious.

  I’d let my guard down upon coming to this new world, because of how well things went for me on the last one…

  “I won’t be making that mistake, again.” I ducked my head under the waves and swam back to the bottom. Once there, I began to look for something to test my new abilities on.

  “Hmm… That should work.” Three sharks were swimming just outside of my ‘home’, so I put them to good use.

  Waiting until one of them drew close enough, I shot my head out and easily clamped my jaws down on the Shark’s back. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about my new teeth as well as the fangs, so I accidentally bit the shark in half.