A Snake's Path (A Snake's Life Book 2)

by Kenneth Arant

  I groaned my agreement.

  "Well, you’ve just experienced the power of a god. Congratulations." Naunet sat cross-legged in front of me and propped his head on one hand. "What you're feeling right now is a result of this planet's trait."

  "T—Trait?"

  "Yep. The goddess that created this moon made it so I'd never be able to move freely. Unfortunately for her, I was never one to live up to the expectations of others."

  "How?"

  "How do I move so easily?"

  I groaned my agreement and Naunet laughed.

  "Practice mostly."

  "Hmm?"

  "You should have an easier time of it than I did since you can manipulate gravity, and all that jazz." Naunet smirked at me.

  I felt like an idiot for forgetting I could do that. In my defense, though, manipulating gravity wasn’t second nature to me yet. I closed my eyes and focused on pushing the dominating force of gravity away from my body. It took a minute, but I managed to push myself into a standing position.

  I rounded on Naunet. "Why didn't you warn me?"

  "It was funnier this way." Naunet shrugged.

  "Has anyone ever told you that you’re a dick?"

  The smile on Naunet's face dimmed a little. "Not in a long time."

  I wanted to say more, but the look on his face told me it was probably a bad idea.

  "Can you move yet?" Naunet asked after a few moments of silence.

  “Oh, yeah, I can move.”

  “Good. Because we have work to do. Starting with that aura of yours.”

  “If you can help me rein it in, I’m all ears.”

  "STOP TRYING TO HIT me and hit me!" Naunet hissed as he swiped his left hand through the air and knocked away a ball of condensed mana as if it were nothing more than a child's toy. The ball flew into the distance and collided with a mountain range a few miles away. The explosion reduced the top of the mountain to slag and produced a shockwave that flattened every tree for miles. But the only reaction Naunet showed me was a slight thinning of his eyes and a wave of his left hand. "I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, Torga. Your problem lies not with your power, but with your speed. Even the most powerful skill is useless if you can't hit anything with it."

  I narrowed my eyes in frustration and shook my arms to loosen them up. I held them out wide and conjured two blood-red balls of energy the size of watermelons. “Then let’s try these.”

  The two balls orbited around each other as they raced towards a waiting Naunet. The sheer magical power behind them was causing the ground to erode wherever they passed.

  Naunet shook his head. He waited for the moment they were about to hit him and spun, his palms guiding the balls as they passed by, and redirected them back at me. Or more specifically, at the ground beneath my feet.

  After the explosion was over and I could see again, I pried myself out of the crater I’d been blown into and moved over to a disapproving Naunet. "You let your aura loose again. Fix it.”

  “Oh, sorry.” I focused for a moment, then hauled my aura back inside my body. A simple technique to perform, but a pain in the ass to use. Just like the technique I used to shrink myself, I had to focus on keeping the aura contained at all times or it would burst out and start devouring everything again. I ended up having to sleep outside until Naunet could enchant the guest bedroom to mirror my technique, though he refused to tell me just how he pulled that off.

  “You're still holding yourself back," he accused. "Even after all these years, you still refuse to use your magic to its fullest potential," he growled in frustration as he turned and moved away.

  "Believe me, it's not on purpose," I mumbled. I turned to see the massive five-hundred-foot wide crater my magic caused. I continued to watch until it slowly melted away and the naturally green meadow returned to its previous appearance, devoid of any and all blemishes. The beautiful scenery filled my eyes before I turned and followed after Naunet.

  After catching up to the only person I’d been able to talk with for the last seven years, I couldn't help but ask, "What do you think is causing my block?"

  Naunet glanced at me and sighed. "I don't know. You should be much stronger than this." At my look of amusement, he snorted and continued. "Yes, I'm aware of just how powerful you are physically, but magically?" He shook his head. "You're barely as powerful as a newborn dragon."

  "Oh no. I'm only as powerful as a tier eight beast. Whatever shall I do?"

  Naunet smacked me upside the head. “Alright smartass, that's enough of that."

  "Seriously though. What's wrong with me?"

  "I honestly don't know. Physically you're fine. Hell, you're better than fine! Physically, you're one of the most powerful beings I've ever seen, and I'm including gods in that assessment."

  I waited a few seconds for him to continue, but he remained silent. “I’m sensing a but in there somewhere.”

  "But magically, you’re suffering from something, and I can’t figure out what it is. Something is eating away at your magic energy faster than you can draw it out, resulting in this little 'problem' you've got." He finished speaking just in time for his home to appear on the horizon: A tree of truly gargantuan proportions with silver colored leaves and black bark stood as a testament to Naunet's time here. Supposedly planted by his wife when he was first crowned king, the tree was meant to be a symbol of her promise to always remain by his side. But she was killed by an overzealous serpent looking to make a name for himself just ten years after he’d been crowned king. Naunet still hadn't said what happened to that serpent, but the cold fury in his eyes as he told this story probably meant he escaped from whatever fate Naunet had planned for him.

  "Maybe I've just reached a plateau?" I suggested.

  "While that's certainly possible, it's also rather unlikely. You’ve still got a lot of growing to do. I can feel it in my bones."

  "If you say so.”

  Naunet waved me off as we entered the tree through a large hole at the base and split up. While Naunet headed for the study to do some research, I went to the guest bedroom to sleep for the night.

  Chapter 20

  "TORGA! WE'VE GOT A problem!" a voice cut through my dream and caused my eyes to snap open.

  "What is it? What's happened?" I called back as I climbed out of bed and headed for the door. I pushed it open and moved into the hallway, where I found Naunet staring out of a window at the sky.

  "We have visitors," Naunet whispered.

  "Visitors? Anyone you were expecting?"

  Naunet turned and looked me dead in the eye. "No one you'd want to meet."

  "Who is it?"

  "Gods, two of them." He pushed past me and entered the study.

  "What!? Why would gods be coming here?"

  "My guess? They're here looking for you."

  I followed along behind him and, as always, was slightly awestruck at the sight that greeted me: The tree Naunet called home was well over three thousand feet tall and had a radius of about a thousand feet.

  The study occupied the entire center of the tree: From the very bottom of the trunk to the very top, it was completely covered in shelves Naunet had painstakingly carved into the walls as the tree grew. Each shelf had between ten to twenty tomes ranging from ordinary paperback novels to ancient stone tablets that would’ve been more at home in a museum.

  I shook my head and walked over to Naunet's desk. It was large and carved plainly, without any opulent trimmings or decorations and, like most furniture in Naunet's home, it was carved from the tree. Naunet was sitting in a chair scouring a large leather-bound tome.

  "Please, tell me you found a solution to my problem?"

  "I think I just might have... But we lack the time to fix it before the gods are knocking on my door."

  I leaned on the desk and looked at the page Naunet seemed to be staring at. "Magic corrosion?"

  "Mm. I racked my brain for anything that could have possibly pierced your scales and infected you with some
kind of magic eating bug or virus. However, after going through my old notes and observations of you, I remembered that damn artifact you used to use as a way to shrink yourself."

  "You think it's corroding me?"

  Naunet shook his head and exhaled a sigh. "No, I think you're corroding it. I don't believe the stone was ever designed to hold such concentrated magic for as long as it has, and your magic, or possibly your aura, is dissolving it from the inside out."

  "But—if it's the one being corroded then why is my magic being held back?"

  "I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I believe the dissolved stone is leaking back into your body and forming 'blocks' that are keeping you from bringing your full power to bear. The stone was designed to contain extreme levels of energy, so blocking your mana pathways isn’t out of the question—" Suddenly, the entire tree shook and the booming sound of thunder nearly rendered me deaf.

  "Serpent Naunet, we know you are harboring a fugitive and request you turn him over to our custody," an obnoxiously high-pitched voice yelled.

  "You have two minutes to comply or we will come in after him!" another voice of a much deeper tone finished.

  "Arrogant little shits, aren't they?"

  "Don't even think about it. They're gods; they have the right to be arrogant."

  "One minute forty-five seconds!"

  "How long would it take you to fix me?"

  "Well, first I'd have to find a way to get through your scales, then I'd—"

  I used mana to enhance the sharpness of my nails, then stabbed them into my neck. I pulled my bloody fingers out, then motioned for him to get on with it.

  Naunet sprang into action, grabbing a knife off the desk and jamming it into the open wound on my neck to keep it open as long as possible. Then he pointed one finger at the wound and started whispering under his breath.

  "One minute fifteen seconds!"

  I sunk my teeth into my arm to keep from screaming as something deep inside my neck began to wiggle and force itself through my muscle tissue.

  "Forty-five seconds!"

  "Almost there." Naunet whispered. A wide smile spread across Naunet's lips as he jammed his index and middle fingers into my neck and pulled out a red stone about the size of a grape. "Got it!"

  I hissed through gritted teeth, then moved towards the door.

  "Where are you going?"

  I ignored him and left the study.

  "You can't go out there! You'll die!" Naunet yelled while chasing me.

  "Can't help it... I'm hungry," I hissed. I could feel the wound closing as I moved but it still hurt like hell.

  "Hungry!? Then go eat some of the planet. At least it won't kill you!"

  "Relax. You said it yourself. I'm stronger than they are."

  "I said you were physically stronger than most gods. And I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but gods—not really known for fistfights. They’re usually more of the 'blast you and be done with it’ kind of people."

  "Good thing I have you to help me then, isn't it?"

  There was silence as I headed down the stairs. "Fine. You want me to help you with this? Then afterwards it's time to call in that favor you owe me."

  I stopped walking and turned to look at him. The look in his eyes told me all I needed to know about just how serious he was.

  "Fifteen seconds!"

  "Deal." I nodded.

  I ducked out of the tree with Naunet following close behind. My eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the “gods,” the first I’d ever seen outside of the astral form Niabus always used.

  The first was a young girl, approximately nine or ten years of age. Her hair was the color of blood and hung down her back in a wave. Her eyes were the same color as her hair and her skin was pale like a corpse's. Her outfit consisted of shining silver-white plate armor that covered everything but her head and hands. She had no visible weapons on her person.

  "Hi." The little girl waved and spoke in a surprisingly deep voice.

  "I told you he would be here, Carlas!" the obnoxious voice cheered.

  He was a tall thin man who looked to be in his thirties. His hair was bright blue and was shaved into a military-style buzzcut. His eyes were dark green, and his skin appeared to be made of solid gold. His outfit consisted of dark robes, a tall metal staff, and a large kite shield strapped to his back.

  "You certainly did, Arkos. When we return home, I'll be sure to tell Mom to bake you some cookies as a reward."

  "Yay! Cookies!" The tall man cheered again and clapped as if he were a small child.

  "Are all gods this weird?" I muttered.

  “Unfortunately, most of the gods I’ve met have been—erm, eccentric as well."

  “That’s disappointing.” I eyed the two gods up and down. "Guess I'll take the big one."

  "What? Why do I have to fight the little one?"

  "She's closer to your size," I replied with a smirk.

  Naunet opened his mouth to argue, but the sound of approaching footsteps caused us both to return to the task at hand. We turned back and saw the little girl walking towards us—alone.

  "No need to bicker, boys. I'll take you both," she told them, a wide smile on her lips. As she drew closer and closer to them, a small forked tongue flashed out of her mouth and ran around her lips, revealing extremely sharp teeth.

  Definitely not human. I stepped up to face the little brat. I towered over her by almost ten feet and the fist I raised into the air was as big as her torso. My fist caused a sonic boom as it collided with Carlas' face.

  I had just enough time to allow a small smirk of pride to flash across my face for getting the first hit off on a god, before I was suddenly staring at the stars while floating miles above the ground.

  We're in so much trouble. I slammed painfully into the ground and carved out a long trench in the unforgiving soil.

  Slowly, painfully, I climbed to my feet and looked down at the arm I’d used to punch a god in the face. Everything below the elbow was gone and dark red blood was staining the grass red.

  "Torga! Run!" a voice yelled.

  I swiveled in the direction of the voice and saw Naunet's broken, bleeding body lying on the ground two hundred feet away. He was desperately crawling past a large golden portal that was floating in the air behind him. Through the portal, I could see the gods watching me.

  The little girl casually stepped through the portal.

  Oh, hell no! I pointed my palm at Naunet and used my gravity manipulation to suck him towards me. He covered the distance in the blink of an eye, and I caught him by the arm. I threw him over my shoulder, then launched myself into the skies and fled as fast as I could.

  However, before I could even get twenty feet off the ground, something grabbed my tail and stopped me cold. I slammed into the dirt hard enough to send Naunet rolling away from me as my earlier momentum continued to carry him forward and away from them.

  "Sorry, snake-boy, but I'm afraid I can't let you escape."

  I was flipped onto my back and a metal boot was pushed into my throat. My eyes widened as she pressed down on my windpipe and cut off my ability to breath. I grabbed her foot and tried to throw her off, but it was like I was a kid trying to throw an SUV off of my chest.

  "After all, if I let you get away, what kind of precedent would that set for the other people I'm hunting? I'd have to let them go as well or I'd be seen as 'unfair.' You don't think I'm an unfair person, do you?" she asked with a wide smile on her face.

  When I couldn’t answer her, she stomped down on my throat several times and punctuated each stomp with, "Do you!? Do you!? Do you!?" She kicked my ribs and sent me spiraling away. "Answer me damn it!" she hysterically yelled after I’d bounced off the ground.

  "Carlas!" the man whined. "Can we go now? I'm hungry."

  The little goddess patted her messed up hair down and slowly allowed a smile to spread across her lips. "Of course. Let me finish up here, then we can go."

  She walked over, bent at the wa
ist to look me in the eye.

  I spat blood in her eyes.

  She pulled a napkin out of her back pocket and wiped her face with it. "Don't worry your pretty little head. I'm a God of Time and Justice, so trust me, you won't feel any pain and it'll be over quick. I promise." She reached out her pale, ungloved hand and grabbed my face.

  The last thing I saw before my vision went black was the demented grin on the little bitch’s face.

  Chapter 21

  THE FIRST, AND WELL, the only thing I saw when I opened my eyes was a vast white emptiness around me. I lifted my head off the cool floor and slowly stood up. I'm back here again, huh? Looking down at my hands, they, like the rest of my body, were made of an inky blackness that seemed to draw in light. Though, occasionally, bits of emerald green light would flash across my body like a bolt of lightning.

  "It's been a while, mortal," a gong-like voice said from my left.

  "Niabus—What's it been, fifty years? Or was it sixty?" I asked as I turned to the golden being.

  "I'm not quite sure. Time becomes rather meaningless once you've been put in my position."

  "And what position is that? Gatekeeper of hell?"

  "Unfortunately, not," the being laughed.

  "Then, why are you here?"

  "Well, I'm not here. Not really, anyway. The form you see before you is just what remains of my magic after I gave you those little 'gifts.'”

  "So, you've been... what? Just freeloading here ever since?"

  The being tilted its head to the right and folded its arms across its chest. "You're much braver than the last time we talked. Finally grown a spine, have you?"

  "No thanks to you," I snorted. "I've had to face death more times than I care to remember. Facing you down doesn't seem like such an incredible thing anymore."

  The being unfolded one arm and lazily pointed at him. "You know, part of the reason you died was believing you were invincible. If you’d been smart, or even the least bit cautious, this wouldn’t have happened. But I can’t say I’m surprised; I did program you to think that way.”

  "You—What?"