System Break

Chapter 185: Snakes and Ladders

The tail swished back and forth slowly, and I imagined it showed the mystical snake's expectation of a lovely meal presenting itself. I was standing upside down with my feel firmly attached to the wooden ceiling.

My qi abilities had not suffered the transition into Gunt's body, but his muscles were weak as piss in comparison to my forest lump. I strained as I pulled myself up and towards the hole slowly but surely. My muscles quivered from the strain or perhaps it was fear of the snake.

It was curled up like the lid of a wicker washing basket and the snake had to be at least thirty yards long. It was thicker than me and it had beautiful, speckled colouring including greens, teals and blues. Dark Bear was an impressive beast as a juvenile, but this snake was a fully grown adult in its prime. It's core and qi paths were magnificent and terrifying at the same time.

I did not want to fight it because I discovered caution after being owned by the Titan. I could kill a lot of monsters easily but that didn't mean I should fight anything and everything.

It's head swayed as it lifted slowly like it was groggy and waking from a deep sleep. Fear of discovery threatened me, but I kept my mind focused on the task right in front of me and ignored the snake as best I could. I pushed myself up and through the hole in the ceiling with the handle of teapot shaped artifact firmly in my mouth.

As my feet pulled through I heard hissing which sent shivers up my spine. My mind raced; I had to decide on a course of action and quickly. Should I break through the roof tiles, scale the building and race towards the lake, or should I scamper back the way I came. Both prospects held major risks.

I looked towards the lake, although I couldn't see through the tiles I could see many land cores in between me and it. If I ran towards the city across the ground I'd have two mystical beasts chasing me. In my current shape - regular hell hounds were bad enough - I didn't want to meet a mystical one.

It's head rose and it kept coming up and up under the strength of its body. The moments of indecision had been costly, and I scampered through the roof back to the hatch as fast as I could. Before I reached it the wooden ceiling boards cracked as the snake pushed through, making a larger hole, and into the cieling space.

I flooded my qi and fumbled with my sack to down a core as I slid down the hatch. I did not hold back on qi speed and agility - I let my qi flow to every muscle and tendon as I pushed this Gunt Lump to its limit.

I flew down the servants staircase in my bare feet and barely controlled eagerness to get away from the snake which had my scent and was tracking me like I was the tastiest breakfast morsel of its life.

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For a beast that was so large it barely made a sound unless it was crashing through something in its haste.

I heard it crash through the hatch and then the door from the storeroom, but it barely made a sound on the stairs. My hopes of slowing it by closing doors as obstacles were dashed by its sheer size and strength.

It was full of qi, enough to fill a large bath and I barely had a mug at my disposal. I slotted the artifact into the obsidian box as I ran. It slowed me to do this, but I needed my hands free, and it was possible the snake tracked the artifact itself. It had not woken when I removed the timbers and that was a lot more noise than lifting the artifact from the shelf.

My hands picked the daggers from my chest harness and tossed them into the air. I used my qi to control them, and they flew back at the snake one after the other.

I twisted on the staircase using precious moments to aim as it closed. Its bright orange slitted eyes stared at me with alien intelligence. They sparkled with flecks of black floating in the iris and a horizontal flat grey pupil. It's tongue flicked in greeting as my dagger sped towards its head.

My heart sank when my dagger grazed yet clattered off its skin and the snake did not slow, not even a little. I sent the second towards its eye, but it sensed it somehow and weaved its head to the side just an inch and the dagger grazed the scales along its cheek.

I poured on the speed; it was my only hope. I kicked open the last hatch, dived down into the larder while closing it behind me.  Then I kicked over a barrels of fat, oil and alcohol while it was smashing through the sturdy hatch.

I spent mere seconds cracking open the food stuffs and was glad I inspected them before heading up. By the time I lifted the grate it was in the larder. I lit my torch and threw it into the room, jumped down through the grate and pulled it back into place.

It was heavy metal, and the wall was stone. The snake was cornered in the burning larder and its only escape was the way it came. Unless it was tough enough to break through the stone or could lift a heave steel grate with its tongue. I didn't wait around to find out. I ran down the tunnel with only the light from a core to aid me.

When the sounds of the burning larder dwindled I peered over my shoulder to scan for its core. The sound of my heaving breath filled my ears, but the snake was nowhere in sight. 

I slid on my boots, donned my cloak and retraced my steps as fast as I could.

I left the markers back to the main tunnel intact; it would be obvious to anyone familiar with these tunnels that this was the way a thief would have to go. But the markers from the main tunnel to the side tunnels, where Leonell waited, were another matter. 

I drunk another core before I made the jump and this time I skidded on my ass. 

His eyes glistened in the torch light as he watched me. "Did you get it? You're all in one piece at least. I am glad either way."

"I got it, we've got one pissed off mystical snake and the lord will be beside himself."

"Did anyone see you?"

"Does the snake count?"

He nodded. "It does, but that's no concern. Only it can recognize you - it cannot communicate effectively."

"So they can't put a pencil in its mouth and let it draw my likeness?"

He chuckled. "No." He frowned. "I don't think so."

"It only saw me in pursuit, it may not have got a great look at my face."

He rubbed his chin and considered me. "That snake is very intelligent, and you have done well to outwit it." He beckoned me. "We should leave before the sun rises you can tell me all about it over breakfast."

I wiped some gunk from my cheek and forehead. "I need a hot bath first."

He nodded briskly. "Very well, very well." He clapped his hands. "Oh what a happy day. And I am glad you are rewarded with the artifact."

I had to admit it was fun despite the piss and shit.