A Snake's Life Read online

  Winged: As a Wind Basilisk, you have grown wings.

  *Note: Your current wings do not have the strength to fly. However, they can be used to glide.

  Name: Torga

  Race: Gluttonous Elemental Basilisk

  Classification: Tier 5

  Skills: Minor Stealth, Heat Detection, Gluttony, Major Durability Up, Major Strength Up, Growth, Minor Mental Resistance Up, Petrifying Gaze, Greater Acid Venom, Detect Concealment, Energy Store/Release, Resist Elements, Glide

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

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  "Eh... Wings?" I began to struggle inside the shield and after a few minutes, I successfully broke through and was set free. Once the shield faded, I took a look at my back and saw two large wings. They were covered in thin scales, with what appeared to be very slender bones lining the inside. An extremely thin membrane was stretched across the bones and was, I assumed, what would allow me to glide. Looking a little further down my back, I saw a smaller set of wings. This set was just above my tail and if I had to guess, would allow me to move around while in the air.

  Then, there was the pressure that I'd been feeling on my forehead. I assumed this was the stone that would allow me to store solar energy... That line of thinking led to a question.

  "Was this the same stone that caused the cyclops to explode after its death?" I was, of course, referring to its red eye, as that is what started to glow, then exploded. So, did that mean, I was also a walking bomb? I wasn't quite sure. But if I was, at least whatever kills me will have one hell of a surprise waiting for them. Of course, it also said that the stone could store the energy I get from eating. But, since it would take more energy to get a lesser effect, I should only do that in an emergency. Otherwise, it might become a crutch... and that could lead to me dying early, should something happen that removed my ability to use it.

  Then, I asked what my future evolution requirements were... and a pop-up answered.

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  Submerge yourself in a "river of fire” to unlock: Elemental Wyrm

  Consume the blood of a dragon to unlock: Elemental Serpentine Dragon

  Survive 100 years to unlock this path: Elemental Hydra

  Consume a Ruby, a Sapphire, a Tiger’s eye, a Diamond, an Emerald, an Amethyst, and a piece of ebony ore, all at once to unlock: Elemental Naga

  Crush five ships to unlock: Elemental Leviathan

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  "And... if I pass them up, what do I get?" Another pop-up answered.

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  If you pass up the Elemental Wyrm evolution, you will get: Superior Elemental Resistance or Spike Scales

  If you pass up the Elemental Serpentine Dragon evolution, you will get: Wind Control or Spiked Tail

  If you pass up the Elemental Hydra evolution, you will get: Supreme Regeneration or Elemental Control

  *Note: This evolution is a higher tier than the others, so you may pick one of them and still go to this one, but, not vice versa.

  If you pass up the Elemental Naga evolution, you will get: The ability to use magic or telepathy

  If you pass up the Elemental Leviathan evolution, you will get: Superior Strength or Acidic blood *Note: You will also gain an increase to the growth trait.

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  "I'm going to need a while to think on this since I can't get a description of the races, aside from what I'd get if I discarded them..." Deciding to think more on this later because I'd kept the family waiting for long enough, I looked up at the surface and saw the ship sitting in place, so I swam up to meet them. And, as soon as my head broke the surface, I was intercepted by an irate Fenris.

  "You damn snake! What took you so long!?" He glared down at me from the safety of the ship and began a tirade.

  Disregarding the mutt, I looked over at Lena and the kids. They seemed to be doing better, now that some time had passed. I thought about asking what happened, but I didn't want to cause them any discomfort after they had finally settled down. So, I kept my mouth shut. Never let it be said that I couldn't be sensitive when I wanted to be. Well, to people I like, anyway.

  Which led me to realize "I actually like these people... some of them, at least,” I thought as I glanced back at Fenris, who still hadn't shut up.

  Lena, after looking at me, gasped and ran over to the edge of the ship for a closer view. Once there, she covered her mouth with her hands and stared at me. "An Elemental Basilisk," she mumbled after a few seconds, causing me to look at her and further ignore Fenris.

  "What's wrong, Lena?" I asked with a tilt of my head. While I was looking at her, I noticed that everything seemed a lot smaller, than it previously did. For example, I knew Fenris to be over twenty feet tall, but he appeared to have shrunk since I'd last seen him. Because with just my head resting on the ship, I was looking him in the eye. So, I had to be at least twenty feet tall. And I was wider, as well. Using the ship as a base measurement, which I guessed to be just under thirty feet wide and fifty feet long. I was approximately fifteen or sixteen feet wide, as I was a little over half the width of the ship... I didn't even want to guess how much longer I was now.

  She shook her head and said, "Nothing... it's nothing." I knew she wasn't telling me the truth because she was acting strangely.

  "It's clearly something since you're acting like you've seen a ghost. So, tell me the truth, Lena."

  She raised one brow at my words and folded her arms across her chest. "Are you calling me a liar, Torga?" she asked, and I immediately nodded in confirmation.

  "Yes." My response surprised her enough that she took a step back and stared at me in wonder.

  "That... wasn't the answer I was expecting," she said after a few seconds. I gave her my version of a shrug, which was a slight tilt of my head to the side—an act that probably looked a little strange, coming from a giant snake.

  Then, I said, "I'm not your husband. Whether or not you like my answer is irrelevant to me." She looked away and puffed out her cheeks.

  I rolled my eyes at her. "Please, do act your age. I already have to deal with one immature brat and I'd rather not deal with another."

  Solon apparently heard my words and felt the need to correct me. "Hey!" he yelled before storming over and pointing his finger at me. "I'm not immature!" I tilted my head to one side again and stared for a few seconds, then I started laughing.

  "I... I was actually referring to your father. But, if you feel the shoe fits, then feel free to lace it up and wear it."

  He looked at me with a blank expression on his face until I stopped laughing, then he asked, "What shoe are you talking about?" He glanced down at his bare feet, then back to me. "I don't wear shoes," he said with a slight shrug, which started a round of chuckles from me and his mother.

  "It's a colloquialism, so don't take it literally," Lena said. His face went through multiple changes, before settling on confusion. He looked to his mother, who was trying to hide her own mirth at her son's baffled face.

  "Mom... What's a co... co... colocoism?"

  She quickly stamped down her mirth, then answered. "Colloquialism, dear. It means it was a saying not meant to be taken literally." She patted him on the head and smiled. "So, don't worry about it." He seemed suspicious for a second, then nodded and walked off. But not before giving me one last glare. Lena watched him walk over to the other side of the ship, then she looked back at me.

  "Why do you do that?" asked, tilting my head, puzzled.

  "Do what?" she huffed.

  "Why do you use words that you know he can't understand? He has enough trouble understanding the simple words, then you go and use words like 'colloquialism'." I stared at her for a few seconds, then looked over to Solon. "The boy's more intelligent than you're giving him credit for."

  She apparently didn't like my saying so because she gave me a hard look in response. "I know my son isn't stupid!"

  I turned my head to
her, then said, "I realize that. But you do treat him as if he's not as smart as Hali. I think Fenris is the most guilty of this."

  Her left brow rose and she said, "Do you have a reason for saying so?"

  I nodded my head, then asked, "If I tell you, will you explain why you reacted so strangely upon seeing me?" She thought over my words for a moment, her head shifting from side to side. Then, she tentatively nodded.

  I looked back to Solon, who was currently in a conversation with his sister. "The two of you are clearly proud of Hali because of her druid magic. But I sometimes see Solon off by himself practicing with that dagger of his."

  Lena folded her arms and interrupted me by saying, "I know he practices, but I fail to see how that means we are treating him as if he was dumber than Hali."

  "If you'd shut up and let me finish. I'll explain further." I unintentionally bared my teeth and hissed. She took a few steps back, but her face and demeanor remained the same, so I continued. "I've seen Solon practicing moves that I haven’t seen either of you show him. And the moves you do show him only take him a few tries before he has them down pat... And yet, I've seen neither you nor Fenris praise him for it." She opened her mouth to interrupt again, but I beat her to it. "Lena, I'm not saying you're neglecting him, so shut up." Her mouth snapped shut. "All I'm saying is that you pay more attention to Hali's magic than you do Solon's combat training. And Fenris outright ignores his combat training in favor of sleeping all day, while you are left trying to teach them both."

  She seemed to consider my words for a few moments, then she looked over at Fenris, who was sleeping, as usual. She stormed over to him and kicked him in the nose. Though she didn't put any real strength behind the kick, Fenris yelped and stood up. "What was that for!?" he yelled, which only served to annoy Lena even further.

  "You need to help Solon with his training, instead of expecting me to do everything!" Her sudden shouting confused not only Fenris but the kids as well.

  "Mom?" Hali questioned, while Solon just looked confused.

  "What's gotten into you all of a sudden? I'm sure Solon's training is going fine." A piece of wood came loose from the deck of the ship and smacked Fenris on the butt, causing him to yelp again.

  "Of course, it's going fine. He's my son, after all, but I'm tired of seeing you lounge around all day. So, you have two choices. Either you get off your ass and begin Solon's training or..." She leaned in and whispered something in his ear.

  Whatever she said to him, I doubt I'll ever know. But he transformed into his demi-elvan form so fast it just about made my head spin. "Alright, Solon. Training time!" Fenris marched over and grabbed Solon's arm, then dragged him to the back of the ship.

  Lena made her way back over to me and bowed her head. "I hate to admit it... but, you're right. We haven't been spending nearly enough time on Solon's training. Hopefully, we can still get him up to speed before something... else... happens." Her eyes went foggy and she lost focus for a few seconds, then she suddenly snapped back to attention. "I just realized, we never thanked you for saving us."

  I shook my head. “There’s no need to thank me, as I’m not the one that saved you.”

  She slightly nodded her head, then said, "I'm well aware that it was Solon who did the actual 'rescuing', but he couldn't have done it without your help. In fact, I feel a spike of dread whenever I think about what could have happened had you not been there." Her eyes grew slightly misty and she just barely managed to choke out her next words. "Seriously, Torga. My family and I are forever in your debt." She bowed at the waist until her head was parallel to the deck and I could see the tears dripping down her face.

  "Then, would you mind doing me a favor before you answer my question?"

  She quickly nodded her head, then said. "Anything within my power."

  I nodded back, glanced over to Fenris and Solon, then looked back to Lena. "Can you please... find that damn mutt a pair of pants?"

  Her face went blank, then she slowly turned her head and looked at Fenris, who was currently jumping up and down, completely naked, in front of their son and daughter. "Yes... I can definitely do that."

  After forcing Fenris into a pair of loose breeches, she returned and told me that her tribe actually used to worship an Elemental Basilisk as a "protector” of sorts. And this particular basilisk was, according to Lena, Gigantic. It was said to have been over a mile long when it finally passed away from old age, but by that point, it had been their guardian for over a century. So its death didn't really come as a surprise to them, and though they wished for it to continue protecting them, they knew better than anyone that the cycle of life must not be broken by anyone... which made me internally chuckle as I was someone who had deliberately broken the cycle, so I could see and protect Sarah again.

  After my talk with Lena, things went back to normal. I swam just ahead of the ship in order to keep an eye out for any predators that may be lurking just beneath the surface. And in this way, another month passed and we finally found what we'd been looking for, The Giant.

  "THERE IT IS!" SOLON yelled from his place atop my head—a place he had seemingly taken a liking to since we left the city. Anytime he was free, he would climb on my head and just talk with me. Hali would also join him up there some nights... said it made her feel safe to know that I would, in her words, "Eat anything that tried to harm us." And since their children were usually sleeping on my head, Lena and Fenris had taken the time to get "reacquainted” with one another, despite my frequent requests for them to at least wait until I had gone to sleep before they started humping. I was just as frequently ignored. So, lo and behold, Fenris and Lena came up to the children one day and said, "We're going to have a baby!" It took forever to get my "ears” to stop ringing after Hali began to celebrate by screaming while atop my head.

  "There it is," I said in wonder at the sheer size of the thing. Its appearance hadn't changed at all since I'd last seen it. The dark blue skin, tribal tattoos, curved horns, long hair, but most importantly, the island that rested on its shoulders, held there only by the massive chains that wrapped around the entirety of the island's base. I looked back at the family and said, "We're here at last."

  The kids started jumping around, while Fenris and Lena just stared at the creature. "H... how are we going to get up there!?” Lena stuttered.

  “Climbing it is certainly out," Fenris said, then he looked at me. "Any ideas?"

  I looked back at the creature, then at the island above, then at the point where the water began to cover his calves. I nodded and said, "We dig our way to the top."

  Fenris, Lena, and the kids just stared at me in confusion, then Fenris asked, "And... how do we do that, when we don't have any tools?"

  I tilted my head to one side, then smiled to show off my teeth. "Of course, we do. I have teeth, you have claws and teeth. What more could we need?" Fenris looked back at the giant, then sighed and looked at Lena. "The things I do for you and the kids..."

  She smiled at him, then patted him on the shoulder. "And we really appreciate it, don't we, kids?"

  They nodded and yelled, "Love you, dad!"

  Fenris looked between Lena and the kids, then back at the giant, before finally saying, "Oh well, might as well get us started, snake."

  I nodded, then swam ahead of the ship and over to the giant's leg where I started to dig out a path.

  "Well, I'm certainly not going to go hungry anytime soon."

  Chapter 22

  TWO YEARS. TWO YEARS of nothing but eating my way up and around this monstrosity. And that's not counting the several weeks I had to wait for my worn-out teeth to grow back. The giant's skin was harder than stone, so every few days I would lose a tooth or fang, which would severely slow down my digging speed. Of course, I couldn't exactly fault the giant for this, especially after I saw the pop-up.

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  You have eaten the following race for the first time

  Colossal Titan: Tier 9

  The Titans
were a race of prehistoric giants that used to rule Yggdrasil. However, they were overthrown when the first god grew tired of their brutality and killed the Titan king. This giant is all that remains of the first Titan prince.

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  A Tier 9 creature... a creature on the edges of divinity... and it was delicious. I'd been eating or "tunneling” my way in a spiral around the creature. However, as I could not make the inclines too steep, the path wound up, looping around the giant over thirty times before I managed to make it up to the neck. Which is where I was currently waiting for Fenris to make his way up and take over, so I could get some sleep.

  The mutt had been getting progressively lazier, ever since his daughter was born last year. Talia was her name, and she was a Warg like her father. Even now, she was probably running around the ship and playing "attack anything that moves,” one of the little brat’s favorite games. She had dark hair and red eyes like her father and brother and was usually a happy, healthy baby. Well, toddler now, I guess.

  I looked off to my right and saw Fenris walking over to me in his complete Warg form. Which leads me to another change that has occurred over the last two years. I've gotten a little bit bigger... okay, a lot bigger. The constant eating actually has had two effects on me. The first has been an increase to my Gluttonous trait, which now sat at a plus three. And that, in turn, further increased my Growth trait to a plus three as well.

  This resulted in me having a tremendous growth spurt over the last two years. I'm now over ten times larger than I was before I began to eat the giant. I could no longer even compare myself to the ship, or to Fenris because they were so small. Fenris was so small now, he could easily sit on my head with the rest of the family.

  Speaking of, Lena and the kids have been doing quite well, all things considered. Though it did take them awhile to get over what happened back in Edge Haven. I was told that while the man did do some invasive "inspections” on Hali and Lena, neither of them was raped. It was a close call for Lena, however, as the man had been attempting to do just that when I knocked into the building. The impact distracted him enough that Lena was able to force a stone spike to form between her legs, which then pierced through his crotch and slammed him into the ceiling. He was pinned up there until the explosion tore off part of the building, causing him and his spike to be exposed to the sky above. A fitting end for such a man, I suppose.