Headed by a Snake

Tycondrius returned to the area he last saw Dragan.

The Titanblood had pinned the last firebeard to a wall with his left hand. Held in place, he smashed his domineering right fist into the creature's chest, leaving a deep indentation in their hide armor.

Black blood spewed from the creature's mouth, shortly followed by the Language of Fire.

It was begging to be spared.

...and it was wasting its final breaths.

Dragan heavy fist pounded into the creature's head. The single strike caved in the front of their skull, transforming their face into a grotesque approximation.

"That appears to be the last of them," Tycon declared.

"...Yeah," the Titanblood said, no mirth in his voice.

The way Dragan had fought was different than Tycon remembered. Where he expected extravagant showmanship, he saw only focused efficiency. Brazen mockery and jeering, Dragan had replaced with physical brutality bordering on cruelty.

Perhaps it was because they fought without an audience.

Or perhaps something had changed during the time they were apart.

"Don't look at me like that, Boss," Dragan frowned.

"This is my face," Tycon glared. "This is my natural look."

Dragan scratched the back of his head, "The Kimura girl... she threw a b*tch fit whenever I didn't take a fight seriously."

"Please continue to take your fights seriously," Tycon said in a flat voice.

The shadows grew darker and beside them, so he turned, awaiting the appearance of a messenger.

A Shadow Snake slithered out, about four fulms in length.

"I greeettssss you, Commodore," he said as he emerged.

"Good afternoon," Tycon said, looking down to meet the snake's gaze, "Mister Pretzel?"

⟬ Pretzel, Bronze-Rank Shadow Snake. ⟭

"You... honer me, Ifery Printssss."

"...You may speak in Parseltongue-- or rather, please do so."

Pretzel nodded before continuing, "(Princess Suka has been found. The warriors comprising her company are currently undergoing triage and evacuation.)"

"And Suka's condition?" Tycon asked.

His heart began to ache as soon as the words left his mouth.

"(Complex,)" Pretzel hissed, "(The Princess was discovered in her human form, in the late stages of Petrification, and with an empty bottle in hand.)"

⌈Petrification⌋?

Tycon found the notion disturbing.

"Pretzel, I know I'm asking for sensitive information, but please tell me... is there another Maedar amongst the Shadow Snake clans?"

"(There is none, Ivory Prince,)" Pretzel said, bowing his tiny head, "(Forgive this one for his assumption, but it is my belief that the youngest Princess anticipated your arrival.)"

"...Report received," Tycon grimaced, "Dragan?"

"I'm taking two squads to clear the remaining passageways," Dragan waved, "Go."

...

Two adult Shadow Snakes guarded the entrance to Suka's chamber. Their bodies were coiled, but their heads and necks were raised to about human height as they scanned for danger. They bowed in deference as Tycondrius approached.

"(Ivory Prince.)"

"(Blessings to you and your family.)"

"As to you both," Tycon said in passing, "Stay vigilant, dear friends."

He found Ananta gently coiled around her sister, but as he approached, she extended her shadows and adopted her human form, cradling Suka with great care.

"Tycondriusss..."

Tycon gave the Shadow Snake Princess a solemn nod.

"May I examine her condition?" he asked.

"Of courssse," Ananta whispered. "Ssssince long ago... I have entrusssted Ssuka to you, Ivory Princce."

Pretzel said Suka's condition was complex... and the other Shadow Snakes he met in the hallways had not been forthcoming in their own diagnoses.

Tycon was not a healer by profession but was at least confident at basic triage.

The nostalgic set of armor Suka wore bore a striking resemblance to the gladiator attire he wore in the Eyrian arenas, including the visored half-helmet.

It was a handsome look, even despite her and her armor having turned to stone.

It suited her... and he hoped to see her fight in it, still.

Tycon took hold of Suka's stone wrist and he extended his mana senses.

He did have an advantage the silent healers did not.

He was intimately familiar with the hatchling's mana.

Last they met, he stole a kiss from the young Shadow Snake. It was a deceitful kiss and grossly unfair to her.

Kiss: See Chapter 467.

That kiss allowed him to analyze and emulate her mana-signature, which he used to take greater control of her magical simulacra.

Suka was instrumental in his ability to thwart the villainous plans of a Yuan-ti royal, at the time.

...Tycon owed her a boon.

Though he still had reservations about becoming her lawful mate, he hoped to find a suitable way to requite her.

He closed his eyes... searching Suka's mana circuits for irregularities.

Again... he was taking advantage of her.

But, this time, he was doing so for her benefit.

Something was wrong with her... and he hoped to make it right-- not because of his guilt, but because he sincerely believed that Suka deserved to live.

Tycon found dark, veiny tendrils... his mana-sense was unable to sense color or light, but he felt the description most apt.

He followed them... disparaging at the ubiquitous signs of the disease everywhere he searched.

At least, he discovered a source... a foreign entity, a malicious fragment, broken off from something he had yet to identify.

It was planted firmly in her mana heart, its invasive roots steadily growing as it fed upon her life force.

He tried to examine it further but was rebuffed by its nature... fiery and all-consuming.

...The ⌈Petrification⌋ magic did nothing.

Whatever was killing the youngest Shadow Snake Princess was doing so, in despite of her immutable flesh.

Suka was going to die.

The healers amongst the Sapphire Tower, Dragan's and Cass' War Bands, and their allies... none of them could alleviate Suka's condition. More likely, a Healing Acceleration-type Spell would only serve to kill her faster.

In order for Suka to survive, she needed Injury Reversal-type magic, something only seen by high-level Divine Healers... ones on the level of Holy Princess Troia or Archbishop Natalya.

--and Tycon surmised that, even then, a Fourth-Circle ⌈Restoration⌋ Spell might not be enough.

If the ⌈Petrification⌋ magic had worked, they might have been afforded the time to research Suka's condition, collect and train the relevant Mages, and design a ritual likely equivalent to ⌈Resurrection⌋ in both complexity and illegality.

But... it... did... not...

Tycon was lacking in knowledge. He was lacking in personnel and relevant resources.

And, worst of all... there was scarcely enough time.

In the few bells it took for him and Ananta to arrive, the hatchling's cancer had spread throughout her mana circuits.

Tycon opened his eyes.

Hairline fractures were clearly visible on Suka's petrified chest plate.

"Ananta."

"This one hass decided," Ananta declared... "(Commander, from this moment, onward, I shall render my forces unto you.)"

Tycon swallowed the saliva in his throat.

"Ananta..."

The eldest Shadow Snake Princess cradled her sister in her arms, as a parent would her child.

"(We will be returning to our mother's territory,)" she said. "(We will commission the greatest Healers in the Realm, perhaps going as far as requisitioning them from the Holy Country. Yes... should my mother send a formal request, even their Holy Princess would heed the call.)"

Tycon closed his eyes. Lady Nyctis would do no such thing.

The youngest Princess did not hold a high position in the Shadow Queen's heart.

"Ananta," Tycon whispered.

"(Once you are finished here, Ivory Prince, you will send this one a missive,)" Ananta smiled.

Black tears began to stain her cheeks.

"(I will prepare a place for you in Black Opal Valley,)" she said, placing false strength in her voice-- "(the real one, not a mere reflection of it. We'll... have a parade-- a thousand slaves dancing and playing music... We'll... have a magnificent feast... every dish... lined with gold...)"

Tycon took a deep breath.

"(Allow me to cleanse Suka's Petrification,)" he said, "(so you can tell her--)"

"(I *forbid* you from doing so, Ivory Prince)" Ananta said sharply.

Tycon felt his knees grow weak. The sclera of the Shadow Snake Princess' eyes had turned a deep black, her pupils a painful, piercing white.

It was the first time he had seen her undim her vision.

Shortly after he awoke in the Realm, he received Ananta's blessing.

With it, he was able to develop two of his strongest assets, ⌈Shadowfang Strike⌋ and Ishmael, his ⌈Venomous Shadow⌋.

But even with Ananta's mana essence and his practice and familiarity with shadow magic... he was scarcely able to return her unmitigated gaze.

Suddenly, the mana pressure disappeared. Tycon was able to breathe again.

He shook lightly from the aftereffects of her bloodline magic, but he no longer worried about collapsing under its oppressive weight.

He wondered if the experience was similar to what his enemies suffered when afflicted by his own ⌈Vexing Gaze⌋.

"(There will come a time when your abilities will be needed,)" Ananta explained, the emotions on her face unreadable, "(but not until everything finds its place.)"

Tycon put careful thought into his words. The eldest Shadow Snake Princess was deceiving herself... and he needed to refute her logic in a way that he didn't get himself killed prematurely.

However, a commotion at the chamber's entrance interrupted his thoughts.

"Get out of my F*CKING way!"

",