Enter The Ninjaverse

CHAPTER 93

"My son... is he alright?" Aspheera asked quietly.

Mage looked up towards the Queen of the Serpentine, his expression a neutral frown. Getting back into Serpentine lands and then into the capital of Ouroborus had been a rather small trip. Without having to worry about himself or Clutch to deal with, he'd simply gone to the city of Nagaus and impersonated a snake with his Form ability. It'd taken him a good part of the day, but he now also was able to hit the glowing button Harumi had told him to save the coordinates of both Nagaus and Ouroborus for any future visits. Given that he had lost his dimensional watch along with Over, the one he wore currently belonged to Monty.

"I... don't know," Mage admitted honestly, "I'm really not sure about him right now."

Aspheera nodded her head. She, Mage, and General Arcturus slowly walked their way through the massive garden district that Mage had seen in Ouroborus. The streets were lined with small aqueducts that carried water through the air that sparkled in the sunlight. Around those aqueducts, large patches of greenery, ranging from shrubs to deep jungle-like trees rose up, creating a beautiful series of lined pathways that both shone with life and sparkled with light. The ground under them was made of a deep colored blue tile as well, shades of it mingled in with white and gray that gave the impression of almost walking on stained glass. Mage was still in his Serpentine disguise, an Anacondrai warrior much like Arcturus that she had insisted wouldn't draw attention. Mage saw that Aspheera almost jumped at the chance to get out of her palace.

"What do you mean?" Arcturus asked, "Clarify your words when you speak, child."

"I mean... I mean that Ophiod is using the scroll a lot," Mage informed the two of them, "An awful lot. And lately it's started doing something. He's getting all these weird symbols on him and... well..." Mage gulped, "The last time he used it, he sort of... he sort of hurt Skales."

Arcturus stiffened up, "What do you mean, hurt him?"

"Lloyd says that the scroll feeds on desire, or something like that," Mage nodded, "I guess when he called on its power that hard, it... used his desire for Skales? I mean, they're together, aren't they?" Mage shook his head, "Even I got that."

Aspheera's slithering slowed down slightly. Mage and Arcturus did the same to remain behind her. Mage was thankful that even if he had shifted his form, he wasn't having to actually control a tail and just had to emulate its movement. Aspheera looked down towards the ground for a long while, her breath picking up slightly before she looked up.

"That was why Skales was here, then... why it seemed he had underwent some horrible curse," Aspheera turned around, "Did you know that Skales was here, young Mage?"

"What?" Mage blinked, "He was?! Where is he now?!"

"He is gone now," Arcturus informed him, "Last night, he disappeared. We are not sure where he went, but we are certain Ophiod brought him to us to heal him. We did not know it was because of the scroll, however."

"The scroll... is he truly that devoted to proving his heritage?" Aspheera whispered to herself, "Why... why has he not come to me? Does he know, and not care?"

Arcturus nodded his head, signalling Mage should not speak. Aspheera slithered up slowly until she had reached a small junction that led to other paths through the area. Instead of going further, she turned around and slithered her way towards one of the aqueducts on the side of the path, looking down at it. She stared at her own shuddering reflection in the chilled water, the light of the desert sun above them almost blinding her from it.

"I believe it is time that I tell you something then," Aspheera turned to Mage, "Do I have your trust, Mage, upon both the silence that you will hold with this information, and with what you will do when you learn this knowledge?"