Crimson Coils (The Snake Men Book 2)

Chapter 6

Mari was expecting a terrifying city under the ground, littered with the bones of dragons and humans. She expected the screams of the dying, surrounded by pits of lava as if they literally walked into hell. Terror clutched her heart, turning her blood to ice at the thought of snake like demons tearing at her skin with clawed hands. She waited for the worst to come, only...

...it didn't.

Instead, what was before her took her breath away. It was a city unlike anything she had ever seen; while humans made their homes above the earth, the snake men made it within the earth. They were at the bottom of a pit, with a path spiraling up to the top along the edges. Along that path were various homes and shops, carved into the walls of the pit. Mari's eyes followed the path upward, to see the opening of the pit, revealing the gray sky that was turning black with the sun setting. Along the walls were dozens of box-shaped windows, some dark, and some glowing with a fire from within, making it look like the people were surrounded by stars.

A roar to her left snagged her attention, and she nearly leapt off of Rezran as a giant wyrm began to move towards them. The dragon-like creature was unbelievably large, at least three horses tall if they were stacked on top of one another. It was like a massive snake, perhaps six carts long if not uncoiled. It's scales were a deep red, like clay, with a pale yellow underbelly. It's head was arrow shaped, with a large mouth like a viper that opened to reveal terrifying fangs. The fangs were thick unlike a typical snakes fangs, and jutting from the tip of it's snout and chin were long spikes; curved in a way to help shovel the ground when they were tunneling. It's eyes were a pale, milky white, revealing that the beast was blind; though despite it's lack of site it just made the creature appear more terrifying than what it would be if it could see. A fearsome beast indeed, Mari nearly soiled herself.

The wyrm jolted back suddenly, and it was then Mari noticed a heavy collar around it's neck with a long chain connecting to it. That chain led to another Naga who had it wrapped around his hand and wrist. "Sorry about that!" he called. Like Rezran, he was tall and well built, with swirling tattoos along his chest. His hair was black like coal with red streaks combed through it. His tail was a deep red, with orange diamond-shaped spots that ran laterally along his tail. Amber eyes bore into hers. "He smelled someone knew, so you scared him." he chuckled.

I, scared him? Mari thought incredulously, and her expression must've shown it because the Naga laughed a bit. "He's harmless, don't worry."

With that, he turned away and began to slither off to a building carved into the base of the pit, shaped like a house made out of clay from Gray Watch. Connected to it was a pen, carved into the rock as well. It was like a rounded out hollow, with a gate made out of wood reinforced with iron keeping it closed and the wyrms inside contained. On the gate was an insignia of a wyrm carved into it, it was rearing up with it's mouth opened wide in a roar. The wyrm's body curved and twisted, giving it a menacing appearance.

Mar ifound it fitting for a pen filled with terrifying wyrms, each giving different shrieks and calls as the gate was opened and the wyrm from before was sent inside with the guidance of the Naga. Mari walked around, turning as she did to take everything in. Never before had she seen such an amazing city, bustling with life as Naga's went to and fro; selling goods, working, eating with friends and family, she had to get out of the way as two young Naga boys slithered by her as they played. One pounced on the other and the two began to wrestle. One of them tossed the other off with his tail, and the chase began once again.