The Mirror Element

Can you trust a Sphinx?

Nyx POV

I remember when Lloyd and I had to mix chemicals together for a lab experiment for Chemistry class. Our job was to conjure a special type of poison gas that would knock a person out for about 24 hours. The result of our teamwork creating the elixir for the gas only resulted in what smelled ten times stronger than the toilets at the school. The classroom was closed for an entire year, since the smell we created was so nose wrenching. That's what the sewers smelled liked, but the scent of the Hypnobrai and Anacondrai remained stronger than the surrounding aroma.

I was exhausted if anything else. The days were long, and the nights were even more excruciating. Pythor kept an eye on me at all times, which meant wherever he went, so did I. It's like the guy never needed sleep! He was always either traveling with me as his guide or consulting with the Hypnobrai tribe leader on what their future plans were. At this point, I was dragging my body forward. My will to get whatever needed to be done sooner so I could leave that disgusting excuse of an Anacondrai. My time was precious, and it's being wasted.

"I've contacted all of the tribe leaders," Skales hissed. "We should prepare ourselves if we are to succeed in uniting them together."

"We will succeed. None of the Serpentine will have a smidge of compassion left for those surface dwellers. We've suffered for far too long. They'll be wanting to come back with a vengeance, just as we are." Pythor says as he folds his arms over his chest. He wasn't wrong, and all of the tribes will be wanting payback for the pain humanity made them endure. However, if revenge is what they sought, how where they going to do it? The humans had multiple advantages over them. They were more advanced in technology, weaponry, and were far greater in numbers. But by just looking at Pythor's confidence, I had a weird feeling that whatever he had in mind was far worse than anything the humans could imagine.

"You seem awfully quiet," my body jumped by the sound of the Anacondrai's voice. I was grateful enough he couldn't read my thoughts.

He chuckled slightly, "What's wrong? Snake got your tongue?" I reined back a growl in my throat. Replacing "cat" with "snake" in the old saying was obviously meant to provoke me. My face remained blank and turned away from him. I refused to entertain him or Skales.

A slithering noise grew louder and louder as it approached me. I didn't turn around in time once I felt a cold pricking up my arm. The massive serpentine drummed his claws threateningly on my shoulder, but my silent demeanor didn't falter. But I was on the edge. The fur on my neck stood straight upwards. My ears twitching ever so subtly.

"Don't think for a second your in a position to defy me. Because if this is your way of silently rebelling..." his claws stopped their movement, but one single claw poked at my forehead. "You will not win."

Finally, I turn towards the sound of his voice. As much as I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of an answer, it would be stupid if I just plainly ignored him. He'd most likely toss me in another slither pit or try to threaten me.

"I don't need to win against you. I just want to finish here and leave. So when this meeting is over, I'm out."

"Then where will you go? To Lloyd?"

"Anywhere where you aren't around to tug me back and forth."

Pythor scoffed, then tugged at my arm forcefully. Pulling me up to his face. I use the opportunity by using his force against him. My legs hop on his chest kicking him back, giving me space between us both as my body flies midair. Something hard meets my body when I hit the ground on my back, and I realize it's the underground train. Smashing my elbow into the window allowed me to have some glass to use. It sent a sharp pain up my arm, but I paid no attention to it. At least now I had something to fight with.