I remember little of my life. So much was in enslavement to the Shadow, who so foolishly believed I was his own. He never owned me. No one owned me. I belong to myself and myself alone.
Looking back, life was so very fun. There were few worries. I was the biggest problem for the other creatures around, I had all the land I wanted, and it was good. It was my garden of Eden. But, as, always the Snake will come and curse you. This is what happened before him.
I was born many years ago. I didn't know my mother, as most snakes abandon they're young at birth. So I had to fend for myself. The early years were hard. I was young, foolish, and carefree. I thought I was a God in the forest. I had the speed and strength needed to survive. There was only one creature I could not handle, which I had only heard about in whispers through the undergrowth. There was something or someone there, always watching, observing us. The Shadow was always present, we could feel it hiding amogst the trees, and we thought we knew what it was. How wrong we were...
I grew exponentially, and my strengh could only increase. There were others of my kind in the forest, but most kept themselves to themselves. The magics frowned upon our meetings, and barriers were in place to protect the human race. I, myself understood. Humans, being weak, needed protecting from us. We could grow to ridiculous sizes, squeeze the life out of them and leave little evidence of our being there. Without the barriers, humans would be in danger, not us.
Although these barriers were in place, others attempted to make contact with me, particularly the males. But there was one female who made contact. In retrospect, it was probably just opposite sexes prohibited from making contact unless necessary for survival. She grew with me, and we came to be close.
She spoke to me of the Shadow in the trees, and that it was the remnants of a wizard. I laughed at this, foolish enough to think that someone is either alive or dead. That there was no inbetween. Over time, we became faster and stronger, and we were ready for the mating phase of our life cycle. We were to leave each other and find a mate. And that is one of the last things I remember.
I then met the Shadow. It swooped over me and I tried to flee. I was panicking, not knowing where to go. It stalked me as I ran, but it kept going, never tiring, always following. I grew weary quickly and needed to stop. As I rested beneath the undergrowth, I heard the Shadow speaking out to me. But not as a human, as one of my own.
I intend you no harm, wonderous creature. No harm.
I would not listen to a word it said.
Do you know how it feels to be human, snake?
No, of course I do not.
It is incredible. Let me show you.
I met a wall of flashing images, a boy in an orphanage, playing with toys. Then, a boy on his first day of school, in brand new robes. Next he was excelling in classes, being loved by many people. And I felt jealous.
It looks like it was fun.
It certainly was. And I can give that to you.
Latin words issued forth from the shadow, and I felt myself becoming bound with the shadow. The following life was rushed, and the previous memory is of that young man stabbing me with the sword. Longbottom, his name was. And now I am released. Farewell, Shadow. Farewell. Good luck finding humanity, as what I saw in you is not human at all.
