Viper was sort of glad Shiren was conscious again. Whatever conscious meant at this point.

Seeing him starring at nothing grew creepy the more time went on.

But the moment they talked again she realised how little missed his presence around her.

But on the other hand she did not know if what happened to him was dangerous or something or if it's still dangerous. He was not up to talk about it and that should be fine with her but she wouldn't wait for him again.

At least he gave her a thanks so he remembered what manners were.

So since his appearance seemed healthy and he talked normal she expected nothing bad coming right now.

She having to keep an eye on him was what made her caring about him.

She did not want to become a psychologist but in order to help him she had to understand him along with his feelings and development. Means being around him.

He did not make it easy for her though and she grew out of patience very fast when talking to him.

But if she did not manage to convince him being normal again at some point, at best before they were leaving this place again, she would just have to put him into jail one day after they left him alone again.

For her kind she had to try it.

Otherwise everyone would start hating them again when Shiren would make trouble again. It was just an apprehension but the old wound came up again every time he brings the topic with Fu Xi up.

The villagers suddenly trying to keep distance from her without knowing why. They just saw her and were afraid. She was lucky she had her friends around them and the Jade-Palace.

Shiren most likely did not have any of that.

But with this behaviour he is just spreading this thought.

Yes, the villager now trusted her after she defeated Fu Xi herself but people live not just in the Valley of Peace and a tiny wound still was open enough to hurt whenever it was poked.

But other than Shiren, she didn't feel rage. Just disappointment. And sadness. Nothing that could have made her attack random people.

So if Shiren, or any other snake did something she had to suffer for was something she might not be able to deny in general but this time she can.

So she understood his point but that however didn't made her agreeing with Shiren that they are all evil but it made her understand his point a little bit more.

There had to be a way she could prove it was worthy to trust them and give them a chance.

But in order to archive that that she had to figure out what exactly made him the way he is now. It couldn't be just all the villagers not trusting him.

When she went the stairs up she stopped on a turning point and took a look out of a window which gave a view to what once likely was a wonderful garden. Behind the bushes, leafs and vines, she also saw a bit of the architecture of the buildings surrounding this area.

From this point of view it looked like they were in a palace or some kind of temple with a big garden. The complex itself reached more than at least six levels and above were even more structures.

Just like the entrance hall, this place looked like a city which was built on top of each other instead of next to each other.

And somehow the sun still manages to shine in this place like it's a normal day, considering they are technically underneath the surface of the desert, in a huge hole nobody yet seemingly found by any chance where the sunlight should only shine that big when the sun was directly over the hole but yet too much time passed for the sun still being above them.

This place had something magical on it.

Adn there were even more levels to explore from here.

There was so much still to explore at this place.

When she was looking outside she realised Shiren caught some interest on it too. His view was more directed to the top as if he was looking for something. "What are you looking at?" she calmly asked and looked out, trying to find what he was looking at.

"Shh," he said and started focussing more on one place. Rude as always but seemingly he had something to look at which required more of his attention.

"Don't you see that?" he asked without looking at her. She turned around again and looked up. She saw more ruins surrounded by some nature but nothing special that wasn't anywhere else before.

For a few moments of silence she wasn't sue what he thought he was seeing there.

Maybe starring at a wall wasn't the healthiest thing after all.

But after a few seconds she saw something moving on top of a building on the other side of the garden. Something big and before she truly believed in what she saw it was already gone. A silver shining dragon raised it's head paused for a split second and flew away towards another structure somewhere above them. It seemed to not have noticed them when it flew away.

She wasn't sure if what she saw was truly a dragon but she was willing to believe it. Looked like this place has it's name for a reason.

She was shocked. Her only experience with a dragon was in the valley of peace at one point and it made her fearing them. But this one looked so majestic she couldn't resist starring at it.

"Wow…" Viper gasped calmly after it was gone.

"It looks majestic," Shiren agreed and raised his head out of the window.

Viper caught his idea and stopped him from crawling out: "Hey, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I want to go closer. It did look friendly," Shiren answered and turned inside again.

Viper slowly let go of him again and said: "Wait. We should go to the others first and… well, you know, we shouldn't loose them."

Shiren came in again completely and nodded. "Right. But… Well, it's too high whatsoever at this point." he shook his head and Viper turned back to the stairs and went upwards again while saying worryingly: "We shouldn't have come here…"

"Why not?" When Shiren asked that question she stopped and listened to him but did not turn around while he said: "It's not not like I've seen a lot of dragons in this world. And you know our ancestors used to live with them. Why do you think it's hostile?"

She sighed. "We have to warn the others. Tigress can confirm these creatures are highly dangerous!" Viper answered. She knew how strong those creatures were, what they were capable of doing and did not want to risk it nor did she want to waste too much time now.

"So why did you even come here?" Shiren asked her directly.

Viper now half turned around and answered: "Because we had to! And I'm not going to explain that! You just have to trust me for now! We will ask the others how we precessed with the situation but if you ask me, we should go as fast as we can." After saying that she turned around and went on their way.

Shiren mumbled when he was following: "Never thought you would fear something like-"

Viper immediately interrupted him, turned around again and spoke out loud: "Shut up. I can still hear you! I don't think you ever met a dragon in your life! They are nothing you want to mess with! And I am not ready to risk anything for it!"

Shiren looked at her sceptically and said calmly: "Why do I have the feeling you already met a dragon? And it was not very peaceful."

Viper caught her tone again and said in a more quieter but still strict tone again: "And why do I have the feeling you are not listening to me or care what I have to say? If you would believe me that I met a dragon in my life and it was dangerous, why do you insist disagreeing with me?"

Shiren came up to her on the same level and answered: "Because I want to give it a chance. One dragon might be evil but every individual is different. Not every dragon has to be evil."

"And you know what? Some citizen are maybe evil but that doesn't mean every citizen has to be evil. There are individuals as well," she countered his statement. Shiren did not look away when he responded: "Hmpf. But still silly sheeps following one giant prejudice… If they ever find a way and a tiny reason to get rid of you no matter the cost, they will."

"Trust me, when I get the chance, I'll prove you your mistrust in them doesn't need to exist. You may have your own experience and I do not deny bad things never happened to you but as a snake myself, you might listen to me from time to time. Now stop flaming and come with me. The others said they will go this way." Viper decided this conversation could go very long but would never lead anywhere reasonable.

The dragon had more priority right now any ways. She knew she could not make the others to leave this place but if things would get dicey they had to prepare. She knew at least Shiren and the Professor would risk their lifes for what they might find here.

Whatever they expected to find. She had no clue. She was just hoping everything would go fine even if they would have to encounter the dragon.

Tigress and Crane could make good preparations for any unexpected scenario since Crane is always good being cautious and always having a backup plan. Even if it meant to see the dragon as a big clothesline to handle it. Since he was a cleaner he often talks about how he always compared the battle with cleaning a room of the barracks he worked in and how silly those imaginations were at times.

And Tigress was the first person in charge here. If anything would be decided she would be the first one doing it. She was always near by the professor and made sure he did not do anything stupid, just is case. She did not know this person and did not know how far he would go before he would activate the trap right in front of him.

Viper made her way up and looked for the others while she was aware Shiren was following her. They weren't talking any more and she was glad about it.

The upper corridors were a lot more smaller than the one where they entered this place.

It seemed a normal sized one but still big enough for a dragon to walk in easily. The walls had a lot of scratches. At all it seemed like something fought something here. But who battled what? Something invading the snakes and dragons?

Maybe something that caused them to abandon this place? At least the rooms here were more comfortable and not as tiny as possible. The furnitures looked very snake-adapted like some she had in her old home. Furnitures that did keep in mind the owner might not have paws to use them that easily. Just the dust and the course of time made them not look the most prettiest but it was easy to imagine how they had to look like when this place was on it's most shining age.

The way they looked told her this was once a wonderful place.

They looked like royal furnitures, carefully made with a lot of details in the wood and high quality wherever she looked at. If she would have a house she would have liked such furnitures, even if they would be very expensive.

But those at this place were ancient: Pattern were just barely to see these times. The quality only showed how good they look even after all of the years and they are barely intact. It was a sad view. She sighed seeing that but turned around and moved on after seeing this depressing room.

This houses were definitely more expensive housings than those from the lover level. They no longer were on top of each other but next to each other and looked like more comfortable rooms and not just as tiny as possible. When she slithered trough the floor at the sleeping rooms she could tell they were much bigger and ancient.

"Now where are the others?" Shiren asked and turned to Viper again when she left a house.

She seemed a bit wondering too but still not lost when she answered: "They seem to be more ahead than I though. To be honest, you took your time starring at the wall."

"As long as we find them. This place looks depressing. Even what is left of the garden is prettier than that. It doesn't tell you stories about people who once walked around these walls. And let you think how they might have ended."

"Does it make you curious what happened here?" she asked. Not very curious but interested in his opinion.

"How couldn't it? There has to be a reason we were banished to this world instead of living here these days. Imagine the life we could spend here if all of that would be still intact and alive. Just us, the snakes, far away from the others. And even dragons around us."

Viper nodded. She understood his opinion but she did never regret meeting the friends she made in her life. She answered: "Yes. But it did not last forever as we see. If snakes really lived here, you and I know that something happened. Something maybe Fu-Xi could know but… I'm not going to ask."

Shiren looked at an old image on the wall, destroyed by signs of a fight and rambled his tail on it while asking: "You know, maybe we are the ones who are supposed to make it up again?"

She wondered: "What do you mean?"

Shiren closed his eyes, turned to Viper and looked at her again: "Did you ever heard the statement: Nothing happens randomly and everything has it's purpose?

Maybe we are meant to set things right. Making peace with the past. No longer running away. But facing our past."

Viper thought about what he said for a little bit and then answered: "Yes, I know what you mean Master Fangfa said it. But this is still risky. Would you seriously risk your life on that?"

Shiren looked downwards when he said: "If it's just my life. There is not much to loose anymore."

Viper was surprised by this statement for a moment before she asked: "Do you really see nothing in your life? Isn't there anything you still are willing to live for?"

Shiren looked aside when he answered: "I had those feelings once but not matter what they were, they are gone these days."

Viper just shook her head and turned at her way again while saying: "Well, it's not like you have proven to be willing to listen to me or anything so why should I even bother?"

Shiren said after her: "You want to tell me there is something valuing in my life, am I correct?

I'm sorry, Viper but after all the time of isolation I've been trough that is nothing just a few nice words can fix."

She stopped for a moment and said: "I have recognised that," before she was moving on.

"There you are!"

Mantis said who was encountering them.

Viper smiled: "Mantis. Good to see you."

Mantis looked behind her and saw Shiren slowly sauntering trough this place, not really paying attention to them.

"Well, I was sent here to see if you are alright. Since this seems the case, we can go back to the others who decided to take a break now."

Viper nodded and started to move together with Mantis and said: "That's good. Because I have something to tell to them."

He looked at her and asked: "What is it?"

She looked forward again and answered: "I tell you later so I don't have to tell the same story twice."

He sighed impatiently: Have it your way…"

"Hey, you okay, bud'?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Just wondering. This place is nothing I've ever seen before. It makes Crane and me afraid of what might await us here."

"Then let's go to Tigress this is important. Don't worry, Shiren will find his way on his own now."

She said while knowing Shiren being way behind them.

When they entered an area that seemed like a crossroads of six different ways, she saw Tigress and Yong were listening to the professor who told them a story or something.

Mantis wasn't lying when he said they made a rest.

Except for Crane, who probably was just out and flew around and scouted around the area or something, keeping an eye of everything that's happening, which is always his thing to do.

This crossroads looked amazing again. Paintings and symbols that made this place looking like an altar of an ritual.

The professor was in a middle of a story to tell: "… and whatever left of them wasn't her concern at all. She said: "Well, just because they do not know how to play along doesn't mean they do not know how to play along, wink."

"Oh, did she really say that? This is stupid and makes no sense," Tigress said wonderingly.

The professor said: "At least I can say everyone came out of this situation."

Then he heard Viper and Mantis coming and turned around: "Oh, look who is here."

Viper realised how Shiren managed to catch up with them when the professor asked: "Are you awake again? What happened?"

For this moment Shiren got the attention in this room.

He looked at them, shook his head and said: "I can't tell really. Even if I would understand anything that happened there, I still could not find the words to explain it in any way. It was nothing harming at least. But I really can't tell. I do not remember enough from it as if I could tell anything. Everything went… fast. It was complex but yet… simple. Nothing made sense."

The professor sighed. "What a shame. I would liked to know. But little we can do about it but continuing what we are doing and hope for it to happen again."

"Speaking of:" Viper said and caught the attention to her when she came closer: "We should head back and leave this place. Tigress, I saw a dragon on my way up. And when I say dragon, I mean dragon."

Tigress looked at Viper like knew what she meant. She turned to the professor and said: "I see. Professor, you-"

But the professor already interrupted her: "I'm aware of what a dragon is, thank you, mylady. But leaving now can't just be the way. We have come too far as if we could give up now so easily."

Tigress stood up and said: "In order to deal with a dragon, we need Po's help. He is the only one I know who can face such creatures."

Shiren asked her: "Who said we are going to deal with them?"

Before Tigress was able to respond, Viper turned to Shiren and said:"Shiren, no. We've talked about that already!"

Shren looked at her and simply answered: "So you should know my answer already. If you want to back off now, feel free to do so. But I will stay. Unless you want to drag me out of here."

"It's not like we couldn't, it's just, we're reasonable."

"I've made up my mind. I'm not going anywhere just because of a dragon."

Tigress went between those two and said:"Alright, it's enough. It has been a long day and there is much to consider. We will rest now and after that we are deciding what might be our next step. If the worst happens we will leave as soon as possible but I must ask you all to stay calm. When there is a dragon at this place, we do not want it's attention yet."

The professor nodded: "That sounds like a fine solution. Nobody can think properly with an exhausted head. We must not act rashly."

"Then it's decided," Tigress said and sat down.

Mantis asked Viper: "You think this might ending the same like with Ke-Pa?"

She sighed, shook her head and answered calmly: "I just hope it won't. I know Ke-Pa was special but…"

Mantis tried to cheer her up: "It's okay. We all have been there."

"All but those who wish to stay."