The Serpentine had suffered a great defeat. With the Fangblades taken by the ninja and their leader's sudden disappearance, the Serpentine were left shaken. Someone must gather the remaining loyal ones and make sure that Pythor's plan can be fulfilled.
When the chaos had ended and the last of the Skeletons had been routed, an eerie silence fell on the underground lair. The fighting had left its mark across the floor, with abandoned weapons littering the ground, together with wounded and exhausted Serpentine warriors. What should have been an easy fight, had instead ended in a pyrrhic victory for the snakes. They had been left battered and filled with a sense of defeat. With their full force behind them, they should have been able to take on the Skeleton army with no problems. And they would have, if not for the fact it had been a surprise attack, which the Ninja had aided in when they got freed.
Skales slithered across the battlefield, trying his best to assess the damage. No matter how the result looked, they had still won in the end. And yet he couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. As he looked around, it became clear that this unease came from the fact, that there were far fewer Serpentine than before. None had run after their fleeing enemies, and none had left before the battle started. But still, their numbers were far too few. This was why he felt an almost irrational amount of relief when he saw his fellow Generals, huddled together near the center of the lair, next to the vat of venom where the Fangbaldes had been kept. They hadn't come out of the battle unhurt, but they still stood tall with pride, as expected of them. It was only when Skales came closer, that he saw the weary looks on their faces, which told a different story.
"Where isss everyone?" He hesitantly asked, scared to hear the answer.
"They're gone, the cowards!" Hissed Skalidor, standing with arms crossed and staring at their remaining warriors with a mix of pity and contempt.
"Gone? What do you mean they're gone?!" Skales exclaimed, slamming his staff into the stone floor.
"Some left during the fight, others did soon after," Acidicus explained with a detached, melancholy tone.
Before Skales could ask further, Fangtom moved closer and interrupted him.
"We're guessing since we lost the Fangblades-some of our comrades decided the fight had already been lost. They probably used the-tunnels to leave, and are now spread across Ninjago. Well, everyone except these ones." He said, before nodding over to the other Serpentine, who had slowly started helping each other up and were waiting for new orders. Skales looked at them with newfound worry, as he realized that their leader wasn't here to guide them.
"Maybe we should have left as well." The Venomari General bitterly stated, earning the attention of the other three. "After all, Pythor has abandoned us, so why should we-"
"He hasss not abandoned usss!" Skales almost shouted.
"Oh really, then where is he?!" Skalidor mockingly asked.
"While we are licking our woundsss, Pythor isss busy taking back the Fangbladesss from those meddling Ninjasss asss we ssspeak!"
"Is that-so? How do you know?" Fangtom questioned the Hypnobrai, and Skales could already see the doubt spreading to even his own friend.
"He told me himself, under battle." He started to explain, remembering back to the helplessness he felt as the fighting raged around him. "Pythor believesss that the Ninja will take the Fangbladesss to Torchfire Mountain, to destroy them in the volcano'sss flamesss."
"Destroy them? Is that even possible?!" Skalidor remarked, looking to Acidicus for an answer.
"I haven't properly studied the blades mind you, but I would guess their so-called indestructibility still wouldn't save them from the heat that is contained in that mountain. If you were to destroy them, it would be there." The Venomari told them, and while he may have wished to abandon all hope, he couldn't lie that what Skales said made sense. His words seemed to be enough to convince both Fangtom and Skalidor, who sighed with a strange mix of disappointment and relief.
"He made it clear he wanted usss to be ready to meet him asss sssoon asss possible. My guesss isss that he wantsss to get back to Oruoborosss once he hasss taken back the bladesss." Skales continued, already starting to see Pythor's plan unfold in his mind. All he would need to do was have a ride ready to pick him up and take him back to the city. Then the Devourer could be awakened, and Pythor's plan would finally be fulfilled.
"If that hasss cleared it up for you, we should get to work, we can't be late for when Pythor-"
Skales had started slithering away, expecting the others to follow. Instead, as he looked back, they remained motionless.
"What are you doing, there isss no time to waste!"
"Tell me, what makes you think this will work? We already lost the Fangblades, gotten beaten up by those lousy Skeletons, and now you're saying that Pythor is somehow going to get them all back before they're destroyed!" The Constrictai asked with disbelief, mirroring the other Generals. Skales looked at each of them, all with the same disillusioned expression on their face. He could barely believe what he was seeing, as a scowl formed and he held back the urge to hiss at them.
"Truly, was thisss all it took for you to give up!" He exclaimed, gaining back the interest of the others. "We are now closer to winning over the Sssurface Dwellersss than we have ever been! Closer than any Ssserpentine hasss ever been in our history! We were but momentsss away from taking over all of Ninjago, once and for all! And now that we have been delayed, you lay down your armsss and call it a day?! Where'sss your pride, where'sss your determination!"
The words were having a clear effect on them, most of all Skalidor who seemed ready to argue, until Acidicus came and placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him back so Skales could finish.
"None of you may have had much faith in Pythor, but look what we have gotten from following him! If he can achieve thisss, then he will be able to bring back the Fangbladesss, and when he doesss, it isss our duty to assist him, ssso that we can finish what he started! If you have any honor, you will not abandon your King! If I can't expect you to be there to help him, the least you can do isss make sure that the unity he fought ssso hard to achieve, won't fall apart the moment he'sss gone!"
The Generals looked amongst each other, and despite Acidicus's attempt to calm the Constrictai, it was clear he had his own thoughts to share. But before he had the chance, Fangtom moved forward and made his way to Skales' side. There, he placed a reassuring hand on the Hypnobrai's shoulder, who felt the relief flowing through his body.
"Thank you, Fangtom."
"Always,-friend." The Fangpyre said with a smile, before turning to the others.
"I don't know about you, but I think Skales is right. It is our duty to serve our King, even at times like these. Less you forget the vows we made to Pythor as we bowed before him." He said, which seemed to deflate whatever frustration Skalidor had wanted to let out. Acidicus and he looked at each other knowingly, before they moved up before Skales, where Fangtom slithered next to them.
"We're at-your command." The Fangpyre stated as the three bowed before Skales in unison. The gesture startled the Hypnobrai at first, but he was quickly filled with confidence and held his head up high. He couldn't help but think he could get used to it.
"What do you want us to do?" Acidicus asked.
"You will know sssoon, but first-" Skales explained, before turning around to look at their scattered forces. "-I must face our warriorsss, and let them know all isss not lost."
With that, Skales started moving up through the crowd, to a position where he could speak to them all at once. Following a few steps behind were the other Generals. There, they whispered to each other.
"We're really doing this?" Skalidor asked apprehensively.
"Skales, is right, we've come-this far," Fangtom said, before sighing. "Might as well see it to its conclusion."
Skales found a good place, a bit up from the spiral walkway. There he had a full view over the floor, as the Serpentine gathered around them, with the Generals at his back. To his astonishment, while there were Seprentine from all the tribes, it seemed that most of the Hypnobrai stayed behind. But he didn't have much time to think over that, as he started speaking.
"My brothersss and sssistersss, I know thisss might look like defeat, but I assure you, it'sss not!" He exclaimed, gaining their attention.
"While we wait, Pythor isss in the processs of stealing back the Fangblades from the Ninja! He sssaid to me, that their destination would be Torchfire Mountain. If we are to have any hope of awakening the Great Devourer, we must meet him there and then travel to Ouroborosss together with the bladesss!"
There wasn't any doubt that they took his words seriously, but doubtful voices could be heard whispering amongst each other. Skales took a deep breath before he continued to speak.
"I won't lie to you, my fellow Ssserpentine. Thisss day we have sssuffered a defeat. A grave one. But listen to me when I sssay that we can ssstill win! Have we not united asss one, sssingle tribe?! Did we not manage to find all the fabled Fangbladesss?!" Skales asked out to the audience, who started nodding in agreement.
"We have achieved what was sssaid to have been impossible, not once, but twice over! Have we not proven that we cannot be ssstopped?! That the Ssserpentine race will never again be subjugated and beaten by the Sssurface Dwellersss! If we are to have any hope of victory, then ssstand with me! Ssstand with our King!" The Hypnobrai declared before silence swept over the crowd. But it quickly dissipated, as cheers and warcries filled the air, drowning out all other sound. Even Skales was surprised at the overwhelming support, but he quickly gathered himself.
"Good! But if we are to ssserve your King, we must gather our lost Ssserpentine brethren! Acidicusss, Fangtom, and Ssskalidor shall each pick a few warriorsss of they're choosing, and go out into Ninjago and find the onesss who have fled. Bring them together and remind them of their duty! The rest will follow me to Torchfire Mountain, where we will await Pythor'sss next move and take him to Ouroboros! Once that isss done, the next time we meet, we ssshall have not only Pythor, but the very Devourer itself by our ssside! And then asss one, we ssshall march on Ninjago, and conquer all who dare oppose usss!"
The roars seared into the air, as the cheer continued seemingly without end. The Generals seemed comfortable with their mission and were already busy picking warriors to follow them. Skales himself wasn't sure how much he could depend on them and thought it best to lead the main operation himself. He never doubted their skill, but their loyalty to Pythor was still as shaky as always. But if anything could finally win them over for good, then it would be the Great Devourer by Pythor's side.
When the cheering crowd grew silent and instead focused on gathering their weapons, two familiar Hypnobrai marched over to Skales.
"Mezmo! Ssslithraa. I'm glad to sssee you didn't run off with the othersss."
"Hah! As if I would allow my honor to be tarnished by cowardice. It's bad enough for my dignity to have lost my title to you." Slithraa replied jokingly with a sly smile, seemingly only having fun at Skales' expense.
"You say that like I got something better to do than look after those dimwits down there," Mezmo explained, pointing down to their fellow tribesmen. "No, I'd rather stay with you General, for now. Besides the grim look of things, you seem to believe we can salvage this mess and I wouldn't want to miss all the interesting stuff."
"Oh, we are far past belief. Trust me, Pythor will sssucceed. And I sssuggest we better be there when he doesss." Skales said, confidently.
"If you say so. I'll gather the men and get ready to march." Mezmo stated.
"Good. Ssslithraa, sssecure whatever vehiclesss we have left and make sssure they come with usss." The Hypnobrai ordered, and Slithraa replied with an affirmative nod.
With that, the two walked away to perform their duties. But as they left, Skales noticed a pink figure hiding behind them, who stopped forward.
"Ssselma?" Skales asked, surprised.
"Hello again, sir. I've got to say, it was a great speech Skales-I MEAN, General!" She quickly corrected herself and bowed before him.
Skales hadn't considered the fact that she might have stayed behind and not abandoned them like the others, but seeing her he felt a strange sense of consolation.
"Itsss good to sssee you." He mentioned without much thought, before remembering his place.
"*Ahem* What requiresss my attention?"
She was at first shocked by his previous words but quickly composed herself.
"I merely wished to ask if there was anything I can do to be useful. I know you and Pythor have a plan and I want to help in any way that I can." Selma explained, looking up at Skales with complete faith in her eyes.
He was about to tell her that she would follow him to Torchfire Mountain when something else came to his mind that quickly took over and spoke for him.
"If what you sssay is true, then I want you to go with the other Generalsss and help gather the Ssserpentine."
Selma bowed before she finally understood what he had said and stood up with a surprised look on her face.
"Wait, you want me to leave?"
"Yesss, I…I think that would be for the best." Skales tried to explain, still grappling with his sudden change in decision.
"But, you're already sending the Generals. You know, THE Generals of the Serpentine? What good would I do?"
"I'm… I've already decided that I'm taking Ssslithraa and Mezmo with me to the volcano to meet Pythor. But that leavesss me with not many sssnakes that I can trust. I'm not underestimating the capabilitiesss of the Generalsss, but I'm not ssso sssure that their loyalty to Pythor isss asss unwavering asss they would have me believe. Now that I'm sssending them off, there'sss no telling what they might do if they decide to turn against him."
"It still doesn't explain why you're sending me with them?" She asked with a hopeless tone, trying to find some reason in Skales' words.
"Because I trust you." He said with a firm voice, before going over and placing a hand on her shoulder, as her eyes lit up. "And I need sssomeone I can rely on to make sssure they do what they're sssupposed to do. We're gonna need all the Ssserpetine with usss when the Devourer isss unleashed."
"I…I…" She muttered as her eyes fluttered around. But in the end, they landed back on Skales, and he could see the determination welling up inside her.
"I won't let you down!" She exclaimed, before giving him a proud salute.
"I know…-uh, what I meant wasss, I wouldn't expect anything else!" Skales quickly corrected himself, standing awkwardly for a moment as the two stared at each other.
"Dismissed." He finally said, turning around to hide his embarrassed face. Which meant he didn't see her quick smile, that disappeared as she bowed once more and walked away.
Once she had left, he turned to see her disappear into the crowd, as the warriors split themself into those who left with the Generals and those who left with Skales. He wasn't sure why he had instructed her to leave with the others. She wouldn't have been a detriment to the mission. But for some reason, he felt better knowing she was away from the action. There was no telling what would happen. He had faith in Pythor, but taking on the Ninja by himself seemed unlikely, even for an Anacondrai. Even if they succeed, things could turn ugly. As he prepared to leave, he hoped Pythor would be okay. And while he couldn't keep him away from the danger, he could certainly be there by his side and make sure no harm befalls him. With those thoughts, he announced that it was time to leave, and the Serpentine split up.
The Torchfire Mountain was a lonely volcano seated by the Sea of Sand. The surrounding area consisted only of sand and pillars of rock around the volcano, that continued further south until they linked up with a mountain chain. There was no sign of civilization for miles, besides a long road that went past the volcano and stretched deep into the desert. The Serpentine were currently hiding behind one of the rock pillars, to not draw attention. Skales guessed the Ninja would arrive in their flying boat, and it wouldn't be good if they spotted them.
So there they were, waiting for something to happen. Skales still felt great unease as he waited, and it was clear boredom was starting to take over his warriors. The only thing entertaining them was Skales running around, making sure everything was ready.
"Are the Rattecoptersss ready to fly at a moment'sss notice?!" Skales demanded to know, and he got the same answer as the last five times he asked.
"Yes…"
The Hypnobrai had stopped replying as a formality after the first few times and instead wordlessly left the engineers to do their job. He was stuck in a cycle of worrying if Pythor would succeed, then reassuring himself he would, then thinking if something would go wrong from his end and making sure everything was ready. Then when he was finally sure that he wouldn't fail him and nothing would go wrong, he would start to wonder if Pythor wouldn't make it. And so it continued, as he only grew more weary with time. In the end, he started to speculate if he was actually worried that they wouldn't succeed in awakening the Devourer, or if he was more worried about whether he would fail Pythor. Or rather, if he could make Pythor forgive him for messing up. He had tried his best to forget it, but the lingering thought that everything that had happened was his fault still haunted him. It was he who delayed their return to Orurboros and he who failed to stop the intruders from simply walking into their new lair. If he hadn't been there in the first place, they would already have brought back the Devourer and their plans would have come true. This was his last chance to fix things with Pythor, and if not, then…
But he was quickly pushed out of his thoughts as a loud Fangpyre came tumbling toward him.
"Skales! Skales!" He shouted as he shoved his fellow Serpentine out of the way.
When he finally stood before the Hypnobrai, he took a few seconds to collect his breath, before speaking.
"I…I have something you might like to hear!" The Fangpyre expressed with great enthusiasm.
"...Ssspeak." Skales apprehensively ordered though he was still intrigued.
Knowing he had managed to get Skales' attention, the Fangpyre calmed down and dusted himself off.
"Snappa, Fangpyre scout, at your service," Snappa introduced himself, before gesturing to the Hypnobrai to follow him. He led the General near the edge of the rock pillar, with a view of the volcano and the road in front.
"See that?" He asked, excitingly.
"A road?" Skales replied, unimpressed.
"Not just any road! I was still a scout when I was stationed in Orouroboros. After a few, *ahem, friendly clashes with my fellow scouts, it was decided I could repay for my actions by scouting the edges of our territory in the desert." The Fangpyre explained, hoping that Skales wouldn't ask into the trouble he got himself in. Luckily, it seemed that the Hypnobrai was either too interested or uninterested to ask further on the matter.
"Continue."
"So, of course, I did what I was told! But what I found, was a road that almost reached Ouroboros! I remember thinking something like that was important, so I investigated further. It was a very long road, and I do believe-" He continued, before pointing to the empty road. "-that, is the very same road!"
"And that mattersss, because?"
"Because, it's mostly unused, besides by some kind of vehicle made of a long string of buses, like those we used to transport Serpentine to Ouroboros, but stuck together!"
"And?" Skales asked, wondering what the point the Fangpyre was even trying to make. But then Snappa leaned close and whispered into his ear.
"And, it goes fast. Very, fast."
"Fast?" Muttered Skales, before finally realizing what the scout was proposing. He stared back at their parked Rattlecopters, with a contemplative look on his face.
"Faster than our other vehiclesss?"
"Much faster, I guarantee it! Luckily, it only seems to use its full speed at certain points, otherwise, it goes slower, just enough for us to catch up with it. And it should pass by very soon! If we capture it, we can transport not only Pythor and the Fangblades but all of us back to the Ouroboros!"
Skales listened closely and quickly realized the benefits of the scout's plan.
"Mezmo! Ssslithraa!" The Hypnobrai yelled and not a few moments later, did the two appear.
"What is it?" Slithraa asked with a bored look.
"Thisss ssscout claimsss to know of a vehicle coming through thisss area that can transport usss all to Ouroboros, even faster than our other machinesss."
"Oh really?" Mezmo said, crossing his arms and staring daggers at the Fangpyre. "He said that, did he?"
"Do you doubt me?!" Exclaimed the scout, who seemed more than ready to start a brawl right there and then. It was Skales who stopped him, placing his staff in front of Snappa, blocking him from the sneering Mezmo.
"Well that depends, have you seen it?" The Hypnobrai asked with a mocking tone.
"Of course I have! I wouldn't have dared mention it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes!" Snappa replied, before looking to Skales, with the two Hypnobrai following suit, waiting for their General's response.
"I'm willing to have faith in the scout'sss wordsss. If what he saysss isss true, we would be foolsss not to take the chance!"
Just as he finished, a ruckus grew amongst the hiding Serpentine, which caught Skales' attention. Slithraa was the first to point, having a clear view of the sky.
"There! It's their ship!" He called out, with the other three looking up. Sure enough, flying through the sky was the red ship belonging to the Ninja. Even more, they noticed the long bus the scout told them about, parked next to the volcano. As soon as the ship arrived and stopped by the mountain's top, the long bus took its leave and drove down the road, starting to quickly fade into the horizon.
"And there goes our supposed 'ride'," Mezmo commented with slouched shoulders.
Skales watched as the Ninja's ship stopped at the top of the volcano, right over the smoldering lava, before looking at the disappearing vehicle.
"Ssseems we have a plan," Skales muttered happily to himself, excited at the prospect of surprising Pythor with their new soon-to-be transport vehicle. If there was anything he believed would make the Anacondrai happy, then it would be a smoother ride to their destination.
"Alright, you two!" Skales declared, pointing at Mezmo and Slithraa. "You take our vehiclesss and go up the road! The ssscout will ssshow you where the vehicle will passs by and you will kindly ask it to ssstop. Make sssure it'sss emptied and ready for when I arrive with Pythor. I will take Rattlecopter and keep a lookout for when he makesss hisss move." The Hypnobrai explained, before looking up to the volcano. He could only imagine what the Anacondrai was planning to do.
With that, almost all the Serpentine left with the scout and the two Hypnobrais, as they prepared to ambush the tour bus. Meanwhile, Skales jumped on a platform that was connected by rope to a Rattlecopter. As it took off, he held on to the rope as the platform was left hanging under the vehicle. Skales had instructed the pilot to circle the volcano, close to the ground so they wouldn't be spotted. All that there was left to do then was wait.
Luckily, he would soon see signs that Pythor was successful in infiltrating their ship. At first, Skales saw the Ninja on the deck, though he didn't dare try anything that would give away his position. Then the ship shook, and he saw someone fall overboard. He had hoped they would disappear into the volcano's flames, but in a flash, the Ninja managed to grab them. But to the Hypnobrai's delight, it had left them hanging on the edge of a plank, extending out from the ship. Then, a familiar purple figure appeared on the deck. Skales could barely control his voice, as he ordered the pilot to go under the ship and prepare to catch Pythor. There he waited excitingly for his King to jump down, but it took a little longer than he expected. Finally, though, he could see Pythor jumping off and falling through the air.
The Rattlecopter turned sharply and made a course toward Pythor. It seemed to be a close call, but Pythor managed to land on the platform and then grab the rope.
"So long, suckers!" The Anacondrai yelled victoriously, followed by a sinister laugh, as the vehicle changed course toward Ouroboros.
"My…my King!" Skales exclaimed and nervously bowed his head.
"Just in the nick of time, number two. I could always rely on your impeccable sense of timing!" Pythor replied, shuffling with the blades in his arm, trying to get a better grip.
"Isss that the Fangbaldesss?!" Skales said, astonished.
"Of course they are! I wouldn't be here if I didn't get them!" Pythor stated with an irritated tone, as he turned his attention towards the horizon, as they started to fly over the desert.
Skales opened his mouth, but couldn't get the words out. There was so much he wished to say, so much he wanted to apologize for. But he knew Pythor well enough to know, that such things usually only irritated the Aancondrai more than they helped. So wordlessly they continued to fly, as Skales tried to keep himself in control, even as the nervousness started to build up. Though he couldn't help but let his eyes wander to check on Pythor's mood every now and then. This helped him prepare for Anacondrai's outburst, as he saw impatience growing on his face. Strangely enough, he could also see something the snake rarely displayed…panic.
"The City of Ouroboros is miles away, this Rattlercopter will never get us there in time!" Pythor exclaimed, his words flowing at an alarming rate. "They'll catch up to us-"
"Don't worry, sssir." Skales interrupted him, his voice barely able to hide his pride, as they closed up on the ambush point. "We've already made preparationsss."
"What preparations?" Pythor asked, confused. Though he quickly realized what was going on, as the tour bus came to view under them.
Just as Skales had hoped, the bus was surrounded by the Serpentine warriors led by Mezmo and Slithraa. He could see the Serpentine going in and taking out the humans, leaving them out front.
"I take it you're pleased?" Skales, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he watched the gleeful expression on Pythor's face.
"Very, very pleased, Skales." The Anacondrai replied with a sweet tone and smile, as the Rattlecopter descended. As the platform started to reach the ground, the wind from the spinning blades pushed back the humans. They fell to the ground and coughed from the sand, blasted in their face, as the Serpentine watched and laughed.
The two stepped off and were welcomed by a few warriors and Memzo, standing with a smug look and hands on his hips.
"Glad to see you made it, your highness." He said though one could question his sincerity.
"We'll have the rest of the Surface Dwellers off in a moment." Mezmo continued, before signaling the rest of the warriors to follow him, as he entered the bus.
Slithraa, who had stood at the front, making sure the bus wouldn't try to leave, also entered. But not before looking at Skales and receiving an impressed nod from the General. In return, he bowed with a look of contentment.
Soon enough, as the last humans were thrown out, Skales and Pythor boarded the bus with the rest of the Serpentine. They made their way to the front, where they passed Mezmo in the process of eating a fully-cocked chicken.
"Where did you-...never mind! Where'sss Ssslithraa?"
"Oh, he *munching* decided to go to the back, and make sure everyone behaves."
"Typical. He alwaysss wasss one for orderly conduct, no matter the occasion," Skales stated with a solemn smile.
"He sure was," Mezmo replied, as Skales left the Hypnobrai to enjoy his food, and joined Pythor by his side.
At the front of the bus, they took their place by the steering wheel, where a terrified chauffeur fumbled with the controls, as he started the engine.
"Next stop, Ouroboros!" Pythor declared, causing cheer to abrupt in the cabin, as the bus started to move.
Once the cheering had gone down, Skales managed to gather the courage to speak with Pythor.
"Ssso…thisss isss it then."
"What are you on about? This is but the beginning! Soon I will have secured my new and total rule over Ninjago, and vengeance shall be ours!"
"Um, don't you mean, our rule?" Skales asked.
"Whatever!" The Anacondrai spit back, before admiring the Fangblades in his hands.
"After so long, I will achieve it. My ultimate goal. The reason I, alone, remained." He muttered with a haunting, almost deranged tone.
"And to think, I would already have done it, if it wasn't for one detrimental fool!" Pythor continued as he stared at the blades, his tone jolly and cheerful. It even took Skales a moment to realize what had just been said. But by then, Pythor had already changed demeanor and was looking at Skales with a judgemental stare.
"I believe you know who I am referring to." The Anacondrai said, his voice dry and cold.
"I…I am sssorry…" Skales managed to mutter, his voice weak and scared.
"Sorry?! Sorry isn't going to change the fact, that because of you, we nearly lost the Fangblades forever!" Pythor seethed, his eyes staring daggers into Skales', who cowered beneath the Anacondrai's glare.
"I was willing to eventually forgive you for nearly costing me the Fangblade back at the Fire Temple, but this, this crossed a line, Skales!" He continued, his voice only rising in volume. "And to think, after all this time of loyal service to me, all the moments we shared, and things we've done together, that you would end up being the greatest hindrance to my plans! I would have expected that of any of those other fools, but you?!"
It was clear that he wanted to continue his tirade. But right before, he noticed the staring looks of confusion from the other Serpentine behind them. For once, he was at a loss of words, as he muttered something incoherently while taking in the full scale of his impromptu audience.
"B-but that is all in the past! We have the Fangblades right now, so it was all jolly well in the end! No reason to get hanged up on the past, right chum?" Pythor asked with a forced smile, trying to signal for Skales to play along.
But the Hypnobrai was well aware of Pythor's disappointment, which ate away at him like fire does timber. If it wasn't for the others, and especially Pythors's presence, he might have just let it break him down, right there and then. But he was by Pythor's side, and no matter how much the Anacondrai's words hurt him, he wouldn't allow himself to show weakness.
He still didn't answer Pythor, but he lifted his head, determined. The Anacondrai didn't say anything, but for a moment he let himself give Skales an interested glance. Though the Hypnobrai didn't notice. They then both started staring ahead, trying to avoid any more conversation.
"Is this some kind of special tour?" The driver asked, after having managed to gather his courage, perhaps thinking that the awkward tension in the air would allow him some questions. He was wrong, naturally.
"Oh, shut up and drive!" Pythor replied with an exasperated voice, and so the driver went back to steering the bus, frozen with fear.
But his question and Pythor's reply had managed to make Skales move his head, which was all it took for him to notice something in the rearview camera.
"Sir, the ninja are on our tail!" He exclaimed as he saw their colored vehicles closing in. "They'll catch up with us in no time!"
"Ninja?!" Pythor repeated, at first shocked, but then hit with an idea. He grabbed the bus' microphone, so his voice could be heard across all the cabins. "Good afternoon, my cold-blooded minions. If you look off to your left and behind you, you'll find…ninja! So annoying. So man your stations, chaps! We've got guests. Let's make sure we give them the ride of a lifetime!"
The Fangpyres quickly went to work and transformed the bus into a moving fortress, that could withstand an attack from the Ninja. But as the Serpentine prepared for battle, Skales could feel his heart flutter. He hadn't prepared for the fact that the Ninja would catch up with them. If they somehow stopped them, they would never manage to reach Ouroboros. And it would be his fault again.
Skales knew they were reaching the final moments of their mission. There wasn't any time left, they would either awaken the Devourer today or never. He couldn't let things end with Pythor as they were now, whether they succeeded or not. He needed to know that Pythor knew how much he believed in him, how he wouldn't back down, no matter what.
"Pythor, there isss sssomething I must tell you," Skales said, his voice slowly filling with confidence, as he realized that there wouldn't be a better time than now.
"A little busy now, Skales, can it wait?!" Pythor replied back, not expecting any resistance. But unfortunately for him, the Hypnobrai wasn't going to stop.
"I know that I have failed you, not once, but twice already. Even though I declared myself your loyal ssservant."
"Huh?" Pythor muttered, caught off-guard by Skales' sudden speech.
"But even now, while I know you're disappointed in me, I ssstill won't give up."
"...What are you blabbering on about?!"
"I ssserve you, Pythor, and asss long asss I breathe, I will continue to ssserve your vision. Ssso that I sssomeday can repay back for all you have given me." Skales continued, before laying his hand on Pythor's. "And for all we have had together."
"Um…m-my dear Skales, c-can this wait until AFTER we awaken the Devourer?" Pythor stated, giving nervous glances to the Serpentine behind them, who were looking to each other for answers on what exactly was going on.
"I knew from the day I first met you, that you were different. That you would do great thingsss, and that it would be my honor to help you achieve them."
"Oh, that's…so sweet of you!" The Anacondrai said loudly and superficially, followed by an awkward chuckle, as he felt the need to say something now that everyone was listening. He then leaned down to Skales' ear.
"The plebs are watching! Remember that whole 'keeping things just between us' matter we discussed? Does that ring any bells?!" Pythor said, before not so subtly nodding over to the watching audience. But Skales was so lost in his confession, that he didn't care. He wanted to get things off his chest and wasn't going to stop, just because other people were listening. Even if it was against Pythor's wishes.
"But now, that I have ssstood in your way, know that I regret it with all I have, and if I could take it back, I would in an instant! All that I ask, isss that you will keep yourself open to me, and give me the chance to redeem myself. All I want isss your approval, and don't underestimate what I will do to get it back! I will drag the Ninja down to the very Underworld if you ask me to!"
Skales looked to Pythor, but the Anacondrai was too stunned to reply. He continued to switch from looking at the Hypnobrai to staring at the road leading to Oruorbors, not sure which one to focus on. And while stuck in his indecisiveness, something started clawing its way through Skales' chest and up through his mouth. Words he had never dreamed would see the light of day, and ones he would never have imagined to say at such a time. But as they started to form on his tongue, he couldn't force himself to stop. He slithered almost right up to Pythor, forcing the Anacondrai to look down at him, as their chests almost brushed up against each other.
"Cause I…Cause I…-"
"Yes yes, that's very good, but how about we keep our eyes on the road, hm?! Road safety and all that jazz." Pythor interrupted him, and with a forceful hand, pushed Skales away and back in his place.
Skales could barely comprehend what was going on and was in no state to object. Meanwhile, Pythor glanced back and waited for the other Serpentine to stop focusing on them, as they instead started whispering amongst themselves. He then looked back at the road and shook his head.
"What is it with you and you're flapping gob today?! Saying all that hogwash in front of the others!" Pythor muttered with an irritated tone, though he seemed to quickly calm down. "*Sigh* I swear, you're gonna be the end of me, number two." He said quietly, so only Skales could hear him.
The Hypnobrai could barely understand what had come over him and was worried he had said something irreversible. But then, he felt something lightly wrapping itself around the end of his tail. He looked back and could see Pythor's tail intertwined with his. When he stared at the Anacondrai, he still didn't look back at him. But Skales believed he could sense a change in Pythor. He could only hope that it meant he still had a chance to make things right.
An opportunity would certainly present itself, as their first line of defense, the tail end of their moving fortress, was caught off. Which meant the Ninja would be able to board the bus.
Tensions at the front were beginning to run high, as the fear of defeat was looming over them. In the end, Skales was the first to spill out his worries.
"We're running out of time. If the ninja stop us from getting to the City of Ouroboros, we may never awaken the Great Devourer." He vented, starting to fear that the worst might happen.
"Don't lecture me!" Pythor fired back, his frustration beginning to crack his confident facade.
"Faster!" The Anacondrai yelled at the frightened driver.
"I can't. If we drive any faster, the engine could explode!"
"Fine, then I'll do it," Pythor answered back with a cold tone. "Get out!"
"Now?" The driver asked meekly.
"Now."
It took him a moment, but the prospect of Pythor's wrath was more than enough motivation to make him jump out.
Once empty, Pythor took over the driver's seat.
"Don't let them reach the front!" Pythor ordered, and Skales was quick to answer.
"I'll personally sssee to it myself!"
Even if Pythor didn't mean for him specifically to deal with it, he didn't try to stop him, as Skales started to slither down the cart. But just as he was nearing the halfway point, the Hypnopbrai stopped and turned around.
"I won't let you down. Not thisss time."
Pythor looked back at him, with a surprised look on his face. It was clear he had something to say, but he couldn't help but look at the witnesses to their conversation. In the end, he relented and managed to say something he figured wouldn't be too revealing.
"I'll…I'll hold you to that!" The Anacondrai said as he looked at the Hypnobrai with an unsure expression. Skales wasn't sure if those words meant anything, but he still took them to heart. He saluted his King before leaving, feeling the bus starting to shake as Pythor stepped on the accelerator.
Skales went down the cabins, as news started to spread that the Ninja had managed to land on the bus. He ordered the Serpentine to battle, as he himself prepared an ambush for the Ninja. It took some time, all the while he could hear the fighting up on the roofs. But finally, the Ninja in black stepped into the cabin, finding it empty. Skales could see the confusion on his face, which quickly turned to realization, as he turned around to see a group of Serpentine behind him. Skales then stepped into the middle, slowly making his way toward the Ninja.
"End of the line, loser." The Hypnobrai mockingly said, followed by the leering laughs from the other Serpentine. But unfortunately, he would find the Ninja in no way deterred.
"Watch out!" He said, before spinning his scythe and lifting it into the air. Skales ended up cowering back, unsure what to expect from his Golden Weapon. He certainly didn't think that the Ninja would create a vehicle, that crushed the seats as it filled the cabin. Skales didn't even have time to react before he heard the ticking of a weapon loading.
"No. No, no, please!" He begged as he realized he was going to be defeated and fail Pythor. Desperately, he looked for an escape but found none.
In the end, he couldn't even protect himself, as the vehicle fired a missile against him. Once it exploded, it blew up the cabin and sent Skales flying out. He had a single moment in the air before he felt his head hit the ground, followed by the rest of his body. He tumbled across the road, losing the grip of his staff as he eventually landed on his back. He tried to will himself back up immediately after, but his body wouldn't obey, and instead, he went into unconsciousness.
When he woke back up, he was met with a red sky, as dusk had set in. It gave him some small relief that he hadn't been out for too long. But as he raised himself off the road, his mind was overwhelmed with memories as he started to remember what had happened. As the terrifying realization kicked in, he hurried over to his staff. Once back in his hands, he stared along the road. To his horror, the bus was nowhere to be seen, not even at the edge of the horizon.
"No…" Skales muttered, slowly shaking his head as he understood what he had done. He had failed Pythor. He hadn't managed to stop the Ninja, and now there was no telling if they would reach Ouroboros.
"No, no, no no no no no!" He kept repeating, as he started to slither across the scorching asphalt.
He couldn't calm down. He couldn't think. He couldn't stop. Even as useless as it seemed, he kept going down the road as fast as he could, without even a trace of hope he would catch up with Pythor. And yet he couldn't think of anything but making his way to him.
Skales continued as if he was mad, with time flying by and the sky starting to darken. He had no idea for how long he ran, and he gave no attention to his exhausted body. As long as he couldn't see the bus, he had reason to continue. It was only once nightfall came, and the road reached its end, that he stopped up. His beating heart was given a small amount of relief, when he saw the tire tracks in the sand, continuing along the desert, toward Ouroboros.
"They…they might have made it!" He exclaimed, before getting ready to continue the final stretch.
But then, something stopped him. As his tail touched the sand, he could feel a slight tremor underneath him. It only surprised him initially, but as he watched the sand shift around him and the sky being covered by a storm, he realized something was going on. Something big. He kept on looking, feeling a looming sense of dread he couldn't quite pinpoint on anything. Then, one tremor stood out, causing his body to shake, as if something had moved out from the earth itself. He looked to the horizon, and there in the direction of Oruobrors, he saw it. It seemed like a tower at first, but as the lightning flashed across the heavens, it illuminated the gigantic snake, as it wriggled its way up to the sky. There was no question of what it was. Skales knew it immediately.
"The…the Devourer! They did! Pythor did!" Skales yelled, and as joy and reassurance filled his heart, he jumped around and cheered.
"It'sss finally here! Our revenge, our rule over the sssurface, it will finally all be oursss! It'sss here, the Great, the Great…Great…" His voice trailed off, as he watched the giant serpent continuing to rise. "Great…" He mumbled as he realized the sheer scale of what had been unleashed.
Skales had expected something big, something majestic. But it wasn't that. It was gigantic, well beyond any structure he had ever seen. Even the buildings in Ninjago City that reached the sky paled in comparison. No, he was so far away and yet he could see it as clearly as a mountain. And once it had reached its final height, Skales didn't feel relief. He didn't feel pride or joy. No, he felt something in his core. A primal fear, the likes he had never before experienced, causing his scales to shiver and his eyes to blink as though what he was seeing wasn't real, that it couldn't be real. But it was there, and it was more terrifying than anything Skales had ever dared imagine.
He wasn't sure when the thought came, but once it did, he had no objections. Without a single hint of hesitance, he turned around and started to flee.
This chapter was a little longer than usual. But in fairness, this part is a rather big turning point in the story. After all, it seems that Pythor's plan didn't go quite as planned. Hope you'll enjoy the next chapter, where the Serpentine has to deal with this sudden turn of events. Have a good day!