There was a large open area with nothing in it at the back of the mansion. We usually use it for training with each other. The basilisk we brought was huge, and it can only fit in that backyard.
When we appirated, Richard and Merlin were standing there, as if they were waiting for us.
"You came back early," Richard said. But then he noticed Thor behind me and said, "And what is he doing here?"
Before Thor could reply, I said, "Later. Look at what we found."
Richard and Merlin looked at it and Merlin said, "A basilisk infant, huh?"
"Infant?" Thor and I said at the same time.
"When the creature is still a snake or a basilisk, it's called an infant. It becomes an adult when it evolves into a dragon," Merlin explained and continued while stroking his long white beard with a thoughtful expression on his face, "But I have never seen a winged basilisk before. Have you, Master Richard?"
"It is indeed strange," Richard nodded in agreement.
"I want to talk to it," I suddenly said. I flew into the air above it and descended with a punch.
The punch woke up the unconscious basilisk. It started roaring in pain but also out on a fierce expression.
I looked at it, and it looked back. "What are you?" I spoke in the parseltongue, the language of dragons and snakes.
The basilisk looked at me and refused to answer, although signs of struggle appeared on its face.
I continued coldly, "They say that a snake will always answer a dragon if the latter asked it a question. It is not because it wants to, it is because it feels it has to reply from the depth of its subconscious. As for you, you're no dragon, but I am. And I ask you again, what are you?"
The basilisk still did not answer, but the the struggle increased. Finally, it couldn't struggle anymore and bowed its head in defeat.
"I am a basilisk," the creature replied.
"A basilisk doesn't have wings. How come you have ones?"
"Lord dragon, I am a mutant of my race."
"The mutation of a snake is the transformation to a dragon, not grow wings only."
"My birth place is the reason why I mutated differently from my kin."
"Where were you born, beast?"
"The Underworld, sir!"
I widened my eyes and looked back at Richard, who was frowning. He looked at the basilisk and said in Parseltongue, "Stop lying, beast, I sealed the Underworld by myself, there is no way that you could have escaped."
The basilisk ignored Richard and kept its eyes on me. Even without the connection I have with him, I can already tell that Richard didn't like being ignored, and a very powerful presence surrounded him at that moment.
The creature was afraid, truly afraid. It was feeling the greatest wave of fear in its entire life.
I turned back to talk to Richard and told to him, "Ease it down a bit, we need it to be able to talk."
Richard glanced at me and nodded. I looked back at the basilisk and said to it, "As for you, you'd better answer when you are asked, or else I would just kill you."
"I apologize, seniors!" it quickly said.
"Then speak!"
"The Underworld is still sealed, but the seal has loosened greatly. I was able to sneak out of there!"
"Why were you in the Underworld? Were you dead?"
"No, sir. There are hordes of beasts there, not just basilisks!"