Jay blinked his eyes open. Getting knocked out was a pain, why couldn't it hurt less? His surroundings were dark and it took him a few seconds to get a view of his surroundings. A stone cave? Or tunnel? He was lying on a large rock slab that reminded him of an alter. Not a great start….
The room had low lighting the only source in the area was a fire to his left. To his right a faint glow that must have been the entrance. So cave most likely.
"Hello again" came an icy voice and Jay looked behind him. Mr. Liopah was standing there glaring down at him with cold eyes. Jay tried to move and only then found himself bound to the rock with dark ropes.
"Let me go" he growled.
"Make me." Mr. Liopah replied. "In case you didn't notice you are not in a position to be making demands."
"Then why am I here." Jay growled immediately his head ran through several potential outcomes that would be bad for his health.
Mr. Liopah smiled wickedly, "why as a guest of course." The sarcasm practically dripped from his voice.
"Well then this guest shall take his leave." Jay tried to pull at the ropes but they of course refused to budge.
"Why don't you meet the other guest of honor?" asked Mr. Liopah. Jay gave him a weird look there were only two of them unless someone was outside.
"Lady Elighaoa" he called.
What kind of name is that? Wondered Jay still looking around for a person. Movement caught his eye and he turned toward the fire. A snake was slowly slithering out of it. Jay instantly recognized its type and sucked in his breath. The baby fire snake was small but already 10 feet long. In two months it would probably be as big as its mother had been.
"You ssssssmell of ssssssky" hissed the snake.
Jay said nothing. Was that supposed to be a compliment? And insult? A fact? Unable to decide he just stayed quiet. The snake slowly circled the stone slab he was tied to.
Jay flinched away as it lifted its head up to meet his eyes.
"I like sssssky" it hissed again.
It slowly slithered around him, tangling him up in its scales. Even if he wasn't tied down he probably would no longer be able to move much less leave.
"That's great" he practically whispered, "since you like sky so much, how about you let sky go?"
"That'd be a wassssste." The snake replied. Jay felt himself twitch involuntarily as the snake's tongue slipped across the back of his neck.
I'm totally this things dinner aren't I. Jay thought feeling the fear growing inside of him.
"Why me" he finally managed to squeak out, although he pretty much already knew the answer.
"Simple" said Mr. Liopah, "I don't like you, and you are a sky user."
The way he said it made Jay hate him even more. "Feed yourself to the snake why don't you. It's a fire type it'd probably grow off your magic." He growled.
"Oh I have to bring it more food for the time being. But I would be honored if one day it selects me as its delicacy." He replied. "For now though you should be honored, you get to be part of this magnificent creature's growth."
Jay tried to shove the snake off of him but it let out a hissy laugh and wound itself tighter until Jay started to find it hard to breathe then it relaxed just a little keeping him alive.
"I don't like dead," hissed the snake, "ssstay alive for a few hoursssss won't you?"
"What!" Jay yelped except his voice was dull from lack of air. Its head was easily the size of a large plate. It used its fangs to rip the cloth of his t-shirt's shoulder away.
"What do you say?" asked Mr. Liopah looking at the snake.
"Thank youssss for the food" it hissed. Its head descended and its fangs opened wide till it skewered Jay through his upper chest.
Jay screamed and thrashed against the snake. To say it felt like being hit with four knives at once would probably be accurate.
"Just relax" called Mr. Liopah, "I'd say, this will not hurt much, but I wouldn't know."
"Give it a try then!" yelled Jay, "Oye snakey go take a bit out of him!"
"Don't talk with your mouthful" Mr. Liopah said looking at the snake who had lifted its jaw a little. The snake closed it again. "Finish your current meal if you're still hungry we can find more."
Jay opened his mouth trying to come up with a retort while still trying to push the snake away. His hands were slowly going numb. Poison? This stupid snake wasn't just a blood sucking vampire but also a poisonous creature? No maybe not poison, just forced numbing, was this its way of being kind to its prey?
"Let me g…..g….." Jay's voice started to trail off.
Jay struggled harder, except it was probably weaker than before, he wasn't able to keep track. His eyes were starting to grey over. If he passed out now he'd probably never wake up. Would it be better to just pass out and die instead of trying to fight a painful unwinnable battle?
No he had to fight it, if this thing became like its mom then it would be like his and James's hard work did nothing. He couldn't let this thing become another cult leader, he had to somehow kill it. On his own though that would be impossible. He might not last another two minutes.
Suddenly a large explosion rocked the ground a little.
"What do you think you're doing to my friend!" yelled a voice.
Jay's heart fluttered. James.