Sai looked at Tai, his expression uneasy. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "No," Shi said abruptly, his voice grave. "It can't be."
"What is it, Shi?" Sai asked, his tone filled with concern.
Shi took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Tai. "Tai… is the son of Zarathiss, the Eternal Serpent King."
Sai's eyes widened. "Who's Zarathiss?"
Shi's voice dropped to a near whisper, heavy with dread. "Zarathiss was the King of Snakes—a being of pure evil. A malevolent and cunning ruler who commanded legions of serpentine beasts. His domain was a labyrinthine underworld known as the Coils of Eternity, where rivers of venom flowed, and massive snakes coiled around pillars of black stone."
Shi's gaze darkened, and he continued, "But Zarathiss wasn't just feared for his power. He was a tyrant. My master and the King of All—two of the most powerful beings—declared war on the Snake Kingdom because of his atrocities. Zarathiss led ruthless attacks on countless kingdoms, killing kings, enslaving children, and spreading terror everywhere he went. Even his wife, the Snake Queen, grew sick of him."
Sai's breath caught. "The Snake Queen? What did she do?"
"She started a rebellion," Shi explained. "She secretly rallied those who opposed Zarathiss, tired of the shame he brought upon the Snake Kingdom. When the time came, my master, the King of All, and the Queen herself joined forces to bring him down."
Sai looked at Tai again, now with a mixture of fear and pity. "And Tai… he's his son?"
Shi nodded solemnly. "Yes. The blood of Zarathiss flows in him. But the question now is… will he follow in his father's footsteps or choose a different path?"
The Battle Against Zarathiss
The air in the Coils of Eternity was thick with venomous fog. Rivers of toxic green venom snaked through the black stone labyrinth, their hissing sounds echoing ominously. At the heart of the chamber, Zarathiss loomed—a monstrous serpent, his scales shimmering like molten obsidian, and his eyes glowing an infernal yellow. His presence radiated overwhelming power, suffocating to even the strongest of warriors.
"You dare invade my domain?" Zarathiss bellowed, his voice a thunderous roar that shook the cavern. His massive tail coiled around a pillar, crushing it to rubble in a display of raw strength.
Shi's master stepped forward, his blade gleaming with an otherworldly light, every inch of him radiating divine authority. Beside him stood the King of All, an armored giant whose golden spear burned with celestial fire. The Snake Queen was the last to approach, her emerald eyes blazing with defiance, her serpent-shaped staff pulsating with energy.
"Your reign ends today, Zarathiss," the Queen declared, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions in her chest. "No longer will your tyranny plague our kind."
Zarathiss let out a chilling laugh. "Traitor! Do you truly think aligning with them will save you? You'll all die here, like the countless fools before you!"
Without warning, Zarathiss struck first, his massive jaws snapping toward the King of All. The King sidestepped with surprising agility, driving his spear into Zarathiss's scales. Flames erupted on impact, sending shockwaves across the chamber. Zarathiss roared in pain, his tail whipping toward the King like a battering ram.
Shi's master intercepted the attack, his blade slicing through the air in a blur. A barrier of light formed around the King, deflecting the deadly blow. "You'll have to do better than that, snake," the master taunted.
The Snake Queen took her chance, summoning a storm of emerald serpents that sprang from her staff, their fangs glowing with a paralyzing venom. The serpents coiled around Zarathiss, sinking their teeth into his thick scales. He thrashed violently, shattering pillars and sending chunks of stone flying.
"You think your tricks can bind me?" Zarathiss roared, releasing a surge of venomous energy. The emerald serpents disintegrated instantly, and the Queen was forced to leap back, narrowly avoiding a jet of toxic acid.
The battle intensified. Shi's master and the King of All fought in perfect harmony, their strikes precise and relentless. The master's sword glowed brighter with every swing, carving deep gashes into Zarathiss's flesh. The King's spear ignited the venom rivers, filling the chamber with flames.
But Zarathiss was no ordinary foe. His tail lashed out in a wide arc, catching the master and slamming him into a wall with a bone-crushing impact. The King of All hurled his spear, but Zarathiss caught it mid-air with his jaws, snapping it in two.
The Queen seized the moment, her voice rising in a chant. "By the ancient pact, I call upon the spirit of the serpent! Bind him!" The ground beneath Zarathiss erupted, spectral chains of emerald light wrapping around his massive body. Zarathiss roared in fury, his strength slowly breaking the chains.
The master, bloodied but unbroken, rose to his feet. "Now!" he shouted.
The King of All summoned the remnants of his shattered spear, reshaping it into a blinding lance of pure energy. With a roar, he hurled it at Zarathiss's heart. At the same time, Shi's master leaped forward, driving his sword deep into the serpent king's head.
The Queen completed the attack, channeling all her energy into her staff. A beam of emerald light shot forth, striking Zarathiss directly in the chest. The combined force was too much even for the Eternal Serpent King. With a final, deafening roar, Zarathiss collapsed, his massive form crumbling into the venomous rivers below.
As silence fell over the chamber, the Queen lowered her staff, her breath ragged. "It's done," she said softly, though her heart felt heavy.
Shi's master and the King of All exchanged weary nods, their weapons dimming as the tension in the air faded. The reign of Zarathiss, the Eternal Serpent King, had come to an end.