Sai paced back and forth, his hands clenched into fists. "How did he cut fire?" he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.
Amal leaned against a nearby tree, her arms crossed and her dark eyes narrowed. "I know he's the protector of the king," she said, her voice steady but sharp. "But it was one against two, Sai. And we still lost."
"We're too weak to fight him again," Sai admitted, his voice tinged with frustration.
"Exactly." Amal pushed off the tree and stepped closer to him. "That's why we need to go back to the village before things get worse."
"Not yet," Sai said firmly.
"Not yet?" Amal's tone rose, incredulous. "We attacked the royal family, Sai! Do you have any idea what that means? Our names are probably on every wanted poster in the kingdom by now. Soldiers are out there looking for us as we speak."
Sai stopped pacing and looked her straight in the eye. "We need to wait for backup."
"Backup?" Amal's voice dripped with disbelief. "What backup?"
"Tai," Sai said, a small smile creeping onto his face.
Amal froze, her expression hardening. "No. We're leaving. Now."
Sai took a step closer, lowering his voice as if revealing a secret. "Amal, Tai isn't just anyone. He's the Snake Prince. The heir to the Snake Kingdom."
Amal blinked, then let out a harsh laugh. "Your friend is a snake?"
Sai smirked. "Not just a snake. Tai's a human who can turn into a snake. And in his true form, he's unbelievably powerful."
"You're making this up," Amal shot back, her tone cold and dismissive.
Sai's grin widened. "Haven't you heard the rumors? A snake-like human destroyed the martial arts tournament."
"No," Amal said flatly, folding her arms again. "And I don't care. This is ridiculous."
Sai's expression suddenly brightened, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "He's here!" he exclaimed, pointing toward the edge of the clearing.
Amal turned her head, frowning as a tall figure emerged from the shadows. Tai walked into the clearing, his movements calm and deliberate, his sharp features unreadable.
"Tai!" Sai called, jogging toward him.
Tai stopped and glanced at him. "Sai," he said, his voice low and composed.
Behind them, Shi appeared, leaning on his staff. His eyes darted to Tai, then back to Sai. "Sai," Shi said, his tone a mixture of curiosity and irritation. "You said—"
Sai interrupted, his face lighting up. "Master! Your leg—it's healed?"
Shi nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Turns out the injury wasn't as bad as I thought. But Sai, what is this about a Snake Prince?"
Sai gestured toward Amal, his grin widening. "Amal, you wanted proof, right?"
Amal raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Let's see this so-called Snake Prince."
Sai turned to Tai. "Tai, turn into your snake form."
Tai raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Why?"
"Just do it!" Sai urged.
Tai sighed but complied. In one smooth motion, his body began to change. Scales shimmered into existence across his skin, his limbs elongated, and his shape shifted until a massive, regal serpent stood before them. The snake's golden eyes gleamed in the moonlight, its coiled form exuding a quiet menace.
Amal took an involuntary step back, her lips parting in shock. "What...?"
Sai smirked, gesturing toward the snake. "See, Amal? The Prince of Snakes is here."
Amal swallowed hard, her voice shaking slightly. "Fine. I believe you."
Tai shifted back into his human form with a flicker of movement, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve. His expression was calm, almost bored. "Now," he said, his gaze fixed on Sai, "why did you drag me into this mess?"
Sai grinned, but Amal continued to stare at Tai, her skepticism replaced by uneasy awe.