Chapter 4: The Snake

The lava splashed as the minotaur landed. It was warm, like a bath. He swam to the bottom and found a trapdoor. He opened it and noticed that the “lava” did not spill through. Rintra dropped in and landed on a guard, causing a loud scene. Four guards turned around to see Rintra standing on top of a guard. 

“Um, surprise?” He said, before getting seized and knocked unconscious. He was dragged around the garrison. He was thrown into a cell and chained diagonally. 

“Let me guess, is that you, Rintra?” asked a familiar voice. Rintra opened his eyes and looked out of his cell window. “

“Jeffery?” Rintra called. “Jeffery is that you?”

“Yeah. I got caught snooping around this temple.”

“You too?” asked Murk, in the cell across from Rintra. 

“Damn, I didn’t think we would all meet up here. Why are you here, Murk?” Rintra asked, pulling on his chains.

“Don’t worry about it, we need to leave. I heard them talk o” Murk replied, before humming a tune.

Suddenly, Jeffery’s cell door opened, his possessions being thrown in right after. A bag of arrows, a short bow, and a rapier. “Come, goblin scum. Show me you can fight.” taunted a slightly deep, ghostly voice. “You wanted to meet the ruler of this city, right? Come on.” He coaxed.

“Don’t let him get to you, Jeff. It’s just a way for him to get in your head,” Rintra spoke, trying to calm down the little goblin.

“I’m not afraid of you!” Jeffery shouted, shaking in his boots.

“Your legs say otherwise,” The voice said. 

Jeffery grabbed his rapier and bolted out of his cell, bolting away from the cell and into this arena-like clearing in the garrison screaming like a madman. Loud hissing sounds muffled the loud drips of blood from the corpses hung along the wall. “What the hell is this place?” Jeffery asked himself, looking around.

“Close. You are in my realm,” said the voice. A loud chuckle followed by a creaking sound filled the arena. Two enormous green eyes opened. It was like a scene from a horror novel. As the lights began to brighten, a giant snake-like face was in front of Jeffery, and with one last battle cry, Jeffery lunged forward. It happened in a flash. The sound was similar to a sheet of metal crushing human flesh. Jeffery was gone. 

“Damn it Jeffery! Why didn’t you listen to me?” Rintra cried out. “You were a bastard, but you were the bastard who chose to fight along my side. Thank you,” he added. Ripping the chains from the wall. “My turn to fight, but before I do, tell me. Are you the voice that was in my head?” he asked, bending the cell bars. He squeezed through and looked to his left. He was face to face with a guard. “Give me that,” he said, snagging the guards’ halberd. The guard went to take it back but got his face caved in with Rintras fist. “Only a foolish god would have humans as a guard.” He added, stealing the shield from the guard. 

“Ah. The minotaur, right?” the voice asked, chuckling. A man slowly came out of the shadows. His face was as handsome as could be. His hair was straight and pulled back. A beautiful silver color. From the head to the waist, he was a man, but from the waist down he was a snake. His scales were black with an emerald green tip. His body resembled a Yuan-Ti Pureblood, a snake-like species from the far east. “So you are ready to avenge your friend, correct? I’m sorry to tell you but that won’t be possible,” he said, chuckling. 

“I’m not as weak-willed as Jeffery!” shouted Rintra, gripping the halberd. His rage intensified, causing the halberd to bend and contort. He lunged forward, grabbing the man, or so he thought. Smoke came from Rintras’s hand. He looked down at it. A piece of a necktie. The man fixed what was left of his tie and huffed.

“You are fast. Good. If you can do this job for me, I will pay you handsomely, and maybe stuff even bigger.” the man said. “I suppose we should be acquainted. I am Botis, god of- erm, well, you will find out later. I know who you are, so do not worry.” He said, snapping his fingers. The same symbol that was on the citizens above was now on Rintras neck, but bigger. It was now a cobra instead of the average-looking snake. “If you refuse, I will kill your froggy friend,” he said, waving his hand. Murk appeared in the palm of the man’s hand. He let out a chuckle. 

“Fine. Just let Murk go,” Rintra pleaded. Murk couldn’t speak, mainly because he was too terrified. Rintra dropped the halberd. “Speak. Tell me about the job,” he demanded, clenching a fist. 

“Ah, straight to the point. I like that.” Botis spoke, a slight emphasis on the “s”. “I want you to bring my daughter, Asha, to Port Nyanzaru. If she gets hurt, you die,” he said, in a rather serious tone. He waved in a beckoning-like motion. A Yuan-Ti woman, no younger than Rintra, slithered from the shadows. “Take her to the port when you leave this town.” He ordered. 

“We leave in a week. There are things I need to do.” Rintra said, approaching the man. He grabbed Murk. “Where is the exit?” he asked, looking behind him. The man rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. Rintra and Murk appeared back in the town.