As the snake hissed, a salmon's pink tongue split and quickly burst out of the snake's lip sheath.

"Not with you, Alesia?" Gwen chanted carefully.

"Not with me. "No," her mentor cautiously affirmed, a few feet away from the snake, keeping a safe distance in case it decided to be less amiable.

[Friends?]

Its breath after rain is eucalyptus.

"Friend," Gwen said aloud, looking up at the snake, then at Alexia.

"Yes. Alicia's bright eyes reflected the light from her fiery red hair. "I'm your friend, Gwen. ”

"I'm talking about the snake. Gwen's eyes moved between the two. "I think you're friendly, don't you?"

Friendly?! From her plane, she could see kilometers of catastrophic destruction, carved into the landscape like a ditch. If this is its friendly idea, if it is hostile, what will it do?

"What do you call this snake?" asked Alexia.

Gwen shifted her gaze to the egg beside her, as did Alicia.

[Protection!]

The snake began to move, sliding effortlessly down the slope towards the center of the room. Gwen took a step back, avoiding the loose shards. Alicia drifted down the serpent, beware of its extraterrestrial intentions.

The two watched as the snake slid towards the stone egg, captivated by the way it unhooked its jaws and completely encircled Menhill.

"Crack!"

When the bottom of the egg fell off the floor, there was a sound of stone shattering. Then the snake hoisted the egg, which weighed several tons, into the fleshy belly.

It swallowed.

The egg slipped into the animal's undulating esophagus, after which it reattached its jaw. Little by little, the egg moved over the snake's neck and esophagus, shrinking until the torso was as flat as before.

[Keep it safe.] ]

Once again, the serpent's mind is accompanied by synaesthesia, this time in the salty waters of the southern seas.

Then, to their surprise, it coiled over itself and lowered its head until it was almost level with Gwen's eyes. Alicia immediately placed herself between Gwen and the snake, shielding her student with her fiery body.

[Up]

Its dazzling light is the midday sun.

Gwen looked at the useful snake: get on the horse, ride it, she looked at Alexia, and she was equally overwhelmed. Either way, they can't stay in the cave forever.

"Instructor, Deborah is still unconscious. Gwen pointed to her friend's body still lying on the table, the only sign of her being alive was the faint movement of her chest. "Can you help her?"

"Maybe we should get you out first. ”

"I'm getting a ride. Gwen turned, admiring the vastness of the serpent. At such a close distance, she felt a resonant affection. Before she knew it, she reached out and patted the snake's nose.

Although its scales are wet and shimmering with a gasoline sheen of prismatic hues, its texture is like that of a fingernail: smooth, dry, and unexpectedly warm, like touching hot sand on a beach.

"Gwen, what are you doing?" Alexia was stunned. Stupid girl! It was a mythical beast! Not Drake on horseback! She saw it now, and the snake was furious, and immediately grew twenty kilometers long, smashing them both.

But Alicia was happy to be proven wrong. Unsurprisingly, Gwen insisted on climbing onto the snake, leaning forward until she could grasp the two protruding scales near the snake's head.

Alexia remembered another piece of advice from her master: anticipate the unexpected, observe and then speak, not before.

The snake rises into the air, its body floating silently, gliding through the cracks with incredible dexterity and balance until it reaches the top, lying flat on the edge of the cliff. Alicia watched as Gwen slid off the monster and back onto solid ground.

[Done.] ]

The cave was filled with the sound of quicksand.

Gwen touched the snake again. Its eyes have a unique single slit characteristic of reptiles, but the iris around it is a rainbow-colored swirl, changing color in a wonderful light. Inside, she saw the image of a girl preserved intact in a prismatic lens.

"Pretty," Gwen exhaled. The serpent's orb was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life.

Salmon's pink tongue slowly reached out to Gwen's face. She closed her eyes.

Alicia returned, holding Deborah to her chest and clasping her arms together.

The base of the tongue is as thick as Gwen's thigh, tapering until the fork splits. It flew a dozen times in quick succession: patting her hair, tasting her cheeks, caressing her chin, each touch was nothing more than a moment.

[Relatives]

The connection of empathy is joyful. For a moment, Gwen saw the scene of dogwood in full bloom.

"Gwen ......" Alexia guessed the connection between the two. "Assuming it's not hostile to you, what does it want?"

Here's the answer she needs to know. In the records of the towers, only priests of ancient and revered religions, eccentrics living in the wilderness, and specialized biological magicians were able to communicate with mythical-level creatures without turning their minds to the consistency of Klim Fletsch.

"What do you want?" Gwen asked effortlessly when the snake would have lunch?

[Break]

The smell of earth and earth accompanies its swaying tongue.

"It says it wants to rest," Gwen reported to Alessia, who was still wearing her flaming mana reserves.

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked Alessia. She's smoking. Everett's transformation is unparalleled - but requires a large reserve of mana to sustain its fiery phenomena.

"Yes," Gwen replied respectfully. "It's not good for us. ”

Alicia landed beside Gwen with Deborah in her arms. The flames around her were extinguished.

"Wow, ma'am!"

To Gwen's surprise, her coach was naked, revealing dozens of cuts and abrasions, as well as purple bruises from her left hip to her right waist. The steam that came out of Alexia's passionate body immediately evaporated all the sweat.

"Ma'am. Gwen's chest tightened. "What's wrong with you?"

"Bad night. Alicia smiled wryly, took out a red robe from the ring, and wrapped herself in a silky kimono. Other clothes also appeared, all in maroon, cherry, pink, and carmine. She was still scrambling to hide her shame when the serpent's salmon-pink tongue rushed towards Alessia, who froze as she slapped her cheek.

[Not a relative.] ]

Gwen wrinkled her nose. At low tide, there is a foul smell peculiar to mangroves.

[Usurper]

Alexia reappeared in a look of vigour in maroon trousers, a camouflage t-shirt, and combat boots.

"Why is it looking at me like that?" she asked Gwen nervously. She'd been burning magic items on the hard drive management system for months, and she didn't want to buy another set.

"That's what I mean...... You're a usurper," Gwen passed on the serpent's feelings to her mentor, who didn't know what was going on.

"Wait a minute. "Alicia slapped Deborah lightly and luckily we had to take her to the hospital. ”

"Levitating!"

She floated the body of the young shapeshifter.

"She's probably still charming. Alicia put her hand on Deborah's face and pulled one of her eyelids apart. The pupil inside is fully dilated, replacing Deborah's amber iris. "Did you say 'usurper'?"

"Yes, ma'am. ”

"I think all human beings are usurpers when it comes to these natural types. Alicia covers Deborah's indecent body with a towel and studies Gwen, her hair and face covered in dried blood. "So, you want to tell me what's going on here?"

Gwen told her story, and she didn't know anything, not even the part where she sent a dark light that split Edgar in half. It's time for someone to finally know, someone she trusts who can help her solve the mystery.

"Alesia ... Do you know how the others are okay, if Elvia succeeds?" Gwen asked in an anxious tone.

To her disappointment, Alicia shook her head.

"I can tell you the base camp is safe, but I haven't seen Elvia yet. The pained look on her student's face made her want to reach out to comfort her, but there was still a snake with a forked tongue sniffing Gwen.

As Alicia tries to reassure Gwen by suggesting that she try to call the girls using her texting device, a texting spell blooms in Alessia's ears.

"Alesia, are you still alive?" was Jonas, her partner.

"Yes, I'm fine. ”

"Oh, thank God!" his voice choked.

"What about snakes?" another voice asked. "It's completely gone, all I see is a new valley. ”

Alicia looked at Gwen, who was standing next to the mythical snake, with one hand on its nose and stroking it with a blank expression of stroking a supercat. There is a decision to be made here, a call for a verdict, the consequences of which are far beyond her ability to speculate. She had seen firsthand the damage the snake could cause, but she had also noticed that it had neither intent nor hostility towards humans. What would it be like if they attacked it with the aim of destroying it?What would it look like if a mythical man decided to use its power to assume its full power?Will the sky turn black and the sea boil?Will the earth fall apart and swallow all of Sydney?and, most importantly, if she tells her companions, tells the tower that this beast of ancient times is harmless, it prefers to "rest"—who would believe her?

"Alicia, are you still there?"

"I don't know where the snake is," Alexia replied. "When do you expect to arrive at my location?"

"We arrived and were expected to arrive in two minutes. ”

"I'm waiting for you outside, looking for my flares. ”

"Ma'am?" Gwen wondered why Alessia was lying.

"Can you let the snake hide somewhere?" Alessia asked her student. "I had four very serious people come in in a minute, and they wouldn't like this at all. ”

Gwen turned to the snake, who seemed to understand her intentions at once. It glides outside the cave, changing color until it becomes transparent, disappearing into the night like a wisp of air blown by a breeze. Gwen looked down at her hand, which had just touched the beautiful and mysterious thing, and saw a scale on her palm, which shone like an opal.

【Family Gifts】

The light emanating from the scales is a blooming acacia flower.

The serpent was gone, its existence erased by some power unknown to mortals, like Gwen and Alessia, and disappeared into the dark emerald sea.

"Hold on," Alexia nominally advised her apprentice that it would be the top ingredient for a magical item. ”

Gwen slipped the scales into the pocket of her cloak.

They listened to the wind and were sure that the snake was really gone.

"Gwen, listen to me carefully. Alicia turned to her student with a serious expression on her face. "I may have just launched some stupid, irrational action, and if things get worse, we could both face exile or execution. ”

"Do you have one?" Gwen gagged at an unexpected turn.

"When this is over, I'm going to take you to my boss. Until then, you must not talk to anyone about the serpent. You don't see it, you don't feel it, you certainly don't talk to it. ”

Alicia stretched out a hand and lit a crimson flower.

"Don't say anything, understand?"

Gwen nodded.

The mages who landed at the mouth of the cave carried a full set of combat equipment. In the uncertain darkness before dawn, they are four points of light that spontaneously grow in size and descend at an alarming rate, but descend like cats.

In the next moment, Gwen was amazed to find that people were paying homage to Alexia with their palms open.

"Madame!"

"Don't worry," Alexia nonchalantly sent them away. The bodies of these people immediately lost their rigidity.

A black-bearded man with thick eyebrows fell beside her.

"Are you alright, Alexia? What's wrong? Where is the snake? Are you hurt?"

"I need to do a little polishing. Alicia lifted her t-shirt to reveal the bruises on her toned abdomen, which looked like a purple bug writhing on her pale skin. "Do your thing, Jonas, my pot stopped working after the fifth. ”

"You're too reckless...... Jonas grimaced, carefully holding out a hand to say sorry. ”

"Heal a moderate wound!"

The energy of the virus permeated Alessia's abdomen, and Gwen's trainer tensed as the regenerative itching of the healing muscles tickled at the bones before she let go of a long, gentle breath.

"Gotta hold on," Alexia joked nonchalantly. Gwen blushes at not realizing the extent of her coach's injury, fueling her anxiety about not knowing how her friends are doing.

"Is the others okay?" Gwen blurted out to Alicia's companion. "Students, I mean, we're at the camp, right near the entrance to the exclusion zone. ”

"As far as I know," one of the confessors replied. The Anglo-Indian man was a Taj Mahal man with a short and stocky build, olive skin, a neat goatee, and an olecranon nose.

"Is Elvia alright, is she back?" Gwen insisted, but the man shook his head.

"I don't know who that is," replied Gwen to Doctor Jonas if they were okay and they would be transported back to the forward operating base. ”

The therapist then gets down on one knee to examine Deborah.

"We'd better get this to the hospital as soon as possible," he advised. "I can get her back here, but she needs more than just field clothing. Paul, help me. ”

Paul introduces himself as a juggler for this group, whose job is to transfer members through shared flights, teleportation circles, and summons. The inconspicuous middle-aged man who reminded Gwen of accounting.

"I'll text Sydney ahead of time," the youngest member of the group joined in, before turning to Gwen. "Billy. It is my pleasure. ”

"Billy stutters when he's nervous," Alexia apologized to Gwen. "Bill, why are you nervous?"

She ...... Uh......" Billy gestured to the visible gap between Gwen's robes.

Gwen wrapped Edgar's cloak tightly around her chest.

"Oh......" Alexia felt like an idiot. She forgot to give Gwen a shirt and a pair of shorts.

"Attention!" Alicia ordered, and the four men stood up straight. "About the face!"

The men turned around and looked out, looking out at the newly built royal border.

From her storage ring, Alicia looks for some casual clothes for Gwen.

"They're going to die if they peek, let's change our clothes. ”

Gwen struggled to put on her new clothes and accidentally put the scales in her pocket.

Alicia knelt down to make sure Deborah was a decent means of transportation.

"I'll get the cloak, and we'll send it for analysis. ”

Gwen handed him Edgar's robes.

"Rest assured," Alexia said after a minute or so, and the men turned in surprise to see a girl almost as tall as Alexia, if not a little taller.

"Hi, there. "If anything, Billy's stutter gets worse.

"Come on, Bill," the Taj Mahal joked as he laughed. "That's not to say that you haven't used your divination for dishonorable things. That's what you soothsayers do, don't you?"

"Hey!" Alesia yelled at the unruly soldier. "Leave him alone. ”

Billy's eyes alternate between the ground and Gwen.

"What is Billy's job?" Gwen leaned sideways towards Alexia.

"Communications expert ......" said Alicia, without a hint of irony, two years after graduating from the Wehrmacht. ”

Paul, Billy, and Taj stay behind to check in on the ritual, or at least the rest of it. Meanwhile, Jonas offered to escort Alesia, Gwen and the unconscious Deborah to a forward operating base between Fort Shield and their original camp.

"You've been on a plane before?"

Gwen shook her head.

"You're going to love it. Alicia smiled encouragingly. "Hold on. ”

"Are you ready?" Paul asked, then opening the door to the plane of the air element. "Shared flight!"

"Stay safe!" the Taj Mahal shouted to Alicia. "Don't take a detour!

Gwen felt a rising current around her, not in the way of a breeze blowing through her body, but a feeling of buoyancy. When they took to the air, she realized that she had underestimated the magical flight. There is no texture, inertia or resistance. Instead, she floated on the surface of the water and immediately began to swim uncontrollably for the summer.

Two laps later, Alicia grabbed Gwen's hand and steadied her tumbling body. Gwen had the feeling that as soon as her coach let go, she would float away like a child's balloon.

"Let's go!"

The sudden acceleration made Gwen dizzy for a moment. Her body screamed to get back to solid ground.

"Oh!" Gwen inhaled a puff of salty morning air.

For the first time, she saw the bend of her new world.