Mr. Major's heart thudded in his chest, every sinew taut and primed for action. His eyes widened as a serpentine missile shot from the hole, breaking free amidst a tower of water. It slithered into view, sleek and sinuous, its scales resembling layers of green bark adorned with moss and fungi. As it hovered, fixated on the kid goats below, a palpable tension gripped the scene, akin to a Wild West standoff. Were the goats frozen in fear or defiantly challenging this formidable predator?
The snake descended, its coils tightening in preparation to strike, its head seemingly swelling with each passing moment. In an instant, it lunged, but before the spectators could fully comprehend the unfolding drama, the kid goats sprang into action. The onlookers were frozen in a tableau of shock and anticipation, scarcely daring to draw breath as the titanic struggle unfolded in the clearing.
The kid goats, with natural acrobatics, moved with incredible agility, effortlessly dodging the snake's lunges. Any mistakes in their movements meant death. It was a wildlife showdown, a demented tango of predator and prey. The snake's strikes found only empty air, its frustration growing as it ricocheted against trees. The team watched, awestruck by the goats' survival prowess—a masterclass in adaptation and resourcefulness. It was a stark reminder that the forest demanded respect and cunning. If they were going to stand a chance in this brutal realm, they'd have to channel their inner goats and embrace the challenges with just as much determination.
When the snake positioned itself to strike, the kid goats would stop, each near a tree, trotting in place and mirroring each other's movements. As the snake's attention narrowed in on its target, one of the kid goats at the edge of its peripheral vision would move, causing the snake to shift its focus in frustration.
In its exasperation, the snake would strike at one at random, only for the kid goat to jump behind a tree, using it to create a blind spot and distance itself. However, the snake wasn't as dumb as the goats made it seem. When the goats retreated, they tended to run in one direction, a pattern the snake used to its advantage. It would predict their movement and use its strike momentum to ricochet and swiftly switch direction.
The snake always recoiled back to its point of origin, the small water hole. But something about its shape changed slightly when it moved—or more accurately, when it stretched. Despite its repeated failures to capture a goat, it managed to keep them within its area of attack, exploiting the kid goats' refusal to abandon each other. Their teamwork and quickness was likely the only thing keeping them alive.
Humbled by the raw power of nature, the team realized they needed the same level of vigilance and adaptability to endure. As they looked on, Ben noticed something peculiar about the snake's body and pointed it out, the loose fleshy openings, he wasn't sure of what they were, but to him, they looked like vaginas. Then again, they could possibly be past injuries that are somehow hindering their hunting. With the snake momentarily distracted, the team quickly climbed a nearby tree for safety, hoping that they wouldn't be seen in the process.
The forest became a theatre of primal instincts as the snake coiled and contorted, its powerful body writhing in frustration. The team held their breath, tension peaking as the snake reared its head once more. In a surprising twist, the snake's lunge at one of the kids ended in failure, its head colliding with the ground in a dazed thud.
Seizing the opportunity to gather some data, Timmon grabbed the mysterious box and sprang into action. He leapt from the tree, landing deftly a few feet away from the bewildered serpent. The adrenaline rush fuelled his movements as he tried to inspect the snake from a distance, noting the peculiar injuries that Ben had pointed out. They looked like ragged patches of loose skin along their side, very unnatural, hinting at a brutal past encounter or some strange evolution. However, its size was bigger than when this battle with the kid goats started. Looking at the hole it was still in and the size it appeared to be while on the ground, it didn't make any sense.
"Look at this," Timmon called out, his voice low but urgent. "These wounds…I don't know if they really are wounds. They might be natural openings, maybe some kind of cooling organ. However, if it is injured, then I understand why it's so desperate. The prey came close to its den while it was weakened. But its size is bothering me. Is it like a pufferfish, getting bigger as a defensive strategy?"
Mr Major and Ben scrambled down the tree, joining Timmon at a cautious distance from the snake. The snake, its face slightly buried in the ground, was disoriented and sluggish, but it seemed to be regrouping, its fierce eyes still locked onto the kid goats now prancing a safe distance away, almost as if taunting it.
"We need to move, and fast," Mr. Major said, urgency clear in his voice. "If that snake recovers, we're back in the same mess we've always been in. Jumping out of the tree was not the right move. The chances of us getting seen and killed are too high, especially when we don't know what it's capable of. This creature is bigger than any snake on Earth, and its behaviour and features make this encounter very dangerous."
"I know," Timmon responded, "but at least let us get one of those kid goats, if not for food then for its ability to sense danger and locate water."
"We don't have the time or skills for that. We need to find an opportunity to escape," Mr. Major insisted.
Quickly gathering their bearings, they scanned the surroundings for their next move. The forest's tranquillity had shattered, replaced by a sharpened awareness of their vulnerability. The lesson from the goats was clear: survival required quick reflexes, sharp instincts, and a strong will to live.
Suddenly, a distressed cry of a goat shifted their attention. Their eyes widened as the snake burrowed its head and then a second head underground. Its body rapidly squirmed into the new hole it had made, shrinking in size as it slithered underground. Within the span of a minute, the snake stealthily covered nineteen feet to ambush and devour a defenceless baby goat, which had no idea until it was too late. Timmon stood frozen, his mind reeling from the snake's cunning. How solid was the ground they walked on? Was it hollow? The very Earth held treacherous secrets, but they didn't have time to ponder them. The situation had now changed. Getting one of those kid goats could really be their scapegoat if and when the snake decided to target them during their retreat.
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The other kid goats, in a desperate bid to escape, attempted to leap over the snake's coiled form, all heading in the same direction. Razor-sharp, blade-like appendages shot out from the fleshy openings along its body, impaling and killing several panicked goats. The team recoiled in horror at the snake's merciless efficiency, their bodies burning with fear. Sweat and panic afflicted their reactions. Snapping out of their fear-induced trance, Ben and Mr Major instinctively scaled the nearby tree, masking their presence with controlled breathing techniques. Survival in this realm was a savage battle, a lesson they found themselves learning repeatedly, sparing no innocence.
Timmon's heart clenched with determination and protectiveness as the surviving kid goats bolted toward him, eyes wide with panic. Recognizing their need for aid, he sprang into action, the voice in his head screaming that he was an idiot. Unlike snakes on Earth, the snake on this planet crushed and ground its prey in its mouth before swallowing. It didn't take long for the snake to consume the injured kid goat and prepare for the hunt again. Predicting the snake's path, Timmon lunged and scooped up one of the escaping goats, shielding it as he dove for cover. Cradling the creature, he shielded its eyes from the chaos, hoping to calm it. His thoughts momentarily drifted to mundane concerns like his clogged home toilet—was this his life flashing before his eyes? The memory of his wife flashed in his mind, the last problem he hadn't been able to fix before he was taken. In his past life, he was about to lose his family; in this new life, he had already lost them.
A sharp hissing sound jolted Timmon back to the present. As the thought of his newborn daughter faded from his mind, the winds of death from the snake could be felt even without looking. Timmon knew he was dead. This was a Ben moment all over again—putting the life of an animal before his own. Just maybe his sacrifice might allow his team to escape. But would they run away without the mystery box?
Amidst the snake's assault on Timmon and the kid goat, Mr Major noticed a temporary lapse in its attack as it nabbed a small round object from midair with impressive quickness, leading to a momentary vulnerability. Seizing the opportunity, he descended from the tree with his spear poised.
Ben shouted, "INCINERATE!"
As Mr Major neared, the snake's maw radiated an otherworldly blend of red, yellow, and purple flames, stirring thoughts of mythical dragon-like creatures. "Maybe Ben was right and this life is a game!" he thought. Despite his shaking body, Mr Major committed to his attack. Leaping from the tree, he plunged the spear directly into the snake's eye, driving it deep into the creature's brain just as the fiery assault in its maw was poised to engulf him. The brutal clash between man and monster unfolded in a violent dance, leaving a lasting mark on this unforgiving world.
In the heat of the moment, the team's instincts kicked in. They had been in life-or-death situations from the moment they set foot into the forest, constantly on the offensive, running and hiding as their senses heightened and their skills matched. Each member, unaware of the other's thoughts and actions, played a unique role in ensuring survival not only for themselves but also for the team. However, unnoticed by his companions, Ben devised a crafty strategy to divert the snake's attention. From the moment the snake emerged, he was sure he could use this plan to get away, but at this moment, he needed to save Timmon, who was doing the same dumb thing he did that almost got the team killed before. He was risking his life for an animal.
Swiftly producing a mysterious mud ball from his pocket, Ben hurled it at the snake just before it tried to strike at Timmon. The mud ball, a seemingly insignificant object, served as a clever decoy, drawing the snake's focus away from Timmon and the terrified kid goat. Entranced by the bait and the scent of blood it carried, the snake snapped up the mud ball, providing Mr Major with a crucial window to launch his attack with his spear.
Mr. Major aimed for the snake's eye. With adrenaline coursing through his veins, he thrust the spear with all his might, driving it into the serpent's vulnerable eye. The snake hissed in pain, its body thrashing violently. One powerful convulsion sent Mr Major sailing through the air With the spear still in his grasp.
"Ben, now!" Mr. Major shouted, urging his companion to act.
As he flew through the air, Mr. Major adjusted his grip on the spear, preparing for another strike. He landed on the snake's side, just above one of its fleshy openings. Using his momentum, he drove the spear into the serpent's side. The snake recoiled in agony, thrashing wildly as the spear drove deeper into its body. The flames in its maw from the mob bomb flickered and died out. The forest echoed with the violent struggle, leaves rustling and branches snapping under the weight of the snake's convulsions.
Ben leaped from the tree, grabbing the mystery box when he sprinted toward Timmon and the kid goat. The snake, disoriented and injured, writhed on the ground, its attention divided between the multiple threats.
"Timmon, get up! We need to move!" Ben yelled, helping Timmon to his feet while still clutching the terrified kid goat.
The three men and the kid goat bolted, the forest around them a blur of green and shadows. The snake's hisses and the sounds of its thrashing body faded as they put distance between themselves and the danger.
"Keep running! It's dying but I have no idea when It will actually be dead." Mr. Major commanded, ensuring they didn't slow down.
As they reached a safer distance, the forest's tranquillity slowly returned, though the memory of the encounter lingered heavily. Timmon clutched the kid goat tightly, its small body trembling in his arms. They had narrowly escaped, but the lesson was clear: survival required more than just quick reflexes and sharp instincts—it required unwavering resolve and a willingness to protect one another, no matter the cost.
Timmon: (still holding the kid goat) Is it safe to celebrate? That was incredible! You guys took it down in seconds. It was so strong, fast, and fucking scary... How did you manage that? I didn't even see a thing. I just felt it approach, heard and felt when it collapsed. Where did this fire even come from? Is this a dragon?
Mr. Major: (wiping sweat from his brow) Dumb luck, Timmon. Something distracted it for just a moment, and I saw the smallest window of opportunity. That's all it took.
Timmon: (looking puzzled) But I saw Ben casting some kind of spell, and the snake looked like it was about to breathe fire. Did you sense the attack coming, Ben? Or did you cause that fire? How did you do it?
Ben: (grinning mischievously) "Ah, the great mystery of my 'magic trick'. It's a skill I got after levelling up, I guess." Trying to make a light joke. "Let me break it down for you. You see, it wasn't actually magic at all. It was a little bit of Science and a lot of quick thinking."
Timmon: (curious) Science? But what about the fire?
Ben: (nodding) Yeah, about that. It all started with the blood of one of those deceased birds I found. The yellow and green birds that took Tobi. I noticed something peculiar about them. When the bird's blood came into contact with a certain gel-like plant when we were under the monster tree, it sparked a reaction. The flames had a distinct hue, a rich dark purple with yellow and red flames, indicating a high potassium content, maybe even some phenolphthalein. That gave me an idea.
Timmon: (fascinated) So, you used the bird's blood?
Ben: Exactly. I extracted the blood and combined it with dried moss to hold it together and make a bomb. The blood started to curdle a minute after death, turning into a substance almost like cream cheese. However, during my time alone in the forest, I realized, due to a peeing accident, that the actual trigger for the blood to combust was liquids. The blood and moss combo gave the ball a heat signature; adding to its heat build-up was my body heat. The smell of blood was also a factor because it made it hard for animals to just ignore their senses. So when I threw it just off its attack path, it took the bait. When the bomb went off, it disoriented the snake, as a short high-temperature flame ignited, and Mr. Major could strike. I was just lucky that things played out that way. If that spear through the eye didn't kill it, I'm sure the fire would have just pissed it off, and we all would have been dead. Look at the cuts on the trees from its razor legs. That tree is a carbon tree. Look at the state of it now.
Mr. Major: (placing a hand on Timmon's shoulder) We got lucky, Timmon. The distraction gave us just enough time. But we can't just stand here talking about this. We need to move before more of these show-up. Or worse, the wolves.
Timmon: (nodding, still holding the kid goat tightly) Right. Let's get out of here. Thank you, both of you.
Mr. Major: No problem, Timmon. Now, let's move. We need to find a safer place to regroup and plan our next steps.
The team gathered their belongings and set off, moving swiftly through the dense forest. The adrenaline still coursed through their veins as they put distance between themselves and the scene of the battle. They knew the dangers of the forest were far from over, but their recent victory had bolstered their resolve. Together, they would face whatever came next, stronger and more united than before.