“Dan, don't, you can't take that many!” Amani said.

“Amani, just focus on the spell, if I don't do this we will die here and now.”  he looked back at her and smiled brightly. “Trust me.”  he said, the look on his face was one of optimism, a complete juxtapose to the blood covering his body and the black veins that were slowly creeping up his neck and down his left arm.

She looked at him, and slowly nodded, she however prepared herself, if needed be she would sacrifice herself to save him, she could not, no she would not go on without him.

She drew a circle in the dirt and started the intricate process of writing archaic words around and in the circle in a hypnotizing pattern.  “All I need is two minutes.”

“Got it,”  Dan readied himself for the longest two minutes of his life.

He lifted up the sword and attempted to hold it in two hands.  Once his left hand touched the handle however it felt like the palm of his hand was being stabbed by millions of needles, add that to the fact that he could hardly move it forced him to adjust his grip to hold the Khopesh single handedly.

Four, four of them, and he had such a hard time with the one.  He shook his head and held the sword aloft.  Two of them rushed him, while the other two attempted to circle around behind.

Narrowly dodging under one’s lunge he planted the sword into its gut with all the force he could muster the dull crunch of the scales breaking could be heard, or perhaps that was the bones underneath, Dan did not stop to find out.

Hooking the curve of the sword around the back of the serpent’s neck he shoved it to the ground and planted his foot right behind the head. Keeping his foot planted even as the thing struggled he awaited the attack of the second.

He was not waiting long.

As the thing’s neck stretched forward mouth open Dan shoved the blade and his entire arm into its mouth.  It turned out it was much easier to cut these things where there were no scales.  The blade slid into the upper part of the mouth, cutting it from the front all the way back to the throat. It wasn't that hard to hook the sharp end of the sickle blade on some bone hiding under the flesh and to drag this one down as well.

He smashed its head against the ground, using the force and momentum to drive the blade home.

That wasn't to bad he thought to himself, he now had a plan, and this time he would execute it better this time.  For his troubles he had received a scratch from one of the flanges on his right forearm.

He could already feel it starting to go numb.

“Almost there dan twenty more seconds!”  Dan didn't answer he simply looked down at the snake beneath his boots.  

It took five blows to sever this one’s head.

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He looked up at Abyzou, she was staring at him with a slight sense of wonder. “Most impressive, even with my poison you fight.”  she looked at the two dead snakemen at his feet.  “You must have the most extraordinary luck, as with your skill killing these children would be impossible.”

“Thanks,” Dan said with a hagrid laugh, if she was willing to talk to give him a breather and Amani time to finish the spell he was going to take and use it.

“Though, I think play time is now over.‘  she said and with a snap of her finger the two remaining snakemen charged.

”You are right it is!” Amani cried out, and after clapping her hands a golden dome bloomed around the two of them and expanded.  As soon as the lizardmen touched the dome the turned to dust and faded away.

“Tch-”  Abyzou clicked her tongue and slithered towards the barrier.  She reached her hand out and touched it, with a small hiss she pulled her hand back. “Do you honestly think this small of a shell will keep me out?”  she asked.

“Abby, let us talk this through please.”  Amani begged, she was almost out of mana entirely, any other big spells and she would just simply fade away.

“I don't want to talk,” she hissed, her eyes were open wide and she looked like she had crossed over to the realm of the insane.

“Please I know you loved L-”

“I SAID NOT TO SAY HIS NAME!”  she roared, and the black sky cracked open revealing a fiery red canopy behind it. In her anger she rushed face first into Amani’s barrier, and after a brief second passed through with nothing more to show for it besides a few reddened patches of skin. “What was that?” she asked, looking back at the hole she had torn through the barrier. “Why was it so weak?”

Amani smiled weakly and fell to her knees. “Because I have been telling the truth, I have next to no magic left to me, I had bracers that would drain my essence all the time, only giving me back enough to grant my master’s wish when it was needed.”

“You mean you were, telling the truth?”  she looked lost for a second, her eyes focused on Dan, and a fire rekindled. “And I suppose this man is the one who is your master?” she spat out.

“Husband actually, he used his one wish to free me.”

Abyzou looked back and forth between the two of them, and slowly the sky began to close again. The fiery light faded away from her eyes, slowly a tear carved its way down her cheek.

It was not long before another followed it, soon it was a torrent of tears as she wailed. “What have I done? What am I becoming?” she moaned, as she curled herself up into a tangled writhing knot like only a snake could.

Amani picked herself up slowly and walked over to Abyzou, when she got there she grabbed the girl by the shoulders and lifted her up to eye height. Abby looked at her with large golden eyes, and Amani stared back.

And slapped her.

*ckkkkkkkk*

The sound echoed not once but twice, Abyzou’s eyes were open wide and she had a red handprint on the right side of her face.  Before she could say anything or even react however Amani leaned in and gave her a hug.

Not knowing what to do for a second the Lamia froze.

But soon the tears started up again and she wrapped her sister tight in a hug. Dan looked at the two of them and sighed softly,  at least they were working things out.

The sword slipped from his grip, as his vision started to darken, his mind felt like he had been awake for the past week and he just wanted to close his eyes.

Turning to face him after hearing the sound of the sword clattering against the ground Amani watched in horror as he fell face first and lay there unmoving.

“Dan?”  she asked softly in shock, before rushing to his side and turning him over.

He didn't look so good, his normally light skin was now ghostly white and the veins in his arm neck and face were all black.

“Abby! Quick I need the antidote.”

“I have it but-” the Lamia paused in her speech, unsure how to continue.

“Then give it to him!” she cried out.

“I-it's my blood.” she said, her cheeks dying red. “And you know what happens when a lamia gives a member of another race that right?”

Amani’s cheeks burned as she realised what Abby was saying.

“I designed the poison so that only I could cure it through accepting him, if he had shown actual repentance I would have rebound to him...”

A strand of hair fell across her face, he reached up and brushed it aside.“Sorry,” he laughed, gritting his teeth in pain.

“For what?” She asked softly there was a quiver in her voice as if she would burst into tears at any second.

“There’s blood on your face, and in your hair,” he said, he attempted to lift his hand again to wipe it away but could not make it move.

“You fool,” she whispered, a single tear tracked down her face. “I told you it was to many for you to take on.”

“What can I say,” he sighed, looking deep into her green eyes “we men are a stubborn lot.” With that he closed his eyes slipping into the beckoning darkness and warmth…