Trudging ahead, the path unfolded like a straight line.

Gradually, though, I noticed it had curved a bit towards the right as I walked with one hand placed on the wall that was cold as ice.

Then I saw it in front of me.

The fragment of light.

It danced in front of me, and I ran after it.

But every time I would come close, it would disappear before flashing into existence ahead of me.

Frustrated, I finally gave up on catching it and quietly followed behind it.

The path took me close to two hours to walk and then finally it opened up into a circular room where a snake... woman… yes; I wasn’t seeing things. A circular room where a snake woman lay was in front of my eyes.

She had the upper body of a woman with hair made of tiny snakes, and the lower body of an actual snake with a trunk that was as thick as a small tree.

In my shock, I staggered forward slightly, causing a small noise to ring out, which alerted the snake woman to my presence.

Opening her eyes, she regarded me and a forked tongue flicked out as her voice floated toward me sibilantly.

“Why have you come here?”

Mutely, I pointed to the fragment of light that was dancing next to her.

Preening, the snake woman lifted her torso up and said, “You came for me? What a charming fellow. Too bad you’re a little boy.”

Petrified, I stood stone-faced before I unfroze and shook my head frantically.

“I came for that fragment of light,” I said, as politely as I could.

“Light? What light? Why would light be here? I hate the light,” the snake woman said suspiciously.

Gulping, I realized she couldn’t see the fragment, and the fragment in question was dancing merrily in front of the snake woman.

Looking past her, I saw that the path this time branched in two.

Steeling myself, I asked the snake lady courteously, “My lady, I need to reach my destination and my path lays beyond you. May I have your permission to cross your land?”

Stroking her hair, the snake woma- no lady, replied, “No, you may not.”

Knowing how things worked, I immediately said, “Can I offer you compensation for the right to cross your land?”

“You may not,” said the lady, as she crossed her arms and regarded me with her snake eyes.

Stunned, I thought to myself that this was not how things were supposed to go before coughing, and trying again, “May I ask why not, dear lady?” - hoping that the change from my lady to dear lady would help endear me to said lady.

Sadly, it did not.

“Because I am supposed to eat you,” said the lady with a confused look on her face.

I shuddered.

Gritting my teeth, I asked, “What purpose does eating me serve? Look at how skinny I am! Fair lady, if you eat me, I have no doubt you will have indigestion, which will ruin your beauty!”

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“You think me as beautiful,” she asked as she checked her nails.

I was about to answer when I remembered the spider’s words.

Thinking, I replied, “My lady, to me, your beauty is not beautiful. But I can admire your features such as your hair, your forked tongue, your voice. To snake men, your beauty would be devastating, but I am not a snake man.”

Finishing, I waited for the inevitable explosion of anger only for the Snake Lady to morph into a beautiful green-haired woman with long, slender legs.

“What about now?” She asked with a smile. “Am I the most beautiful woman you have seen?”

Mutely, I shook my head.

A look of anger flashed across her face and she cried out, “Why! Were your words from before false!?”

Raising my hands in placation, I said, “My lady, you asked if you are the most beautiful woman that I have seen. Just like what I said before, to other men - you might be the most beautiful woman. But to me, you are not.”

Sneering, the woman said, “Do not play with words human!”

Hesitating, I reached out my hand and summoned a locket with a portrait inside. Looking at it for a long moment, I walked slowly toward the lady and held it out to her.

Warily, the lady reached out for the locket and the portrait, only for me to jerk it back.

“I cannot hand it to you, my lady. Forgive my offense, but I beseech you to only look.”

Nodding her head gently, she acquiesced, and I held out the portrait again for her to scrutinize.

After looking at it for a long moment, she reached out her hand and pushed my hand back before asking,

“Who is she?”

“The girl that I love,” I answered simply.

“Why?”

“She is the girl that I admire, respect, adore, and think about when things are very difficult. She gives me strength, and that strength allows me to walk forward.”

“Why this girl and not anyone else?”

Thinking upon the question, I didn’t have an answer, so I mutely shook my head.

“Have you met any other girl,” she asked?

I shook my head.

“Has she grown up with you?”

I nodded my head.

“What do you know about love?” the lady asked softly.

“Not much,” I answered truthfully.

“If you don’t know much, have you thought that your love for this girl might be familial love since you have grown up together?”

I shook my head and spoke, “I love my parents. I love my brother. I lov-” Pausing here and shuddering, I continued, “I love my teachers, my comrades like Ares and Damon. But my love for them is not the love that I have for Sia. With them, it is familial love, brotherly love, and so on - mixed in with a lot of respect. With her, it is different.”

“Different how?” the lady asked with great interest.

“I forget how to breathe. I forget how to speak. I forget how to think. All this when I am in her presence. I am afraid sometimes that she can’t hear what I’m saying because of how loud my heart is beating.” I said, smiling softly.

Reaching out her hand and caressing my face, the lady murmured, “So young and naïve. Yet so devoted. I envy that girl.”

Sighing, she turned her back to me and began walking to her original position as she waved her hand, “Go human. May you find that girl.”

Bowing to her, I spoke earnestly, “My lady, I hope you find your snake man.”

Wistfully, she spoke without turning back; “I never wanted a snake man. I wanted a man.”

Stunned, I looked at her back in shock.

Turning to face me, she said with a laugh, “Why? You find what I say repulsive?”

Frowning, I said, “No, my lady. I just found it curious.”

“You would like to know why?” she said, smiling.

I nodded in assent.

“Alas, it is a tale not for your ears at this time, child. Maybe one day you will find out and that day, I hope you remember me.”

“Wha-”

“Hush child. Go. The longer you spend in this place, the less chance you have of survival.”

Startled, I bowed to her once again, and striding forth, I stood hesitantly at the fork of the passage.

I looked back to the lady for guidance, but she had closed her eyes again and reverted to her snake lady form.

Grimly, I chose the right passage, and I prayed it was the right choice.