When Norbert found the snake, their eyes met, locked in a gaze. The remaining monkeys fled, not caring for each other, their only goal was to run away from the two titans that were about to battle in the arena. Rushing and pushing each other as they climbed and threw those in their way.
Norbert continued staring at the snake, asking, "You wouldn't be so nice as to leave me alone?" Norbert asked it.
The snake's tongue flickered out, tasting the air as it stared at Norbert in response. They were nodding as he looked at the snake; he used his peripheral vision to watch the monkeys escape from the stadium, believing he would soon need to join in.
Shifting his eyes around made the snake finally move, the white basilisk chasing after the monkeys still scrambling away, going around the stands, swiping as many as possible—Norbert followed it with his eyes as he turned around, watching as it swallowed them hole.
Amazed as the snake grew with each bite, slower with every bite, but still progress being made.
CRAAASHHH
Watching as the snake's weight was now too much for the branches, watching as it crashed to the ground. Dust and wood splinters went everywhere as Norbert covered his face with his arm, holding his breath as he stared out, waiting for the dust to dissipate.
The snake's head shot out of it, its body following; Norbert stepped back as he looked at the size, now much more significant than before, Norbert now looking more like a snack than anything else.
The head shooting for the lion and goat parts of the illusion was now large enough that it didn't even touch the sides. Instantly, the snake stopped, shuddering where it was as Norbert saw ripples going through it.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the snake's buffet finally stopped, remembering the bad taste he received from trying out only a tiny slice of the chimera meat. A smile on his face at this situation is wrapped nicely with a little bow on top.
Turning around, Norbert whistled to himself as he looked for an escape; the only place that seemed reasonable at the instant was jumping over the stadium, the entrance he had taken before now crushed by the snake as it went around.
Changing his course to the nearest stadium wall, Norbert picked pace to a jog as he jumped into the air, landing on the stands. Climbing up the benches two at a time, Norbert makes it to the top. Looking over, seeing the thickness of the branches but paths still opening up throughout the trees, Norbert climbed up, walking down the path, wondering what the next thing he would need to kill.
WHHHHHIP
The hairs on his neck stood up as Norbert stayed perfectly still. Gulping, he spun around on his heels, looking at what made the sound, his mind going into overdrive as it came to a single possibility, hoping he was wrong as he spiralled in ifs and buts within his mind.
His eyes set himself free as he saw the snake slither out, the dust cloud having settled. Thankful that nothing had grown on the creature, Norbert watched as it uncoiled itself from the arena floor. Now, the creature took up the entire floor as it slowly unclouded, holding itself up in the air as Norbert stared at it.
Only a tiny portion came into the air as they looked together face to face. Norbert looked down, seeing the many meters he was now from the ground. Gulping, the snake's tongue flickered out again, noticing it was red like its eyes, the only colour on the white snake.
Norbert was surprised at the creature's gain, wondering what happened within it to have so much extra mass.
The tongue flickered out again, Norbert stepping back as the snake moved slowly forward, opening its jaw.
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Seeing the two fangs out of it, the entire red mouth looked the size of a small room with pleasant fleshy warmth within. Norbert sent the energy in his body moving again, his mind clearing once more as he turned around, running through the path he could.
CRAAAAASH
The snake moved after him, feeling the branch he was on shake and fall underneath his feet. Sprinting forward, arms pumping, Bert heard the snake slithering along, breaking all the tree branches as it went.
The branches clinging at him, trying to rip at his clothes, the smooth bark underneath on his toes as they tried to make him slip off.
Pumping his arms hard, hearing the snake slowly distance itself from Norbert. Ahead, he saw the branches open up, not stopping as he ran. Diving out into the air, Norbert, seeing he had escaped the confines of the trees, was happy that he had some open space.
As he continued travelling, a tree appeared in his path. Unable to move himself out of the way, Norbert smashed into it, feeling his knees and elbows impact and grasping onto the bark as his fingers dug in.
Halting himself from falling, Nor Bert looked where he came from, seeing the branches on the ground shudder. The branches flew forward as the snake came out, looking around as it licked the air, finally locking onto Norbert.
Swallowing again, Norbert started to climb up the tree he was currently on; not having time to be safe anymore, Norbert hardened his skin, the energy making his nails longer as a result of the hardening, becoming more like blades than anything that an average human should have.
Not knowing how he did it but not caring, Norbert scrambled up the rest of the tree; halfway up, Norbert felt it shudder. He stopped as he looked down, vertigo hitting him for a moment, followed by the sight of the snake slithering its way up, coiling around the tree, the bark cracking from the force the snake was exerting to hug itself in and continuing its passage upwards.
Twisting his head around Norbert, he climbed to the top, the tree now constantly swaying, the leaves rattling around as loose twigs started to fall past Norbert's head.
Not wanting to look down, Norbert made it to the top, sticking his head above the leaves as once more it was whacked in by a bird.
Ducking down, seeing the shaking world there, Norbert did not see how that would support him. Breathing in, Norbert forced energy through his body, focusing on his legs and feet, seeing his veins turn purple, starting to emanate light in the green half-lit place.
Leaping into the air, Norbert windmilled his hands as the snake's head poked out, opening its jaw as several birds flew in, knowing they wouldn't be coming back out. Watching as the snake continued to come up, more and more of the space filled.
The meter was not big enough to hold the thing, only part of its head out as it moved up, crushing through the top canopy and the leaves as Norbert ran away from the snake.
Looking around as he continued to run and leap, going from tree to tree, Norbert looked for something out of the ordinary that could assist him, at least hoping for the doorway out of here that would allow him some protection and remembering the lightning that previously arched off it.
The birds swarmed away from the snake, pulling on Norbert as they tried to escape. Norbert continued forward, looking at all the trees shaking in the ground as the duo continued their cat and mouse throughout the canopy.
Norbert stepped forward, the branch shaking out from under him as he plummeted, the other branches seemingly falling out of the way; Norbert could not grab any as he fell to the ground.
Breaking through the canopy, Norbert looked around for something to grab onto to break his fall. Nothing there as Norbert fell; using his arms to break his fall, Norbert smashed into a bush before going into the ground.
Something squishing as he landed, the juices leaking underneath him. Standing up, Norbert kicked around in the bush until it flew out. Norbert was surprised to see the mouse, thinking there weren't any left, but happy to be surprised.
CRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK
Shooting his head upwards, Norbert saw what was making the noise, the snake falling through the canopy after him, its body trailing behind it as it fell to the ground.
CRAAAAASH
A line of dirt flew into the air, trees cracking as they fell around the path; Norbert was no longer looking behind him as he charged off again, running away from the snake following him, knowing he would have no time to climb up a tree again to try and escape the snake.
He was not even trying to fight the snake, the size alone being too great for him to deal with, not wanting to unleash the energy within him, not sure it would even kill the creature and only leave him weakened.
Looking on either side of him, Norbert continued to hear the crashing of trees as all manner of creatures bolted with him, running away from the snake.
Looking at them, Norbert saw they tried to attack him even in this desperate moment. Squirrels, mice, and tigers all jump around fighting each other.
Norbert just gave them a smack behind him, hearing them cry out before being snapped up by the snake still following after him. Norbert knew that with each creature it ate, it would grow. Not having any better idea, Norbert charged ahead, hoping something would happen to cause a change to the current status quo.