Bob was thinking about Blacky’s question.

As he contemplated the Blacky’s question, more questions popped up in Bob’s mind. The first question was, what does being awakened entail?

Blacky?

Blacky, who was staring at Bob the entire time, collectively nodded his many heads.

Yes?

Bob had a question and he asked the snake.

What do you mean by awakening? What is awakening?

Blacky coils around itself as if surprised that Bob was not aware of what it meant.

If you do not know what it means then that means you are not yet awakened.

Bob tilts his head in confusion.

I’m not?

Blacky nods his head.

Yes. The meaning of awakening was immediately etched into our minds when we first became… one.

Bob felt weirded out by the way Blacky spoke but he continued to speak to him.

Okay??? So awakening is when many minds become one?

Blacky shakes his many heads again.

No… it is more…

So, what is it then?

It is difficult to explain to one that has not yet awakened… May I show you instead?

Bob tried to discern if Blacky had any bad intentions for him but the snake’s beady eyes, generally relaxed posture, and calming voice disarms him.

Well… if you insist, show me what you mean by awakening.

Blacky’s heads collectively nod once more.

Follow us.

When Blacky moves, Bob notices that the end of its tail was coiled up like a ball. Due to the size of the coiled-up tail, Bob knew that Blacky’s many bodies were holding onto something.

Whatever it was, Bob was curious, especially since this was the first time he met another creature, other than Michael and Evelyn, that could effectively communicate. When he found a group of apes in the forest, they knew how to communicate but not in the same fluent way that he, Michael, and Evelyn could.

Bob followed Blacky.

Blacky slithered deeper into the cave.

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As the duo goes deeper into the cave, Bob notices that there were other snakes here except that these were dead. Their bodies were dry and withered.

Bob thought this was weird.

Why are the snakes here withered?

As they went deeper, more of these dead black snakes appeared.

Fortunately, the dead snakes were by the side, until Bob steps on one.

Bob flinches as he steps on one of the snakes. He quickly realizes that something was off.

The snake he stepped on wasn’t withered. Bob pokes the non-withered snake with his foot. When he does, it still feels warm which terrified Bob.

Bob looks at the recently deceased snake then he looks at Blacky.

Looking at Blacky, Bob noticed that Blacky was missing one of his snakes, which reveals a part of the object they were clutching.

A psion stone.

Ah… it seems that one couldn’t last long… feeble-minded.

Bob felt terror as the voice within his mind immediately changed from that of a calm individual to that of a hungry beast.

Bob… I must thank you… I’m glad you came here… I was starting to become hungry… your terror will be sweet.

Bob brandishes his knife as he looks at Blacky.

Blacky’s many heads bare their fangs as its bodies became bigger.

~HISS!!!!~

Bob feels an ear-shattering sound engulf his mind. He falls knee-first on the ground. Looking up with some difficulty, Bob sees Blacky.

Blacky resembled a small hydra with its main body being the psion stone.

As Blacky approaches the weakened monkey, the snake taunts the monkey.

When you conversed with me in such an eloquent manner… I thought I found one like me… awakened and given such great power… but no… you are just another animal… one that can understand but still… an animal…

Bob tries to back away but he falls flat on his back.

The terrified monkey heard laughter in his head. He was sure that it belonged to Blacky.

Now… the awakening gifted me power… but it seems… that I cannot sustain it… My body wilts… You might be thinking… why am I doing this to you…

Blacky was now in front of Bob.

Bob weakly swings the dagger which Blacky easily evades.

I believe… that the reason I cannot sustain my body is that… I was not like you… at first, I was just like any other snake… a mindless creature that followed its instincts… but you!

Bob winces as Blacky screamed in his mind.

You’re unique! A bright mind despite not being awakened! If I were to consume you… I would surely never have to fear dying… Now Bob… surrender yourself… I shall consume you… and we shall be one!

Blacky’s many heads open their jaws, preparing themselves to rip apart the weakened monkey.

Bob tries to raise the dagger again but his hand feebly falls to the ground.

Yes… I can feel your mind wiggling in terror! Do it more! My lesser kin could not even show as much terror as you could! I fed on them but after they suffered your pain, they simply gave up… so unsatisfying!

Blacky started to coil his many bodies around Bob’s body.

Despite his weakened physical state, Bob’s mind was alert. As Blacky continued to taunt the monkey, Bob waited for the right moment.

Blacky’s many serpent bodies individually coil Bob’s body. Eventually, Bob would no longer be able to move.

Not yet.

Bob stayed still. Despite his resolve, something that he learned from Michael, Bob was still terrified. But in this situation, he purposefully let himself be terrified. He needed to be afraid of what he would do next. Most importantly, he wanted Blacky to underestimate him.

Then he felt the serpent coil on his right arm which was holding his knife.

NOW!

Using all his remaining strength, Bob quickly raises the stone knife and brings it down on Blacky’s tail.

Weaker than both Michael and Evelyn, Bob’s strength was enhanced by the ingenuity of human tools. The knife struck its target and Bob immediately blacks out as a powerful force of energy engulfs his mind.

For a moment, Bob was dead to the world but he immediately returns to life when he feels Blacky’s coils loosen. His eyes open and he immediately turns his head toward his knife. Bob’s knife managed to cut the tails that were coiling on the psion stone.

Bob felt a sharp pain in his head when he hears Blacky’s voice.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!

Looking at Blacky, Bob sees that the other snakes immediately scatter the moment they were separated from the psion stone. There was only one snake left. It was desperately clinging to the psion stone. Its body was starting to wither up.

YOU FOOL!!! YOU WOULD KILL AN AWAKENED! I! I! I WOULD HAVE RAISED THIS WORLD TO PARADISE!

Without any other snake to feed his mind, Blacky’s body started to wither. The psion stone starts to crush his feeble animal soul.

NOOO!!!

Blacky releases a final scream, empowered by the psion stone. Bob’s mind feels an almost imperceptible aura start to gather around Blacky. Despite the psion stone being a conduit, Blacky couldn’t gather much power before he explodes.

A shockwave expands outwards with Blacky as the center. Bob is sent flying and he hits a nearby wall. He cries in pain as his back feels the hard surface.

Despite the pain, Bob quickly looks up.

Fortunately enough, Blacky’s final effort was simply that. He was now a withered husk.

Standing up, Bob limps towards the psion stone.

As he looks at the psion stone, Bob starts to hear words.

Take… me…

Not affected in the slightest, Bob takes the stone with his bare hand and then shoves it into his fur pouch.

Looking at the psion stone, Bob felt ecstatic. His goal of finding a psion stone for Michael was achieved and he felt satisfied.

Bob then starts to travel back home.