When the Dragon introduced itself, I couldn't help but notice it called itself 'Arabor THE Abyss' which made me wonder what the second part of its name could mean. It did mention some kind of 'connection' to some abyss earlier, so perhaps this name or title I suppose was a reflection of that connection?

Honestly, who can say. After the dragon and I had introduced ourselves to one another, silence took place again — stretching on as neither of us said anything or really moved, with only really the dragon breaking the dead silence with occasional coughs and groans.

Eventually, Arabor exhaled before looking down at me with a curious gaze, crossing his arms.

"I'm curious about your story Riyo. Could you perhaps tell me how you ended up in this world and more importantly, how you ended up in the body of a snake?"

Arabor asked, tilting his head to the side, before groaning loudly again — shaking the whole cave again. I shed a light sweat again, before thinking over his request. Should I tell him my life story or should I keep quiet? Should I tell him how I died or should I keep quiet? It was a rather tough decision.

However, it felt like an overwhelming weight was being put on top of me as I considered the idea of remaining silent and not telling the dragon about myself, so in the end I exhaled before looking down, with a slightly mixed expression.

"I suppose we can begin with the day I died..."

I stated, before exhaling again and sinking slightly into my body. Arabor leaned forward a bit, showing actual interest and curiosity in what I was about to tell him.

The day started off like any other. I woke up early in the morning and immediately got to doing chores around my apartment. I cleaned it up, washed the unwashed dishes, as well as took out any trash that had been left over from the weekend.

Once it all was done, I had a single mug of morning coffee, before getting dressed and immediately heading off to work.

At work, I did the usual things I needed to do, mainly, the tasks and work that my boss had given me. I was always happy to do anything he asked me to as well as always took on what everyone else considered to be too much for one person.

However, despite everyone's concerns, I insisted that I would be fine and get everything done that day. This kind of mentality had driven me down mentally, making me overthink my decisions, but never express them to anyone.

They were my choices that I made, to do all that stuff, even when I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle it all easily. I decided to still take them on.

While working, my mood fell down and I became a bit rude to others. However, no one seemed to mind and instead expressed concern for my health, saying that I should head home and rest or look after myself more and take some days off.

However, I just shot them all down, not open to the idea of doing nothing the whole day. Eventually, my boss came to speak to me — or well, try to convince me to take a few days off and rest. However, I was being stubborn and frankly speaking, even stupid — telling my boss that I didn't need to rest and that I would handle everything as promised.

This led to a small argument, as my boss tried to talk me into going home and taking a few days off to rest and just tune out work.

But I didn't listen and told him to leave me alone, which he did after a heavy exhale.

For the rest of the day, my mood was bad and I was clearly tired the whole day, moving slowly and sluggishly — my co-workers just throwing converters stares at me. Eventually, evening came by and everyone began to leave, but I was still doing the last remaining things I said I would do.

My boss came by one last time that day to tell me to pack up and leave soon and to not push myself too hard. I didn't reply to him and simply continued my work, with him leaving shortly after.

I continued to work away in the building until even the janitors left, before eventually managing to finish all the work I had taken on that day. After I finished, I immediately headed off home, leaving the company building — feeling exhausted and even slightly nauseous.

And then...

Glass shatters

Bank alarms go off

Police sirens roar

Gunfire ensues

A bullet hits me.

"And then afterwards... I just remember bleeding out there on the sidewalk, before my conscience faded as I died. But... I then suddenly awoke inside of an egg in the forest that surrounded this 'tomb'."

I finished off my story, before looking up towards the Dragon and slightly leaning out of my coiled up body.

"And...That's pretty much it."

The Dragon looked down at me with a serious expression, simply groaning lightly before exhaling and leaning back up and then against the cavern wall behind it.

"I see... Quite a sad tale I have to say."

Arabor stated before looking down at me.

"And do you miss your family now that you're here? After all, you won't be able to see them anymore."

The Dragon asked. I couldn't muster up an answer at first and remained silent, before sinking into my body again and then closing my eyes and nodding lightly in response.

"I do.... I very much do. I guess that's why it is better to be reborn without any memories."

I replied, before looking down. Another suffocating silence took place between us both as neither me or Arabor said anything to each other. After a small while of silence, Arabor exhaled before leaning down towards me, and touching my head lightly with his nuzzle.

I looked up at him with slight confusion, before the Dragon once again leaned back up a moment or two later.

"While I cannot resonate with you or how you feel, I can try my best to comfort you."

He stated.

I don't know why, but his statement just now made me feel a bit happy — with a warm feeling inside of my body. It was very nice to hear someone say something like that to me again... I had forgotten how it is when others express care towards me and I don't shut them out.

Before the silence could take place again, I shook my head lightly before uncoiling my body and looking up towards the Dragon with my golden eyes.

"That's enough about me. I want to know... What are you doing here Arabor? Why is this a tomb?"

I asked.

At first, it looked like Arabor was hesitant to tell me anything in response to my questions, which almost caused me to apologise for asking him what I had, however, the Dragon then exhaled before looking up towards the crystals that covered the cave's ceiling.

"Listen well little one."

Long, long ago — this world was just an empty blank canvas, which did not have a world or any life in it. Then, me and my eight siblings came into existence, becoming the first beings in the world.

We had been birthed by the world — with nine powerful elements being used as our birthplace and source of power and life.

Together, we shaped the world into what we wanted, creating life to inhabit and exist in this world. One day, a crack from a different world opened in the sky, with beings from beyond this world coming to ours.

When we confronted them, we were offered an alliance — a pact in which we would allow them to add their own form of life into this world, to co-exist with the life we had created. However, the pact ended up being our greatest mistake.

These beings, who called themselves 'Deities', unleashed an ancient concept that we had imprisoned from its seal and released it into the world — more specifically, the Abyss — from which I was born.

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This concept was known as 'The Evil' — a shapeless and powerful creature that had an unsatisfiable hunger for destruction and chaos.

As soon as it was released into the abyss from which I was born from, it infested it with its roots - gaining power while also poisoning anyone with a deep connection to the Abyss. And I — was the greatest victim.

I lost my sense of self - I lost all sense of reason and began to blindly rampage, destroying the world that me and my siblings had once shaped.

They did not have the courage to take me out, as their care for me was far too deep — but the Deities did not waste time. They descended upon a group of adventurers and granted them access to a powerful sealing spell, instructing them to go and fight me and then seal me away to quote 'Save the World'.

And so they did.

They came to me, fought against me diligently and eventually — cast the sealing spell onto me, exiling me into a sub dimension which was then placed inside of a tomb, located at the location where our clash happened.

The tomb became known as my tomb, with the Adventurers being renowned as heroes, while I — was forced into an eternal prison, from which I could not break out.

"And ever since then — for over three and a half thousand years, I have been sitting inside of this tomb, under this seal's control - unable to do anything to escape."

Arabor finished off, before looking down from the crystal and closing his eyes for a second. After taking in a deep breath, he opened his eyes again and looked down at me.

With his story having been told, I couldn't help but feel bad for the Dragon. He was unable to fight against the corrupting power that took over him and was deemed a dangerous being, before being sealed away from accessing the world he helped shape in the first place.

Something about that.... It just stung, even if I wasn't the one who experienced it.

Silence took place between us again, as I simply was gathering my thoughts, while the Dragon remained silent and watched me with its deep red eyes locked onto me. After a little while, I exhaled.

"It's a sad tale that the both of us have."

I stated, breaking the silence.

Arabor looked down at me, before nodding lightly in agreement.

"Indeed. It is a sad one."

The Dragon stated in response. After another brief bit of silence, I exhaled again and looked up towards the dragon.

"Is there really nothing you can do to escape?"

I asked. I know that it was a strange question to ask out of the blue, however hearing his tale and linking it to mine, I felt like the Dragon did not deserve any of this. It wasn't his choice to rampage around the world — it was those so-called 'Deities' that caused him to rampage in the first place.

Why would they free an ancient concept that it literally called 'The Evil' and let it loose into the world around? Who do they think they are?

Arabor looked down at me a bit confused before thinking for a bit — scratching his head.

"Well... Technically speaking, there is one thing that I can think of that could allow me to be free again. However, it is highly risky."

"I don't care how risky it is! Tell me, is there any way I can help?"

I cut him off at the end, shouting in desperation. I realise I sounded like a kid right now, despite being technically a 28 year old, however I had come here and met this Dragon, heard his story, shared my own story with him and created what I would say is a baseline for a good friendship.

I can't just leave him here to rot forever inside of a seal! That makes me look like a jerk and even an asshole, as I have heard that he was technically wrongfully imprisoned here.

Arabor looked a bit surprised by my slightly demanding nature, before exhaling and looking away, seemingly thinking for a moment. After a bit, he exhaled and looked back at me.

"Very well. Then listen up — There is one thing I could try. It is a spell, or more specifically, a ritual. It would allow me to transfer my entire being and power into your power, destroying the current physical form I possess."

Arabor began, describing the one thing we could try doing. Immediately as soon as he said that the ritual would destroy his physical body, I shed a sweat, not really sure whether I wanted to go through with this anymore.

Surely that kind of process would be incredibly painful — right? Destroying your own body... That doesn't sound like something that would be like a mosquito bite.

"Alright... And what is the risk?"

"The risk is that I am unsure whether your body and soul can handle my power and be transferred into you. After all, you're only level two and not even an evolved creature."

Arabor explained, sending slight shivers down my spine. I see... So due to my own body and nature of being clearly weaker than this dragon, this so-called 'ritual' was potentially dangerous and risked my entire being...

Well, that is worrying news for sure.

Arabor and I went silent for a bit again, before I exhaled and looked up at him with a determined look. Screw it — I didn't deserve a second chance at life anyway, so if this kills me, then it will be for the better in my opinion.

"I don't mind the risk. We can do it."

I started with full confidence. Arabor looked a bit concerned still, however seeing my fully confident aura, he exhaled and leaned back a bit before clicking his tongue and leaning back down, looking at me.

"Very well. We'll do it. But first — to ensure that there is a higher chance of success, I suggest we perform what is known as an 'Essence Vow'."

Arabor suggested, making me tilt my head to the left side in slight confusion and curiosity.

"Essence Vow..?"

"Think of it as an unbreakable promise between two individuals. It will strengthen our connection and bond, allowing the ritual to have a higher chance of success and you to potentially have higher odds of surviving."

He explained a bit. Once I heard the explanation, I almost immediately nodded in agreement to doing one. If this could ensure that there was a higher chance of success and us both making out of here with our lives — then why the hell would I ever back out?

Seeing my clear answer without even me saying it, Arabor exhaled and chuckled before leaning down to me and touching my nuzzle with his before leaning back up.

"So... What do we need to do for the Essence Vow?"

"Well, for starters, since you technically do not possess a name in this world as a nameless intelligent monster, I should start by granting you one."

He stated before crossing his arms.

Name... I suppose using the name from my old life would only keep bringing me memories from it, which could result in some painful memories also being dug up back from my past.

So I suppose having a new name won't hurt.

"Alright, then I guess you can do as you wish."

Arabor nodded, before thinking for a bit. After a little bit, he looked down at me.

"I know — You shall be named Faofa Shin, my trusted companion and friend, who I shall entrust my entire being and power to."

As soon as Arabor announced the name and all the rest in his statement, I felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside my body, before a white glimmering light covered my body as an aura for a moment, before disappearing.

Name received.

'Faofa Shin' has evolved into Inferior Serpentine.

That voice again.... I guess it was some sort of announcer or something. I looked up to Arabor with a small smile, causing him to sort of smile back at me. After I was given a name by Arabor, he moved onto the next part of the thing.

"Now, allow us to begin..."

Arabor stated, closing his eyes and lowering his head down slightly. I looked around a bit before doing the same. Then, black flames appeared around us, surrounding us before turning a deep violet colour. Then, a deep purple and black aura appeared around Arabor as he opened his eyes and looked down at me.

"I, Arabor the Abyss, entrust my entire being and all my power to you — do you vow to guard my soul and power within your power and find a way to set me free once more?"

Arabor asked. I shed a slight sweat, before opening my eyes and looking up at Arabor — looking straight into his eyes.

"...I do. I, Riyo... No — Faofa Shin, vow to protect your power and soul within me, until the very day in which I can set you free once more!"

I announced, using my tail as a sort of hand by placing it on my 'chest'. Arabor exhaled and closed his eyes again, his body suddenly igniting in flames, before being engulfed by them.

Only his crimson red eyes pierced through the black flames as he looked back at me through them.

"Then... I shall put my faith in you to fulfil your part. I also wish you good luck on your journey across this world."

Arabor stated, before the flames spun around him, with the violet ones also engulfing him. Then, the aura that had surrounded him shot up from the top of the flames before sinking down towards me, engulfing my body and sinking into it.

It felt very strange — almost like a constant warmth was being pushed into my body from every single side. I also could feel immense power rush through my body, almost like a surge of energy had struck me.

Then, the flames also absorbed into me, before erupting and disappearing into thin air, with the crystals around losing their colour and light, dimming down before going completely grey.

Individual 'Arabor the Abyss' has been absorbed.

Mass Magical Energy has been absorbed, an excess amount will be converted into skills.

Common Skill [Inspector] acquired.

Individual Skill [Devourer] acquired.

The strange voice announced again, before going silent. I looked around in slight uncertainty and disbelief of what had just happened here. Where once Arabor stood now was nothing left - not even a pile of ashes.

Guess it succeeded... I am still alive and Arabor is nowhere to be seen. Seems like the ritual was a success.

Exhaling, I looked down.

Something about this whole thing felt a bit... Strange. I still couldn't shake off the instinct to call this whole thing a dream and nothing more, even with the countless evidence proving otherwise. After a bit of standing around silently, I shook my head and turned around, slithered back to the bending and winding path.

I stopped just before moving onto it, looking back at where Arabor had once stood.

'...Don't worry Arabor. I will make sure you can walk the land again — you can count on me.'

I thought, before looking down a bit. After living in my thoughts for a moment longer, I turned away and continued to slither onto the path and down it, moving back through the hole that I had initially entered the cave through and moving towards the staircase that was on the other side of the ruins.