My hand rested on the forehead of the serpent; previous grand protector of the village I was trying to help. He felt anger towards those who had left him here, it had been so great that the darkness had fed upon it and made him violent towards us, when we had simply come here to help.

He had not moved against me since I touched him, the darkness swimming around, its grip on him seemed to be lessening but why. Was it related to me being a Warrior of Fang?

My eyes widened as my mind was flooded with strange memories that were not my own. I saw a Feles warrior gladded in armour, wielding a sword. He held it up and summoned forth great power.

I recognised the sword; it was the talisman of the serpent. He had been used to protect the village with his awesome power, throwing back anyone who would wish harm upon it.

The place had started out small, and the serpents first master had come here to settle after a long journey, he had also been injured and they had taken care of his master.

In return for their kindness, he decided to protect them from danger, as being such a small village, they often fell prey to stronger Animalia and bandits as the village had no warriors of their own.

The serpent and his master quickly became part of the village, even settled down to raise a family.

Unfortunately masters for a talisman do not live forever. The serpent’s master grew old, so carried out the rite of succession, which passed on the serpent’s talisman on to a new master and this was how each generation came to wield the serpent’s power, but not everyone was meant to wield his power, as it was so fierce and wild.

Through generation after generation the serpent continued to protect their village, happy to do so as long as it was what his first master had wanted. The attacks grew fewer, but they still regarded the serpent as their grand protector.

Tragedy struck when his last master died before the rite of succession could be carried out, leaving the serpent masterless, but seeing as no one stepped forward to claim his power and no one had dared attack the village in a decade.

So, it was decided that a shrine would be built for the talisman and the sword placed within. They had thought their grand protector would continue to somehow protect them without a master, even hopeful one day one would just step forward, but no master came.

The villages visited often in the beginning, but as time went on and no master came, those of the village stopped visiting all together, forgetting the spirit within the sword, left alone, away from those his master wanted him to protect.

I felt overwhelmed by emotion as I saw through his life, then his loneliness, his heart filled with pain, which was quickly replaced with anger and hatred for those who left him there.

The images faded away and I looked into the serpent’s sad filled eyes.

“You’ve been alone, all this time, but the past no longer matters, they need you.” I spoke.

“They have not needed me for decades, why should now be any different,” the serpent shook his head as I removed my hand, watching as the darkened mist lost its grip even more.

“The darkness from the past returns and wishes to destroy the village your master so desperately tried to protect.” I was determined to get his help. I knew his past now and I would use it to bring him back to the village, to find a new master.

“The darkness,” he looked away. “It ravished this land when the eternal dragon ruled it. It is his doing we are all like this.” His voice hissed with a long forgotten anger towards something deeper within his past that I had not seen. “You carry his taste, and his talismans.” He looked back at me. “Do you know what fate awaits you, young warrior.”

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“No,” I responded. “Now answer me. will you help them?”

The serpent shook his head. “I cannot if I do not find a suitable master and the rite of succession cannot be carried out without my previous master, so no.”

Larana was shaking her head. “Fang here will have to do.”

We both looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“All you need is someone strong enough to pass your power on to the next, he may not be your master, but his power is plentiful,” replied Larana.

“I’m confused,” I admitted.

“Take my sword and we’ll see.” The serpent looked back at his physical form. “Those who are not strong enough to wield my power, become sick just by the touch of my sword, an unfortunate side effect to being as powerful as I once was.” He sighed. “The rite of succession is simply the transfer of my power to the next master; it takes years of training from one master to the next to be able to use my power and only I can tell who is suitable.”

Without responding I walked up to the shrine, opening up the shutters to reveal it even more. It had been sat idle here for so long, the blade had begun to rust, with no master to take care of the form, I feared he would have eventually faded away into nothingness.

“Alex, you heard him,” said Brendan. “You really want to take that risk?”

“If it is to help this village and put a dampener on Dumah’s plans, then yes,” I nodded, reaching my hand out.

“Be warned master, he has quite the sting,” warned Larana.

“Sting,” I glanced at her.

“Since you will be taking up temporary ownership of him, you’ll have to make a connection, force one if necessary,” mentioned Larana.

“Are you sure he can?” wondered Brendan.

“Oh, he can,” nodded Larana.

I took in a breath. I had connected with Larana, and Mila so easily, how would this be any different and it left me wondering, how many talismans would I be capable of using.

“Here goes!” I grabbed hold of the sword’s hilt without a second’s hesitation, thinking I would be prepared for anything, but not for this.

As soon as my hand touched the hilt, a powerful pulse of power flowed painfully through my body. I wanted to pull away but forced myself to hold on tighter.

I slowly closed my eyes, letting my body absorb everything his power had to give. I sensed many things, his weakness to forming a new connection as it had been so long since he had made one, perhaps he was even scared to.

I saw the form of his power, it was so much bigger than mine, even though my power had grown since first receiving Larana. His power was just as big as hers, no wonder he had been so renown in the past.

His power seemed to shy away from mine, but I reached out faster, wrapping my will around his, even though this was going to be a temporary contract, I needed to make it stick.

As my power connected to his, my body became numb with pain, it felt he was still inflicted with some of the darkness, preventing me from making the final connection.

“A little more master,” encouraged Larana.

“AGH!” I cried out as I forced away the doubts of the serpent, opening my eyes I began to pull the sword from the pedestal, seeing the darkness swirling around the base, almost like it was trying to stop me from taking him, did the darkness fear the power of this talisman, just like those from the legend of Fang.

“I will be taking your power now!” I shouted struggling.

“Alex.” I could hear Brendan was concerned, but only I could do this.

“Stay back Brendan!” I raised my voice as the sword moved a little, then a little more.

Darkness began to rise all around me in a thick fog, this was what was keeping him here, a darkness that was placed within after he had been put her so long ago. I knew then, the forces of darkness had planned for his imprisonment, unable to protect the village, to willow away in doubt and hatred.

I stumbled back as the sword was released, slumped forward as the serpent encircled around me. I could feel his power within mine, it was powerful and immense. I felt I was only able to touch a small portion of it, enough for this connection to be made; I was just a tool for him to use until we discovered the one who was meant to be his true master, but this made me wonder what other talismans could I connect with?

“A most interesting boy, his power so calm, powerful, condensed so finely, if only you were meant to wield me, but others still await for you, to taste this power” he seemed intrigued by me but also disappointed. “It is just like being used by him again, learning like an infant how to even use my power.” His face came up beside my ear, whispering. “Can you name me?”

I straightened up holding up his sword. “Yuuma.”