Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Silence everyone! The General is about to speak!”

The announcement was followed by abrupt silence, as Skales slithered his way up to the icy pedestal, overlooking a big crowd of Hypnobrai. Once he reached the top, he took a moment to look over the crowd, who were eagerly waiting to hear him speak. It had been some time since the tribe had been gathered, with the last time being with the surprising, but fortunate visit of the Fangpyres. Thanks to his past friendship with their General, he had negotiated an alliance, and all there was left to do now was to proclaim their next course of action.

“Ssso…now that we are free from the meddling of the human boy, and with the sssupport of the Fangpyres, and their new vehiclesss, the Serpentine are stronger than ever!” Skales victoriously exclaimed, raising his staff high in the air, so all the other snakes could see it. 

The crowd of Hypnobrai in front of him erupted into joyful cheer. While most had been hesitant about the new alliance with the Fangpyres, it seemed that a nice speech was all that they needed to quell their uncertainty. Once the cheering started dying down, Skales took the chance to continue his speech, satisfied with the reaction he had managed to gain.

“Together, we can finally start taking revenge on the surface dwellers, for banishing us below ground, and trapping us in these tombs!”

The cheering returned, though the mentioning of revenge and surface dwellers together, made them practically roar in excitement. Skales could tell that the failed leadership of the Garmadon boy had left a bad taste in his fellow Hypnobrais' mouth and that they were waiting to finally do something more than childish activities. And Skales was more than happy to give it to them. Still…he was somewhat at a loss at what to do next. With the help of the Fangpyres, there was no limit to where they could go. But that just left him with too many choices. Not to speak of the troublesome ninja that had been hounding them ever since they escaped their imprisonment. He had considered it for a bit and concluded that perhaps it was best to leave the decision of what their first target should be, up to the tribe.

He waited once again for the cheering to die down, before continuing.

“Now, there is only one thing left to do, my fellow Hypnobrai: To discusss our first target! I’m willing to take sssuggestions.” He explained, before holding out a hand invitingly, waiting for the others to come up with ideas. 

The crowd at first reacted with confusion, before whispering between each other, trying to find the best idea. It took a bit of time before anyone spoke up, and to Skales' disappointment, the suggestion was less than idyllic.

“What if we attack the Jamanakai Village!?” One snake enthusiastically asked, with many other snakes nodding in agreement.

“That would be a good idea…if it wasn’t because we already did that.” Skales explained, trying his best to not sound too discouraging.

“Are there any other, sssuggestions?” He asked with a somewhat hopeful tone. He looked around the crowd, as the Hyponobrai spoke between themselves, the several whispering voices and conversations making it impossible to tell what was being spoken. Still, it didn’t take too long before another had an idea, standing at the back of the crowd, holding his hand up while desperately trying to get noticed.

“Uh, yes you, at the back! What do you sssuggest?”

“What if we build a tree fortress!” The snake joyfully said, and to Skales horror, many seemed to agree.

“No you idiot, we already did that! And it was immediately attacked by the ninja, and then destroyed, if you haven't already forgotten!” Skales angrily said, making the sad snake step back, disappearing between the crowd.

“Oh-oh, I know! What if we-” 

“Before you continue, is it something we already have tried and then sssubsequently failed?” 

The snake looked up at Skales for a moment, before looking down on the ground in shame.

“That'sss what I thought,” Skales muttered to himself, before looking back on the crowd, his enthusiasm now having been quickly used up. Before speaking, he let out a tired sigh and dragged a hand over his face, making no attempt at hiding his discontent.

“Isss there anyone with an idea we haven’t already tried!” Skales exclaimed with a bit of desperation, as he was starting to realize that being the general of the tribe wasn’t as great as he had thought it was. But he had fought for the right and won, so it was his responsibility nonetheless. 

Before any of the other serpents had the time to make any more suggestions, they were abruptly interrupted by the screaming of someone approaching the crowd. They all looked behind them, watching the figure coming closer.

“Someone's coming! Someone's coming!” The Hypnobrai yelled, making a direct beeline towards Skales, who immediately recognized them as one of the scouts sent to keep an eye on the entrance. 

“Who’sss coming?” Skales quickly asked, already considering the different possibilities.

Could it be the ninja? No, they couldn’t possibly be stupid enough to directly attack our headquarters. Perhaps the boy? No, he would be a fool to return here. Maybe it’s one of the other Serpentine tribes? The boy already released the Fangpyres, so maybe he’s already opened the other tombs. 

“I…I don’t know, but they're gonna be here soon!”

With that unhelpful answer, Skales’ speculations were left unsatisfied, and he knew that the only thing left to do was face their visitor, or visitors, head-on. 

“Warriorsss…to me!” Skales yelled, as he made his way down the pedestal, and through the crowd who opened up to let him pass. A few Serpentine quickly gathered their weapons and followed behind their leader, while the rest hanged back, curiously waiting to see what would unfold. As Skales got closer, he could hear the faintest sound of a voice calling out. He was relieved to know that he wasn’t dealing with an outright invasion. Still, it only made him more interested in who would dare to approach their ancient tomb. Luckily, he would soon find his answer.

As he made his way to the entrance, the voice started to become clearer, but he still couldn’t make out the words. It was only after having continued for a bit, that he suddenly stopped, surprising the snakes behind him. He then lifted an arm up, signaling them to be quiet. A thick layer of quietness filled the icy cavern, as both Skales and the other Serpentine listened intensely on, trying to decipher the visitor’s words. It took a moment, but soon enough the voice that echoed from the passage to the surface became understandable.

“Ooh, Slithraa! Slithraa where are you?” The peculiar voice continued asking, the voice only becoming louder, as the owner descended down. 

While Skales tried his best to prepare, he couldn’t help but be distracted by the fact that the voice seemed familiar somehow. Neither did the calling for Slithraa help with his focus. But he wouldn’t have to wait long before getting his answers, as the voice came closer and closer.

“Slithraa? Slithraa, I didn’t climb a mountain for you to hide away from me! At least do the courtesy of facing me! A little welcome wouldn’t hurt either.”

Then, the person finally descended from the passage, making Skales, and the rest of the Hypnobrai look on with both awe and uneasiness. The purple Serpentine, belonging to the Anacondrai Tribe, seemed to revel in the reaction his arrival caused. He took a moment to slither closer to the others, making sure that they could all see him. It was only then he seemed to acknowledge Skales' existence, spreading his arms out as a greeting.

“Oh Slithraa old chum, there you are! You wouldn’t believe how long it took me to-” 

The snake suddenly paused, seemingly having realized something. Probably the fact that he wasn’t talking to Slithraa. Slowly, his demeanor shifted from one of calm, collectedness, to one of curiosity and excitement. The transition was about as subtle as a child trying to lie.

“ Well now . You aren’t Slithraa, are you?” He asked with a slow, coy tone, now completely focused on the snake in front of him, and him alone.

Skales, who was less than thrilled with being mistaken as his old leader, couldn’t help but scoff at the Anacondrai’s question.

“No. I’m not.” He answered in a cold, harsh tone, hoping to make it clear that he wasn’t one to be disrespected. But the visitor seemed to deliberately ignore Skales annoyance, instead choosing to move closer, while eyeing him up and down. It took Skales a second, but he finally reacted and went into a defensive pose, with the warriors behind him following suit. Still, it didn’t seem to faze the Anacondrai.

“My my…if this isn’t a pleasant surprise!” He excitedly continued, with all of his apparent fellowship with the former Hypnobrai General conveniently vanishing. When he got too close for Skales' comfort, he raised his staff at the visitor, who tensed up and let out a quiet shriek. 

“What is your purpossse here! Uhh…” 

Skales threatening demeanor instantly vanished, as he realized that he still didn’t know who he was even talking to. Though he swore that he seemed familiar somehow. Sensing his uncertainty, the visitor sprang at the opportunity to introduce himself. And hopefully, also make Skales lower his staff.

“Oh, do excuse my poor manners. *Ahem* My name’s Pythor P. Chumsworth, at your service.” He then politely bowed, before looking back at Skales with a questioning look.

“And…you are?”

“....Skales.” The Hypnobrai General responded though he felt that his name sounded inadequate for some reason.

“Well that’s…certainly much easier to remember,” Pythor commented, before letting out a friendly chuckle. But guessing by the intense stares and the deafening silence, it did little to ease the tension. Instead, he decided that it would be best to try a more direct approach.

“Now, Skales , I have a little, proposition you could call it. And I would much rather prefer if I could tell you the details…alone.” 

Skales didn’t need to be a genius to figure out that it was less of a preference and more of a condition . He considered the possibility of just throwing the Anacondrai General out of his cave, but for some reason, he couldn’t explain, he felt that he at least needed to hear him out. As Pythor patiently waited for an answer, Skales looked behind him at his fellow Hypnobrai, as he pondered if it was worth the risk of being alone with the Anacondrai. After a few seconds, he let out a dissatisfied sigh and looked back at Pythor who raised an eyebrow at him, still waiting for his answer.

“Ugh…fine. But it better be important!” 

“Oh, trust me my dear Skales… it will be, ” Pythor responded, looking on with a gleeful grin as Skales signaled his tribe to back away, before leading the two of them through the cave. Skales got his fair share of looks from the other Hypnobrai, but he was content with the fact that they weren’t openly questioning him. Yet, at least. But the way Pythor had shown up without the rest of his tribe, made Skales think that there was something more than boldness involved. He couldn’t help but be intrigued at what the Anacodnroi was going to offer him.

They continued through the caves until they reached a secluded section, with a hole in the wall big enough to be considered a room. Immediately after stopping, Pythor started circling around Skales, looking him up and down with a predatory look in his eyes.

Skales took it as Pythor measuring him up, and in some form of either defiance or pride, he straightened his back, puffed up his chest, and held his head high. Though it did little to get a reaction out of Pythor, who continued observing Skales at his own pace.

“I must say, you are certainly something.” He said to himself, finally breaking the silence. But it still left Skales confused on what it was Pythor was trying to accomplish. His confusion wasn’t helped when instead of talking about his supposed offer, Pythor started small talking.

“It isn’t often you hear of a new Serpentine General. The last time I checked, It was still Slithraa who was in charge around here. Do tell me, did he perish in some unfortunate accident, or is he still scurrying about somewhere?”

“He’s ssstill here, sssomewhere. And before you ask, yesss, I earned this staff in the Slither Pit, fair and sssquare.”

“Of course, of course! I wouldn’t dare to question your capabilities if that is what you’re insinuating.” Pythor answered back, with Skale shaving a hard time figuring out whether he was being sincere or not. 

“And may I add, that I am happy about the change in management. Slithraa was, well…past his prime, one could say. The Serpentine is in dire need of… stronger leadership. And I think you could help me with that.” 

“...I’m not sssure that I follow,” Skales questioned. If he wasn't interested before, he certainly was now.

“Oh, you’re right, I’ve forgotten to fill you in.” 

Pythor then slithered up in front of Skales, making a dramatic pause before continuing.

“I’m planning a little…gathering for all the Serpentine tribes.” 

It was a short sentence, but only because Pythor knew he didn’t need to say more to surprise the Hypnobrai General. 

“Gathering the tribesss? Aren’t the rest ssstill trapped in their tombsss?”

“Not anymore! I’ve already managed to free the Constrictai and the Venomari, thanks to the help of a certain, acquaintance of ours.”

It took a moment for Skales to figure out who he was referring to.

“The Garmadon boy? You two freed the rest of the tribesss?” He asked, with a certain hint of disdain.

“Oh heavens no!” Pythor quickly exclaimed, with the same hint of disdain. “I stole the map leading to the tombs from that little brat as soon as I could and left him. He could be sitting in a ditch for all I care, and he’s certainly no longer of any importance to us now.” He explained, remembering fondly the boy’s face when he betrayed him. What he wouldn’t do to relive that moment again.

“But what is important is the fact that I have managed to convince the tribes to gather at a location, for…further discussion.”

“You did? What about your own tribe?”

“Oh, they’re gone. We were stuck in a tomb in the desert, and then came the starvation and ‘Only one can remain!’ et cetera et cetara, you can guess the rest.” He calmly explained, with about as much apathy as someone talking about food being dropped on the ground, to Skales' concern.

“Mildly speaking, they’re no longer in the picture. But you are.” 

Pyhtor then started moving closer to Skales, who didn’t know if he should be worried.

“And what do you need me for?” Skales asked, trying his best to not back away as the Anacondroi approached him.

“Well, from what I heard from the boy, you and the Fangpyres have become quite the pals. So all I need you to do, Skales, is speak to the Fangpyres for me, and convince them to meet at our gathering spot.” 

Pythor was standing right in front of Skales, when he suddenly placed his hands on the Hypnobrai’s shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes with a soft look, making a shiver crawl down Skales’ back. 

“Think you can do that for me?” Pythor asked with an innocent tone, though it was clear he was expecting to hear a yes. And that was what Skales was planning to say. He didn't know why, but there was something charismatic about Pythor that enthralled him. Just by looking at him, he could sense that the snake in front of him was planning something. Something big. And he wanted to be a part of it. 

“Yes…” Skales muttered, with a little bit of hesitation, if only to just keep his pride.

“Splendid!” Pyhtor excitingly exclaimed, before letting go of Skales’ shoulders. “Then tell them and your own tribe to meet me in the underground of Ninjago City. Trust me, it won’t be hard to find.” He then turned around and started slithering out of the room, leaving a befuddled Skales behind. 

“Hey! You can at least tell me what thisss is all about!” He yelled at Pythor, in some vain attempt to try and understand what he had gotten himself, and his tribe, involved in. But to his surprise, Pythor did stop in his tracks and seemed to ponder something. After a few seconds, he then turned around with a smug look on his face.

“Well, I was planning on keeping it a surprise… buuuut… I can make an exception. Just for you.” He answered, with an almost endearing tone. He then started moving closer, looking around cautiously, as if afraid that someone was listening to them. The curious Skales moved closer too, wondering what could possibly be worth dealing with the constant bickering between the different tribes. He would get his answer soon enough, as Pythor bent his head down to Skales’ ear, and whispered;

“ I’m going to unite the tribes -”

“WHAT?!” Skales shouted, barely giving Pythor the chance to finish his sentence.

“Be quiet!” Pythor commanded, the words seething out of his mouth, as he tried his best to keep his voice down. 

“It was hard enough convincing the other Generals to gather, without mentioning uniting the tribes. If it got out to the rest of the rabble, then it wouldn’t just be difficult, but nigh impossible! So do me the favor and keep your mouth in check.” 

Skales nodded reluctantly, not taking it kindly to Pythor giving him orders, but he had to admit that the snake did have a point. 

“Good.” The Anacondrai muttered, taking another look around to make sure that no one was nearby. When he was sure that no one had heard them, he wiped a bit of sweat off his brow, and let out a relieved sigh.

“Well, I got to get going. I have a meeting to set up. And don’t worry, you’re gonna learn more of my plans once we meet again.” 

Once again he started moving away, leaving an embarrassed Skales behind.

“Oh, and don’t worry, I remember the way out.” He quickly mentioned, while giving Skales a quick glance while leaving. But just before he left, he stopped all of a sudden, to Skales’ surprise. The same hesitation that Pythor showed before was back, and it seemed stronger than before. Skales couldn’t help but think that it seemed out of character for someone who represented themselves as confident as Pythor did. But he decided to stay anyway, waiting to see if Pythor was going to say anything. Then, the hesitation disappeared and Pythor looked back with a gentle, but unsure look on his face.

“And, also…*Ahem*...I can’t wait to see you again, Skales.” He said, in a surprisingly sincere tone, which left Skales with no idea of how he should respond. Luckily for him, he didn’t need to, as Pythor slithered away, leaving Skales alone. 

He stood for a few moments wondering what that was all about. He also wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into. But he would be lying if he said that he had something better to do. And besides that…he wouldn’t mind meeting Pyhtor again.

“Well…thisss is certainly gonna be interesting.”

Chapter Text

“Well, isn’t thisss just charming,” Skales muttered sarcastically as he slithered out of a hallway into an expansive, underground tram station. By the layer of dust and muck covering the walls and ground, he rightfully guessed that the place had been abandoned for a long time. He had to applaud Pythor for managing to find the most deserted place in the middle of a giant city filled with humans. Still, he wouldn’t have minded if it were just a tad bit cleaner. He had noticed that his new tail had the unfortunate habit of collecting dirt, so he didn’t dare to imagine what would get stuck under him in such a place. But it wouldn't be a good look for a Serpentine General to complain about something as benign as cleanliness, so he kept it to himself.

The station itself was currently filled with a few abandoned trams and a lot of Serpentine, from all the different tribes. With the exception being the ever-powerful Anacondrai. He had suspected that Pythor might have been joking or at least exaggerating their demise, but it seemed he spoke the truth. The Anacondriai were no more. Expect of course Pythor himself. Something that probably had lent a hand in helping him convince the tribes to gather.

He continued out of the tunnel which had to lead them to the station, with the rest of his tribe following lazily behind him. He had tried his best to convince them of the importance to meet up with the other tribes, but it hadn’t done much to change their stance toward the subject. And as Skales looked around the Serpentine, he could see that the feeling was mutual. Small time bickering and arguing filled the room, though he couldn't help but worry that it would escalate into something much more extreme, if not taken care of as soon as possible. 

It was only once he reached the center of the gathering, that he noticed the hostile stares from the other Serpentine tribes. Even his friendship with Fangtom did little to keep the Fangpyres from looking at them like enemies.

But Skales wasn’t that easily intimidated and kept his head held high, intentionally ignoring the myriad of eyes staring at him. He looked around for a bit, as he was unable to see the rest of the Generals. It was only after a moment, that he noticed a black tail sticking out from behind the broken down tram wagons. 

“Ssstay here, and try to mingle with rest. I have busssinesss to attend to.” Skales said to the other Hypnobrai, before slithering away.

“And under no circumssstance, ssstart a fight.” Skales commanded, looking back to receive a few affirming nods, though they looked less than pleased. 

As long as the other Generals keep their tribes in check, there shouldn’t be a problem. Hopefully. 

Skales thought to himself, as he continued on his way, passing through the crowd of Serpentine, who reluctantly moved to the side to make way for him. No matter which tribe he came from, he was still a General. And at that moment he couldn’t help but relish that fact, in an almost crude way, enjoying the sense of status and authority he carried. A sly, proud smile spread across his face as he went on his way.

It didn’t take long before he escaped the crowd, and made his way to the other Generals. Just as he had thought, once went behind the tram wagons, he recognized the familiar faces of the other Serpentine Generals standing together in a circle. There was Skalidor, Acidicus, and of course, Fangtom, who he had convinced to join the gathering with the rest of his tribe. Skales had been surprised by Fangtom’s willingness to come, though he had always been the more daring one between them.

“SKALES!!!” Both of Fangtom’s heads called out in excitement, seemingly haven missed some friendly company. 

“Fangtom!” Skales shouted back, as he slithered towards the group, with the other two Generals looking at each other, confused. 

“I was worried that you- weren’t gonna come ,” Fangtom commented as Skales went up to his side.

“And leave you alone with these snakesss? Not a chance!” He jokingly answered back, earning a hard stare from the other two.

“You’re not Slithraa,” Acidicus said, with a hint of spite in his voice.

“Yeah, who are you supposed to be?” Skalidor chimed in, pointing his staff accusingly at Skales, who just looked at the two with a disinterested expression.

“You’re right, I’m not Ssslithraa. I’m Ssskalesss. Current General of the Hypnobrai.”

Skalidor stared at Skales with a curious look, before being hit by a realization.

“Wait, now I remember you! Aren’t you Slithraa’s little second-in-command?”

“ Were hisss sssecond-in-command…There wasss a little, change of management, you could call it.” Skales explained, with a casual tone in his voice. Skalidor and Acidicus looked at each other unsure of what they were supposed to think. Just as before, Acidicus was the first to break the silence.

“Well…It HAS been some time since a new General has been chosen.” He hesitantly said, looking over at Skalidor.

“Maybe. And if this wimp could defeat Slithraa-” Skalidor pointed at Skales, who had to keep down an insulted gasp. “-Then I guess he didn’t deserve the staff after all, hehe.” He finished, letting out a chuckle.

“Who are you calling a wimp!” Skales asked, infuriated. He moved a bit closer to the Constrictai General, tightening his grip around his staff.

Skalidor turned his attention back to Skales, with a mocking grin on his face,

“Oh, does the new General want to fight a REAL warrior, huh?! Or are you just gonna try to hypnotize me, you cowardly snake!” He asked threateningly, also holding his staff ready for a fight, while closing the gap between the two of them.

“I’m ssstarting to think all that dirt in your earsss hasss ssstarted to make itsss way into your brain, numbssskull !” Skales said back, his eyes staring like daggers at Skalidor. The two of them were soon so close that they were nearly butting their heads together.

As they hissed at each other, the two other Generals joined in, with Acidicus supporting Skalidor, and Fangtom of course backing up Skales. But before they had the chance to start a fight, they were interrupted by the sound of a posh voice coming from the shadows.

“Now now, settle down. It wouldn't be a very good example for the warriors to see their Generals fighting amongst each other like common rascals, now would it?” Pythor said as he emerged from the darkness, with his entrance being more than enough to make the Generals pause their argument. As Pythor fully revealed himself, Skales wondered whether he had used invisibility to sneak up on them, or if he had just always been standing in the corner, observing them. Either theory seemed possible.

Skales and Skalidor separated as Pythor moved over to them, both unsure of whether they should feel embarrassed, or annoyed that their fight had been interrupted. As they stood and pondered that question, Pythor seemed to do a little headcount in his head, before his dark pink eyes fell solely on Skales.

“Skales, my friend! I was wondering when you were gonna show up. Can’t have a meeting between the Serpentine without the Hypnobrai, now can we?” He asked, seemingly trying to justify his interest in Skales specifically, looking between the Generals, who all replied with hesitant nods.

“Well, I wasss curiousss to sssee what you were planning, Pythor. Gathering the tribesss isss not sssomething that happensss often.” Skales commented, feeling the same need to justify himself, though he wasn't exactly sure why. For some reason, he was starting to feel nervous, and his certainty was starting to shrink. It was only once he locked eyes with Pythor’s eyes, that he realized that it was the purple snake’s stare that made him feel that way.

“Oh, and see my plan you will Skales. Soon you all will.” Pythor answered, with an ominous tone, sending a slight shiver down Skales’ back. Whether it was a threat or not, it sure felt like one.

“Which does remind me, Skales, would you mind joining me for a moment, when you have the time? There are a few things I do wish to… discuss with you.” The Anacondrai asked and before even getting an answer, he started slithering behind the wagons, to a little spot he had all for himself to prepare. Just as Skales was about to say something, Pythor looked back for but a moment.

“Oh, and please, don’t keep me waiting.” He muttered as though it was a given, before finally disappearing. Skales stood for a moment, with no idea of what to say. Though Pythor was gone, he could still feel the remains of the uncertainty that the serpent had filled him with. He wasn’t sure why, but that just made him more convinced that he should just shake off the feeling, or try to ignore it. He wasn’t about to be frightened by some snake. Anacondrai or not.

He quickly regained the posture he had lost before and started making his way over to Pythor. But as he was going, he couldn’t help but overhear Skalidor.

“Huh…Seems Pythor has a little favorite .” He tauntingly said, making Skales stop in his tracks. 

“What’sss THAT sssupposed to mean?!” The Hypnobrai angrily questioned the General, who gave him a mocking smile in return.

“It’s true. It seems that Pythor has picked you out from the rest of us…rather unceremoniously I must say.” Acidicus interjected, once again backing up Skalidor.

“WHAT?! Ridiculous!” Skales said though it sounded a bit like denial. When it didn’t seem to convince them, Skales turned to Fangtom, hoping to get some support from his old friend.

“Don’t tell me you believe this nonsense!” 

“...Uhm…I’m sorry Skales- but they do seem to correct- on this matter.” Fangtom replied with a bit of hesitancy, very much to Skales’ disappointment.

“All I know is that I sure wasn’t asked to discuss anything with Pythor privately. But apparently, you get a special discussion, unlike the rest of us. How do you explain that, Skales ?” Skalidor asked, his hostility clear in his voice, leaving the other two to wait anxiously for a reply from Skales. He looked around nervously, feeling like he was being corned from all sides. But soon enough he swallowed his nervousness and pulled himself together. He raised his head high, before answering.

“Well, then it must be because he seesss sssomething in me that distinguishesss me from the rest of you. Perhaps it’sss because I have just recently replaced my former General, and have proven myself a true leader of the Hypnobrai. Maybe if you had any new accomplishmentsss to show off, then Pythor would probably be more than happy to choose you over me. But until then, I’m sssure he’s sssimply just impressed by my deedsss.” 

As Skales finished he stood silent for a few seconds with a content smile on his face, happy that he was able to push his exploits into the faces of the others. Though the moment was soon ruined, as a mischievous Fangtom couldn’t help but let a comment slip from his lips.

“Or perhaps he was impressed- by something else, hmm? …” He said, with a teasing tone, barely able to hold back his snickering.

While Skales was confused at first, but with Fangtom’s chuckling, it didn’t take him long to figure out that he was being mocked.

“What’sss that sssupposed to mean?!” He asked threateningly, trying to make Fangtom shut his mouth before he said anything else. But it was already too late, as he could hear the snickering from the other two Generals behind him. 

“What are you laughing at!” Skales continued, trying to fight on two fronts, but they just chuckled in his face, trying their best to hold back all-out laughter.

“Please Skales, you should take it- as a compliment that he’s SIMPLY dazzled -by your…great looks .” Fangtom continued, the teasing tone still there. It was only after that sentence that Skales fully understood what it was that Fangtom was implying. Though he could have done without the knowledge, as it did nothing but make him blush against his will, humiliating him even further. 

As he looked between Fangtom, Skalidor, and Acidicus, he made the decision to leave, thereby taking away their chance to mock him anymore. With a single angry hiss toward each of the chuckling snakes, he made his way toward Pythor’s spot, with all-out laughter abrupting behind him. He muttered angrily to himself as he tried his best to make his blush disappear, practically trying to rub it off his face. It was no way for a Serpentine General to blush like some fool, especially not in front of others of equal rank. And Skales believed that he should know better than let himself be so easily disrupted by those snakes. They were simply jealous that he had gained influence with Pythor, where they had failed. After all, having the last living Anacondrai on one’s side was something that one could only dream of. And if he had it, then why should he care for the opinion and mockery of the other Generals?

He slithered past the abandoned wreckages and immediately recognized Pythor, who stood and was seemingly talking to one of the windows from the tram wagons. Skales made the professional assumption that he was just practicing a speech. And if not, then he was just insane. Which Skales wasn’t entirely willing to rule out yet. 

Just before Skales approached, Pythor seemed to notice his presence and turned his head to look at him.

“Ah, Skales, there you are! I was starting to get worried that I would have to drag you back with here with me.” Pythor said, intentionally disregarding his rather strange statement.

Paying no heed to Pythor’s words, Skales quickly adjusted himself and cleared his throat.

“I wasss…held back by sssome conversation with the other Generalsss. You know how they are, childish amateursss. If you would ask for my opinion, I would sssay that most of them aren’t even competent enough to be Generals, and that’s not even mentioning their…”

Skales found himself without words, as he looked up. While he had been talking, Pythor had made his way over to him and had gotten nearly too close for comfort. But the part that left Skales flabbergasted was the way that Pythor held his head over his, showing how much he towered over him. While Skales had noticed that his long neck had made him especially tall, even compared to other Serpentine, it was only now that he could truly feel the difference. His Anacondrai physique didn’t help matters either. Even if he was slim by their standards.

And as Skales looked up at Pythor, he just stared back at him in silence, with a strange smile on his face, that Skales couldn’t quite figure out. He tried to speak, but his mouth failed him, and all he managed was clumsily moving his mouth up and down. Even though the situation mirrored the one back at the icy caverns, he couldn’t help but feel that this time he was being overwhelmed. As his heart raced, and his breathing got unsteady, he wondered how Pythor was able to make him like that. He was the Hypnobrai, HE was supposed to be the one in control, yet he felt himself completely lose control of his body. Was it Pythor’s presence, his charisma, or just his sheer authority that gave him control over him? Skales had no idea.

“U-uhm…” Skales managed to finally push through his mouth, though he instantly regretted how pitiful it made him sound. But whether it was because of that or something else, Pythor finally moved away from him, withdrawing his grasp over the Hypnobrai.

“You know, normally I would be utterly intrigued in hearing all about your opinions…but, I got something to take care of, so unfortunately I don’t want to hear it,” Pythor said nonchalantly while turning back to the window, ignoring whatever had happened just before. And Skales wasn’t sure if that should make him worried or if he should be thankful.

“I just wanted you to hear a little summary of what I’m planning to do. Whether you agree or not…isn’t important.” He continued, making it clear in his voice that he wasn’t going to tolerate any criticisms of his plans.

The Hypnobrai was still shaken up from the encounter and needed a few seconds to compose himself. It was only then he was able to reply, trying to make sure that it didn’t seem like he had been affected by Pythor.

“...If my opinion isss of ssso little interest to you, then why even discusss it with me?”

“Well, I have informed the other Generals of the plan already, so really I just needed to inform you as well. After all, your and the others’ support is integral to my great plan. And if you’re wondering why I’m telling you privately, well…” Pythor turned around to look at him head-on.

“It was because I wanted to.” He slowly said, in a tone that Skales thought made it sound like Pythor was aware of something he wasn’t.

“Ssso…go on and tell me,” Skales uttered somewhat harshly, being tired of feeling like he was being played with, something that Pythor seemed experienced in.

“Oh, it’s all quite simple. I make quite the charming speech to win over the crowd, you all just play along, and before you know it, the Serpentine are united once again. Under me of course.” 

As Pythor told his plan, it became clear to Skales that Pythor seemed to see no fault in his plan whatsoever, even as simple as it was, and the glaring problems it had. And people dare call Skales arrogant.

“That’sss it? You just make a nice ssspeech for the massesss, and sssuddenly they’re all just gonna bow down before you and sssettle their differencesss, and unite?!” Skales ranted, suddenly wondering why he had even for a moment been nervous around such a fool.

“I thought I told you that I didn’t care to hear your opinion!” Pythor retorted, clearly frustrated, though he was willing to let the transgression go for now.

“But trust me, you’re gonna be surprised at how much a few words can do.” Pythor continued, slithering over to the window for the final time, giving himself a short moment to observe his reflection.

“You'll have to use more than words, to bring the Serpentine together.” Skales coldly commented, though it seemed to have little effect on Pythor, who turned to face him.

“All I have to do is show them the way,” Pyhtor replied, with a mystifying tone in his voice, making Skales wonder what exactly he was meaning by that.

“They’re ready for you, Pythor.” Acidicus declared, who had snuck his way over to them. Judging by the voices coming from the crowd, Skales wouldn’t exactly say that they sounded ready.

“Ah, showtime,” Pythor muttered, before making his way up a ramp, to the top of one of the wagons. Skales noticed the other Generals doing the same, so he followed suit. 

He found himself behind Pythor as he made his speech. Whatever goodwill Skales had to Pythor’s plan was immediately ruined by the bad jokes that followed. He was thankful that Pythor didn’t mention anything about laughing at his jokes. But he couldn’t help but notice that somehow…the speech was working. Just before the crowd had all been at each other's throats, and then they were suddenly laughing together. Though Skales couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at seeing his fellow Serpentine laughing at Pythor's jokes. But he couldn’t deny it. It was working. For once the Serpentine ever since arriving looked…unified. Skales was just about to accept that Pythor’s plan was going to work when suddenly chaos started erupting amongst the crowd. He couldn’t hear or see what was happening, but looking at the reactions coming from the crowd, he could guess that it was making them turn against each other. Which seemed just a tad suspicious.

“What’s going on? Why am I losing them?!” Pythor frantically asked Skales, for some reason turning to him for an explanation. Surprised at first by the question, all he could do was shrug, but then he heard the sound of running near them, he looked to his side and noticed one of the troublesome ninjas running along a walkway.

“Ninja!” He exclaimed, pointing over to the walkway, but by that time the ninja was already gone. Against his better judgment, he decided to help Pythor. He wanted to see whether Pythor’s plan could really work.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” He said, before turning around and slithering away, already having an idea on how to deal with the ninja.

Just as he had suspected, it didn’t take long before they were found and captured. Well, all except one.

“Did you take care of them?” Pyhtor asked, as Skales slithered back up to him, clearly troubled at the development, and interruption of his speech. Even Skales could see that the crowd was about to split apart.

“All but one.” Skales declared, before making a gesture to some Serpentine warriors, making them show Pythor the tied-up and defenseless ninjas. But it seemed Pythor still wasn’t satisfied.

“Search every nook and cranny! If he's a ninja, you'll never find him in plain sight.” 

“Look, a Pink Ninja!” They both heard one of the Serpentine’s yell, and before they knew it, they were looking at a pink ninja swinging around on ropes. Both were so confused at what was going on, that they didn’t even have time to dodge, when he came swinging down on them, pushing them off the wagon.

Skales found himself a little dizzy from the fall and was unable to focus. But he was surprised at how soft the floor was. He then realized that he must have landed on something. Something soft. And warm. Something that for some reason made him feel calm. He blinked a few times before his vision came back to him, and when he looked straight in front of him, he was met by Pyhtor’s face, just a few centimeters away from his face.

“While I wouldn’t say that I hate the sight of you laying on me, I would much rather that you CATCH THE NINJA!!!” Pythor yelled in his face, leaving poor Skales unable to respond to or comprehend what Pythor had said. Neither did it help that Pythor then immediately pushed Skales off him, and started slithering as fast as he could after the Serpentine that was running after the ninja.

As Skales was on the floor, he needed a few seconds to gather himself before he could get up again. He wasn’t even going to try and think about what Pythor had said. 

Once he got up, he started running after Pythor, managing to quickly catch up with him. Before he knew it, they were in one of the corridors, following with a group of Serpentine. It seemed like they would be able to catch the ninja when it suddenly got very cold. And then ice appeared on the walls, floor, and ceiling. They, along with the others, tried desperately to continue the chase but found themselves practically unable to stand up. Skales managed to keep his balance, but Pythor was less lucky, falling down on the floor, before trying to get up again. As he did Skales looked at the corridor filled with angry and fallen Serpentine, and could already imagine the arguing that would follow. 

“You'll have to do better than that to unite the tribes,” Skales said while grabbing Pyhtor’s arm, trying to keep both him and himself steady. He wasn’t sure whether he was warning Pythor, or just telling him ‘I told you so’. Though he maybe should have just kept his mouth shut, as while he was yanking his arm away, Pythor dramatically yelled out at the top of his lungs in Skales’ face;

“GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME !!!”

Chapter Text

“What is the meaning of this!” Yelled an annoyed Hypnobrai warrior at Skales, who didn’t appreciate the open hostility.

“Sssilence! I have made my decision, and that’s final!” Skales yelled back, emphasizing his declaration beforehand. 

He knew that his decision would cause a bit of an uproar amongst his warriors, but he hadn’t expected that they speak their grievances right to his face. But he couldn’t blame them. After the disaster that was Pythor’s ‘meeting’, his announcement that he would be searching for the lost city of Ouroboros was beyond bold. It didn't help either that he had asked for assistance on his endeavor, only to be met by silence. Soon after that the other Generals and their tribes left the tram station to keep themselves from attacking each other, leaving only Pythor and the Hypbnobrai. Still, it didn’t seem to break his spirit, as he continued with the preparations.

“But, but…we don’t understand, why would you go with that Anacondrai!” Yelled another warrior, who had pushed himself in front of the crowd gathered around the General.

“Yeah! The whole meeting was a catastrophe, and now you’re going to go with him for what? To look for some long-lost city?!” Spoke another, earning some agreeing shouts from like-minded Serpentine. 

“Can you even trust that snake?! I’d say we leave him to his crazy plans, and go our way! He can look around all of Ninjago for all I care!” Another shouted, soon followed by other voices with the same frustrations. 

At that point, Skales had gotten tired of all the yelling, and with an angry huff, he stomped his staff on the ground, sending the sound echoing throughout the tunnels, and making the Hypnobrai silent.

“Enough! I don’t want to hear any more of your mistrustful commentsss toward me! I’m going to go with Pythor, which most likely means I'll be gone for a couple of daysss. You are to go to the tomb and ssstay there until further notice. Isss that understood!” He explained to them, waiting for them to answer with an angry scowl on his face. After a few seconds of looking and talking between themselves, a few in the front reluctantly muttered “Understood…”

“Good. Now go.” Skales said, before turning around and slithering away from the crowd.

“Wait!” Shouted a Hypnobrai, making Skales stop in his tracks.

“Who will lead us in the meantime?” He continued, making Skales turn to face the crowd again while trying his best to keep down a surprised look, as he had genuinely forgotten to leave someone in charge while he was gone. 

He looked around the crowd, wondering who he should pick. The first face he noticed was Slithraa’s, though he wasn’t stupid enough to leave him in charge. Not while being as unpopular as he was currently. The more he thought about who to choose, the more it became clear that the only one who really came to mind was Mezmo. Skales wasn’t exactly sure he was the most trustworthy type, but if he had to make the choice, it would be him.

“Mezmo ssshall lead you while I’m gone!” He declared, before moving back to the crowd, where Mezmo stepped forward, lacking the same surprised look on the other Serpentines' faces. Skales went right in front of him and made direct eye contact before directly addressing him.

“I expect that there won’t be any trouble while I’m gone.” He said quietly, as the words were only intended for Mezmo.

“No need to worry…General.” The Serpentine said back, though Skales had a hard time discerning whether he was being genuine.

“Just you remember, that I’m not Sssithraa…I won't be asss easily defeated if any thoughtsss of treachery ssshould come to you.”

“Hah, please! I’ve made a call back there at the caves, and no matter what you think, I intend to stick to it…for better or worse.” He answered confidently while crossing his arms, making no attempt to keep his voice down.

Skales stared at him wordlessly, assessing if it was worth the risk of leaving him in charge of the tribe. Not that it mattered, since he had already made the announcement, and it wouldn't be a good look to back away from it so suddenly.

“Just watch yourself, Mezmo,” Skales muttered as a final goodbye, before turning around and slithering away again. As he did, the group once again started muttering with each other, while Mezmo stood silently, watching Skales as he was leaving. Meanwhile, Slithraa made his way through the crowd and walked over to the proud snake.

“Don’t even try,” Memzo said harshly before Slithraa even had the chance to speak.

“I didn’t support your removal from power, just to put you right back the moment opportunity shows itself,”

Slithraa stood slightly speechless, considering what to say to get back at the old snake. But surprisingly enough, he decided to let it go, and instead sighed in disapproval.

“Do you truly think ssso little of me? Not that it mattersss. Just to be clear, I have no intention of taking back the position of General.”

“Really? Why not? You were a good General…for a time. And I would expect you to want revenge on Skales for humiliating you in the Slither Pit.” Mezmo said quite brazenly, making Slithraa wonder whether he was encouraging him, or just stating his thoughts.

“Oh please, I was done being General sssome time ago. Right now, I quite enjoy being free from all those responsibilitiesss that followed that accursed staff.”

Slithraa then turned his head to look at Skales, who soon would disappear from view.

“Though I’m sssure he will find out sssoon enough.” He said, somewhat cryptically, making Mezmo give him a confused look, before shaking his head and turning to face the crowd.

“All right everyone, you all heard the General! Get moving, we’re going back to the tomb!”

Some unenthusiastic murmurs could be heard, but sure enough, the crowd started moving through the tunnel, with Mezmo starting to follow them while making his way to the front. Slithraa stood and looked at Skales, right until he disappeared into another tunnel. He stood still for a few moments, before turning around and walking over to join up with the others.

“Sssoon enough.”

Skales went through the different tunnels, keeping an eye out for Pythor. He had said if anyone wanted to join him, they could meet him at a specific spot. Apparently, he had some businesses on the surface he had to see to before he could leave. From the disinterested looks on the other Serpentine when Pythor declared his plan, Skales didn't expect that anyone else would join him. It took a bit of time, but soon enough he found the meeting spot. Some kind of intersection between the different tunnels. And there wasn’t a soul. Even Pythor wasn’t there.

He better not have left already, or else I’m going to beat that arrogant smirk off his face the next time I see him! Oh, that would just be perfect, wouldn’t it? That I would be forced to crawl back to the tomb just to say that he had gone without me. I would be the laughing stock of the entire tribe. Skales thought to himself, as he stood and waited. 

He did consider the possibility that he wouldn’t be in such a situation if only he had announced to Pythor that he would be joining him before he left. But remembering the angry looks on the other Serpentine’s faces made him realize he had made the right choice. Until Pythor had something to show, officially joining up with him wouldn’t put him in such a good light with the other tribes. Or even his own for that matter. 

But such thoughts only made him further questions what he was even doing. Why was he waiting for Pythor of all people? He had proven himself somewhat capable, but he was most likely as deceiving as he was cunning. So what was he doing in some damp tunnels waiting for that devious snake? He had to keep that question on hold, as his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of cheerful humming, coming from one of the tunnels. 

It didn’t take long before Pythor came out, still humming, holding two spades and a bucket under his arm. He then stopped and looked around, with a somewhat surprised look on his face before his eye landed on Skales.

“Well…seems you were the only one to show up. How typical.” He said with a hint of disdain in his voice, though Skales could guess that Pythor had expected no one to show up. But he couldn’t say if Pythor was surprised to see him.

“It ssseems ssso. You weren’t exactly the most popular sssnake after that fiasco of a meeting.”

“It wasn’t a fiasco! It would have worked perfectly if only those meddlesome ninjas hadn’t shown up!” Pythor said back, clearly still frustrated over the night before, though he tried to hide it. And Skales did agree with him. If those ninjas hadn't come, Skales was sure that his speech could have won over some, if not all of the tribes.

Just after having said that, Pythor seemed to be hit by a little realization, and he straightened his back and cleared his throat.

“But, I see you’re point. Last night could certainly be… perceived as a failure, but, no matter! We should probably get going, and besides that, it would be counter-productive to argue about such things. After all, we have a long trip ahead of us.” 

Pythor then was about to turn around, before stopping, as if he just remembered some inconvenient detail.

“That is, under the assumption that you’re going to join me?” He asked, looking at Skales with a mysterious glint in his eyes as if he was trying to guess his answer before he even said anything.

It was just then that Skales noticed the tools Pythor held under his arm, which only piqued his interest even more.

“I’m certainly considering joining you…but I would like to hear where you’re going fírst, before deciding.”

“Oh, that won’t be a problem. To put it simply, I’m going to the Lost City of Ouroboros.” He said casually as if disregarding the small detail that it was a ‘lost’ city.

“I know that part, but I’m wondering where it isss.”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Come now, I’ll fill you in with the rest of the details on the way.” Pythor finally turned around and signaled Skales with a disingenuous hand wave to follow him, before going through one of the tunnels. It was only after a moment that Skales realized that he wasn’t going stop…or tell him anything else. Unless of course, he followed him.

“Hey! You didn’t tell me…ugh!” 

Skales then, with a defeated posture, slithered after Pythor, with no idea of where they were even going, or what it was Pythor was even trying to accomplish. But for some reason, he still followed him.

Right outside of Ninjago City, on a road leading to the Sea of Sand, a sewer grate was violently pushed off, with Pythor and Skales crawling through it. Pyhtor didn’t seem bothered by their trip through the sewers, but the same couldn’t be said for Skales.

“Did we really need to go a mile through a sssewer sssystem to get here?!” Skales angrily asked Pythor, as he looked with distress at his body and tail, trying to see if he could spot anything filthy stuck to him.

“Unless you would rather be hounded by the denizens of Ninjago City, or ambushed by the ninja, I would ask you to stop complaining and get going,” Pythor answered harshly, before starting to slither down the road. Skales muttered something and checked himself a final time, before joining up with Pythor. As they went on their way, Skales quickly started feeling the silence between them weighing him down. He hadn't exactly thought far enough ahead to think of conversation topics. Not that Pythor seemed to mind, he seemed quite content with the situation at hand. Skales wondered if he was planning on them wandering in complete silence the entire journey. He tried at first to endure it, but in the end, found the deafening quietness suffocating.

“Ssso…where did you come acrosss information on Ouroborosss?” The Hypnobrai asked, unable to hide his awkwardness.

“Oh, I heard it from a…well, let's call it a ‘reliable’ source,” Pythor answered without even glancing at Skales.

“Not that you should worry about that. I know precisely where we’re going.” He continued, with the smug tone only he could pull off, very much to Skales’ annoyance.

“You told me you would tell me the detailsss of your plan once we got going, ssso I would sssay that it's sssomething I’m worried about.” 

“Ugh, if you must know,” Pythor muttered just loud enough for Skales to hear, before turning his head to finally look at him.

“Since my grand speech wasn’t enough to bring together those dim-headed serpentine, I started to wonder what would bring them together. Then it came to me. I would need a symbol! One grand at that. And what’s a grander symbol than the Lost City of Ouroboros?” 

“ IF we find it, that isss,” Skales said, with a sharp tone in his voice, something that Pythor didn’t find very amusing.

“You doubt me ?” He asked dramatically, making it unclear if the shock in his voice was genuine or not.

“Just wait till we find the city itself, and when we reach that point, I would suggest your reconsider your tone.” Pyhtor declared before turning his gaze back onto the road.

“Whatever you sssay.” Skales muttered to himself. Just because he was following Pythor, didn’t mean he was going to let him get away with his excessive gloating.

An hour or two later, they had gotten a few miles away from the city, though there still was a road to follow. Considering that they were heading to a desert, Skales didn’t think that there would be a road to follow much longer. The sun had finally risen above the horizon and was shining brightly upon the landscape. The heat was nothing to scoff at, but since the two of them were Serpentine, they both relished in the warmth of the sun. Especially Skales couldn’t help but take in and savor the warming rays. He had been locked in that cold tomb for decades, and even once he had gotten out, he hadn't properly been able to enjoy the sun. It was only there on the road, he remembered how much he had missed the sensation on his scales.

It was while he relished the sun's rays, that Pythor started glancing over at Skales, with a bit of a curious look, though Skales didn’t notice.

“I can see why they call you ‘Skales’.” He said out of the blue, pulling Skales out of the trance-like state he had gotten himself in.

“What?” Skales asked, genuinely confused at why Pythor would say something like that so suddenly.

“It’s your scales,” Pythor stated quite causally, gesturing him to look at himself. Skales did, and besides his scales glistering a bit more than Pythor’s, he couldn’t see anything that would be worth him being named after.

“They have this, shining complexion I can’t quite put my finger on. But it’s definitely very enchanting. Not to speak of the pattern, I mean, I haven't seen something like that for ages!” Pythor cheerfully explained, in a friendly manner that Skales had only caught a glimpse of in their earlier conversations. It sounded like the voice of a happier person that had been hidden deep in oneself, only allowed to surface on very rare occasions. For some reason, the Anacondrai’s compliments made him feel embarrassed, though he tried his best to hide it.

“Well, I haven’t really thought about it that much.” He quickly sputtered out, worried that his voice would crack if he spoke for too long. He also averted his eyes away from Pythor, worried that his composure would break even further if he locked eyes with the snake. Still, it didn’t stop Pythor from looking at him.

“That's a shame. Perhaps you should. Take it from me, I would certainly say that you’re very… striking .” Pythor claimed, in a very dubious tone, though Skales could sense that it was meant to be more affectionate than degrading. Which he didn’t know quite know how to feel about. He had thrown him a few underhanded compliments before, that Skales did know, but it was the first time it had been so blatant.

“.....” Skales didn’t have the slightest idea of how to respond, looking around nervously instead as if trying to ignore Pythor. Something the serpent seemed to find much more gratifying than a ‘thank you’. So much so, that he couldn’t help but comment on it.

“Please, you don’t need to get so flustered! I’m flattered, but honestly, I thought that the great Hypnobrai general could handle a little admiration!” He commented teasingly, earning an irritated expression from Skales who finally turned his eyes back to Pythor.

“I am not flustered!” He responded aggressively, with a slight blush on his cheeks, not helping with proving his point. Something he almost immediately realized from looking at Pythor’s self-satisfied smirk. He almost immediately backed away from his aggressive stance and changed into a more defensive tone.

“I’m sssimply not…used to complimentsss on my looksss, that’s all!” Skales explained though it did little to alleviate his embarrassment. Which didn’t just come from Pyhtor’s comments, but also from his own reaction to those comments. He was Serpentine General after all, and yet there he was, making a scene just because of a few comments. It was humiliating. Even having to utter such a phrase at all sent a wave of dread through him, and all he wished for at the moment was to hide away in some hole and forget his shame.

“Oh, come now, cheer up will you? We still have a journey ahead of us, so it’s no use getting all crossed at me.” Pythor replied, before turning his head towards the road again. 

But the silence that followed didn’t last very long, as there was again something that Pythor couldn’t help but point out.

“As you most likely remember, you were the only Serpentine to follow me out here.” He stated, without turning his head, leaving Skales to look at him puzzled, as he wondered if it was a trick question or just a strange statement.

“Out of all the others, you, someone I barely have interacted with, chose to go with me.” Pythor continued, before looking back at the Hypnobrai, with an expression that almost mirrored the same confusion on Skales’ face.

“ Why ?” He asked, prolonging the word as if to help emphasize his question. 

Skales couldn’t help but find himself dumbfounded. He had asked himself the same question a few times but had conveniently decided to push it to the side. If he decided to not think about it too much, he could easily just say that it was because he saw potential in Pythor’s plans. But that wouldn’t explain the turmoil he was feeling inside. Not to forget that Pythor had only had two plans so far, and the first one had ended up as a complete flop, so that argument wouldn’t even make sense. No, there wasn’t any easy way for him to explain it. He was simply just…drawn to Pythor. Whether it was his never-ending confidence or his cunning words, Skales couldn't help but want to see what he next had in store.

“I…I wanted to sssee what you would do next.” He replied, somewhat sheepishly. Pyhtor gave him a surprised glance, though he didn’t say anything.

“Besides, it would certainly be sssomething to sssee the Lost City. If it even existsss, that isss.” Skales resumed, in a somewhat mocking tone, hoping that it would make Pythor forget his question. 

“Oh, don’t worry my disloyal number two, we are sure to find it, and then I hopefully can be free from your constant skepticism,” Pythor remarked, most likely catching on to the bait. Skales would have been more than happy to leave it at that and continue in silence. But there was something he just couldn’t let go of.

“Wait, did you just call me…your ‘ number two ’?” Skales asked, the disgust clear in his voice. Something that seemed to delight the Anacondrai.

“Yes, what else could I call you, when you’re so adamant in following behind me like a good little soldier? And if you learned to keep your mouth shut, well then, you could become the finest follower a General could ask for!” Pythor explained, his voice just the right mix of sincerity and ridicule, to make Skales’ blood boil.

“I hope I don’t have to remind you I’m a General, just asss you! You have no right to addresss me in sssuch a way. Whatever little interest I have in you isss already on thin ice, ssso I would sssuggest that you watch your tongue!” 

“Oh, so fiery!” Pythor joyfully exclaimed as if he was reveling in Skales’ anger, which predictably enough, only made Skales angrier. 

“But I thought that you already had served as someone’s loyal underling. Though, the ‘loyal’ part isn’t so true anymore, is it?” Pythor said, practically shoving his self-satisfied smirk into the Hypnobrai’s face, which contradicted Skales' grim expression.

“Maybe I wasss once sssomeone else's sssecond-in-command, but not anymore. I’m done being controlled by anyone but me! I have proven myself more capable than the one who wasss sssupposedly ‘above me’, and thisss staff isss a testament to that!”

“Perhaps. But a staff and a nice, long tail might make someone a General…but it doesn't make one a leader.” Pythor coldly explained, with a surprisingly sharp tone, the words piercing through Skales. Then as a final act, he turned his attention away from the Hypbonbrai, leaving him to ponder Pythor’s words in silence. 

His statement had made Skales lose all his fury and his energy, leaving him in a weakened state as if he had just been punched in the gut. He wanted to let it go, but the words contained haunting him. Perhaps because it was what he was fearing. After all, all he had known was following Slithraa’s orders. He might have hated being controlled by someone else, and ignored a command here and there for the sake of victory but never had he done something as bold as when he usurped Slithraa’s position. Besides remembering how his former General used to rule, he had little experience in leading a tribe. Yet a General he had become, and the responsibility for his whole tribe had been laid on him. And there wasn’t much he could do about it.

They continued on their way for a few more miles, before they reached the desert, and the road disappeared beneath them. But there was still some way for them to go, and Skales was beginning to feel the exhaustion from their journey. In the end, he was worried that they would need to travel throughout the night as well. Fortunately enough, they managed to reach their destination before it came to that. 

“We’re here!” Pythor said victoriously, taking Skales out of his daydreaming, and making him stop. He looked around for a bit, before turning his head to Pythor.

“...There’s nothing here!” He yelled, gesturing to the miles of empty desert around them.

“Be quiet! We’re at the right spot. And now all there’s left is to dig!” Pythor said, dropping the tools on the sand, before picking up a shovel, and slithering around the area, trying to find a good spot to start digging.

“Dig?! You can’t be serious! You told me you had a good source on where Ouroboros was, and yet we’re standing in the middle of a desert!” 

“I did have a good source! And he told me that Ouroboros should be here. So stop your excessive whining and help me dig up a lost city, would you.” Pythor replied, completely ignoring the absurdity of his sentence. Skales considered going right back to the tomb, but at that point, he was too far away for it to be worth it.

 With a weary sigh, he picked up the second shovel and moved to Pythor, who had already started digging.

“It better be here, Pythor…”

“I said stop whining! Trust me, we’ll find it, sooner or later!”

24 hours later.

“I present to you the city, formerly known, as the Lost City of Ouroboros!” Pythor triumphantly exclaimed, looking up at the newly emerged city with equal wonder and satisfaction in his eyes. Skales didn’t react at first, not even when Pythor started laughing maniacally. All he could do was look around in amazement. The city of Ouroboros. Something he only had heard about in legends and stories from his childhood, and there he was, standing in the middle of it. All because he decided to follow Pythor. He didn’t like to admit it, but he couldn’t help but admire the Anacondrai’s determination and unnatural ability to do what he thought was impossible. Two times Skales had been proven wrong, and both times Pythor stood in the middle of it, bathing in his victory. It was at that moment that Skales realized why he had followed Pythor. He had the potential to pull off things Skales could only imagine, and his ambition was only rivaled by his cockiness. He could do great things. And Skales could be right by his side as he did them. That was why he followed him. And why he was going to keep following him.

His thoughts were interrupted by Pyhtor who grabbed him by the shoulders, so they stood face to face.

“While I would so very much like to gloat, there is something much more urgent that I need to discuss with you.” He explained and all Skales could do was listen intensely, his heart beating, and his chest feeling heavy.

“I once again require you to do something for me. Something that I assure you, will be greatly rewarded upon its completion. And would make way for certain… arrangements to be made in the future, between the two of us. Arrangements that I think you will find most beneficial.” Pythor continued, his tone almost sounding like he was trying to charm the Hypnobrai, whose eyes were locked with his. Whatever Pythor said next, Skales knew it wouldn’t matter. He would accept and then wait to see what Pythor would do next. Something that Pythor most certainly knew, as a satisfied smile spread across his face.

“So…what do you say, my number two?”

Chapter Text

“Last one in closes the door.” Skales reminded the small Hypnobrai, before starting the bus. Once he pressed the peddle, they went on their way. He took a quick glance at the back before noticing that the bus wasn’t as overfilled as the last few times. It seemed like he had managed to gather the last of the Serpentine, a feat he better hoped Pyhtor would congratulate him for. When he agreed to help the Anacondrai with another one of his plans, driving back and forth from Ouroboros to Ninjago City hadn’t exactly been what he had expected. Not that there had been any better way to gather them. 

But it had seemed the news of the uncovering of Ouroboros was as effective as Pythor had predicted. Even the snakes that hadn't believed him when he told them went along anyway just to be sure. It certainly made his job a bit easier. 

The hardest part was simply trying not to fall asleep as he drove. It was fortunate that the roads were so empty, or else he might have accidentally crashed into someone. But as the night descended on the last trek of the journey, it became clear that they didn’t need to worry about anyone interrupting their gathering. Not this time at least. He hadn’t even as much as seen a glimpse of a ninja throughout the whole day, so perhaps they could finally have some peace.

Before Skales even knew it, they reached the desert, and after that, the formerly Lost City of Ouroboros. In contrast to the massive towers and buildings of Ninjago City, it was barely visible from a distance, looking more like a weird rock formation than a city. A perfect hide-out for the Serpentine. Of course, only until they didn’t need to fear the surface-dwellers and their pathetic ninjas. Then they wouldn’t need to hide anymore. Not on the surface and certainly not under the earth.

He drove past the large statuses that signaled the entrance, and right into the heart of Ouroboros, where he parked the bus, and let out a satisfied sigh for a job well done. He moved out of his seat and looked at his fellow snakes, whose faces were filled with the same awe as he had felt not so long ago.

“We’re here.” He proudly stated as he slithered out of the bus, before waiting outside for the rest to come out.

“Thisss way. There ssshould be sssome ssseat for you over there. Just follow the othersss.” He said as the last Serpentine exited the bus. He pointed toward some others who were making their way to the center where the Slither Pit was, their excited chattering audible from even where they were standing. It seemed to rile the passengers up who quickly made their way over to the others. Once they were gone, Skales took the chance to stretch his stiff back.

“I don’t understand how the humansss manage to drive these around all day.” He muttered to himself, before noticing that his tail was stiff as well. Not that he had any idea of how he was supposed to stretch it. Perhaps Fangtom would be willing to give him some advice.

Speaking of the devil, Fangtom came slithering towards him, catching the Hypnobrai slightly by surprise.

“Oh, Fangtom! Didn’t notice you there. I wasss planning on sssaying hello to you once I wasss done with being a chauffeur.” He explained, with a bit of contempt in his voice. Something that Fangotm quickly caught on to.

“Ha! I would never have believed -that I would ever see you being forced into such- menial labor !”

“Trust me, it wasn’t exactly my idea either,” Skales said jokingly, before making his way to the center, with Fangtom following by his side.

“Then whose idea- was it ?”

Skales nearly froze upon hearing the question. He had forgotten that he hadn’t made his allegiance with Pyhtor official yet. Something that the Anacodnrai had encouraged him to keep to himself or else the entirety of his plan would fall apart. Not that he had explained yet what that plan was, but Skales was sure he would learn soon enough. But what mattered at the moment was keeping Fangtom in the dark.

“Oh, who do you think? Our dear old Anacondrai acquaintance. Hah! Wouldn’t lift a sssingle finger to work even if it would sssave hisss life!”

“ So it was -Pyhtor!” Fangtom exclaimed, his excitement very much the opposite of what Skales had wanted.

“What is it with you and him, hm? First, you convince me to come to his gathering -and the next I hear rumors that you- followed him all the way through the desert -to find the Lost City of Ouroboros. A bit suspicious, isn’t it ? ” He recounted, which Skales couldn't help but agree that it did indeed, sound suspicious.

“Argh! Remember, it’s nothing but rumorsss! Tell me, do you really think that I would walk through a desert with that pompousss ssserpent? Hah, asss if!”

“Perhaps you’re right- but rumors don’t start out of the blue ,” Fangtom said, his tone somewhat accusatory.

“Are you accusing me of sssomething Fangtom? I don’t understand what hasss got you ssso riled up about this. Whatever it isss you think isss going on between me and him, isss nothing but baseless rumorsss! Now, can we ssstop discussing thisss? I heard there ssshould be a fight, and I don’t want thisss conversation to sssour the mood.” Skales stated, starting to feel the weight of lying to his friend. Even though it wasn’t out of malice, but simply a necessity, he still couldn’t shake off the feeling that perhaps what he was doing was wrong. But he reminded himself that there were more important things than his emotions. The future of the Serpentine was at stake. He couldn’t let such things as his own feelings get in the way. 

Luckily, it seemed like his performance was enough to make Fangtom give up. For now at least.

“Oh, the- fight ! I hope it’s gonna be worth it- it wasn’t exactly a pleasant trip over here .”

“At least you weren't the one driving!” Skales said before both of them let out a hearty laugh. But it didn’t last long, as a Constritai came running over to them.

“Skales! I have a message for you!” He exclaimed, with both the Generals giving each other confused looks. The messenger then approached Skales, who bent down so that the small snake could reach his ear.

“ Pythor wants to see you. ” He whispered to the Hypnobrai, who really wished that he could have chosen a better time to summon him.

“What is it?” Fangtom asked with Skales' mind racing to try and come up with a believable lie.

“O-oh, uh…it’sss, my tribe! It seemsss sssome of them have gotten into trouble with a few other Serpentine. I have to go sssort it out, I’m sssure you understand. Sssee you when the ssshow ssstarts!” He told the Fangpyre before slithering away, the Constrictai looking at him confused, before shrugging his shoulders and scurrying away.

“See you -when the fight starts !” He yelled back, with Skales letting out a sigh of relief to see that his lie had worked. He hoped that Pythor could get on with his plan so that he wouldn’t need to keep lying to the others. For someone that betrayed his own General, he was surprised to see how much he disliked being dishonest with his friend. But he was still wondering whether it was a weakness or a virtue. Perhaps it was both. 

As he made his way through the streets of Ouroboros, he caught a few glimpses of the Slither Pit and the many Serpentine who had already found their seats. He would guess that it wouldn’t be too long before Pythor would start the show. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was going to do, but the thought of a fight did excite him. The question was who was going to fight?

It didn’t take long before he reached the other end of the center, where Pythor had made his little abode, close to the giant statue of the Devourer. Not the most welcoming sight, but it sure was awe-inspiring to behold. There he finally found Pythor, who looked to be going over his plan one final time, as Skales could hear him muttering to himself. Once he got close enough, the Anacondrai finally noticed his presence.

“Ah, my dear Skales, there you are!” He said, before moving up in front of him.

“I can hear you have done an adequate job at gathering the rest of the Serpentine in time for our big performance.”

“Adequate?! You try driving all the Ssserpentine all the way to thisss desolate place!” Skales stated, feeling entitled to just a bit of praise.

“Yes, it must have been quite the task…which is why I made you do it,” Pythor explained with a sly grin on his face. Skales wanted to say something back, but he was starting to get impatient when it came to hearing the next part of the plan. It wouldn’t have been too much to ask, considering how much he had helped him already.

“Ugh…can you now tell me what’sss the point behind all thisss? You already tried gathering the Ssserpentine before, and we both know how that went.”

“Trust me, we won’t have a repeat of last time.” He said with a bitter tone, before turning around toward the arena, where the loud voices of the other snakes were being carried over to them. It seemed like Pythor was listening to it, with an almost resentful expression.

“If those fools won't listen to reason, then perhaps violence will get through their thick skulls.” 

“What’sss that sssupposed to mean?” Skales asked, somewhat concerned by the angry tone the Anacondrai was using. But just as quickly as it was there, it disappeared in a flash as he turned around to face Skales again, taking him by surprise.

“It means , since I can’t win their respect by words alone, I need to use more primal methods…like a fight !” Pythor explained, the excitement in his voice growing with each word. It was clear that he came up with something he thought was quite genius.

It took a moment before Skales was able to piece together what he was planning to do. He only figured it out when he thought back to the last time he needed to fight for respect. The same fight which led to him becoming a General.

“...You’re gonna fight the other Generalsss!” Skales accidentally blurted out, sounding more surprised than he had anticipated. Not that it could be helped, he barely won over Slithraa, and there Phtor was planning to fight each General. It wasn’t something that any snake could just do, Anacondrai or not.

“YES! Ah, I was worried for a while, but I just knew that you weren’t another mindless brute like the others!” Pythor excitedly exclaimed, seeming almost relieved at hearing Skales figure his plan out. Meanwhile, Skales couldn’t help but find his wording a little strange. Besides of course that he had just been indirectly insulted to his face

“You’re still missing a few key details, such as me having to fight you as well, but that’s just technicalities in the long run,” Pythor stated casually, giving Skales quite the shock.

“You’re gonna fight me asss well!” Skales asked bewildered, not sure whether he had just been betrayed, or if Pythor was just throwing him for a loop. Luckily, it would prove to be the latter.

“Don’t sound so melancholic, it’s all part of the plan. And if you follow it well enough I shouldn’t end up hurting you…too much.” He remarked with a teasing tone, earning a disgruntled stare from the Hypnopbrai.

“Then will you finally tell me the plan?” Skales retorted back, wondering how exactly Pythor was going to move things in his favor.

“Again, it’s so remarkably simple, that even you could have come up with it. I’m gonna begin with a nice speech, which I’m pretty sure won't last very far before the protests from the Serpentine will drown it out. Then I’m gonna dramatically challenge the Generals for their staffs…at once…” 

It was clear that Pythor was getting some enjoyment from seeing the flabbergasted look on Skales’ face. His face was practically oozing satisfaction from the devious smile on his face.

“Are you crazy ! Perhapsss you could take out one of the Generalsss, but certainly not all of them at once! It would practically be impossible! I sssuspected that you might have been mad, Pyhtor, but thisss is too much, even for you!” The Hypnobrai yelled desperately, unsure of whether he was simply chastising the Anacondrai, or trying to make him see reason. Not that it mattered as Pythor continued to stare at him with that same smile, and with a predatory glint in his purple eyes. Which only infuriated Skales even more, as he pondered what exactly Pythor knew that he didn’t.

“Tell me, how exactly are you planning on defeating them all by yourself!”

There was a moment where Pythor simply chuckled, as he slowly pulled out something from behind him.

“With this !” He loudly declared, holding a wooden flute toward Skales, who for a moment was sure that Pythor had gone completely mad. But it couldn’t have been farther from the truth, which Skales would realize as he finally recognized the object in front of him.

“The…the Sacred Flute!” He muttered in a panic as he recoiled in fear, backing into the wall behind him and pressing himself against it as if the flute was gonna leap at him. 

He had heard the stories. Every Serpentine had heard of the terrifying power of the Sacred Flutes, which nearly single-handedly won the Elemental Alliance their victory over them. The exact same flutes that were used to trap his kind beneath the ground in tombs for decades. After attacking Jamanakai Village and not finding a single one, he had been sure that they had somehow been destroyed, or lost. And yet there it was, right in front of him. He wasn't sure if he should only worry about the flute itself, or the fact that Pythor was the one holding it.

“Yes, the flute. I can see that I don’t need to explain to you what it is cable of.” Pythor said calmly as if he wasn’t holding the most powerful weapon against his own race. Though his tone did help calm down Skales, if only slightly.

“You’re…gonna use it against the Generalsss?” Skales asked though he could already guess Pyhtor’s answer from looking at his reaction.

“ Precisely . With this, even the power of three, or should I rather say, four Serpentine Generals won’t be enough to beat me. With the flute, I will defeat each and every one of them, and at last, my claim as Serpentine King will no longer be contested!” Pythor confidently explained as if his victory had already been assured. Which it might as well have been.

Skales could barely focus on Pythor’s words as he stared at the flute, utterly terrified. Though it didn’t pass him by that Pythor had just declared his endgame. To become the new Serpentine King. It made sense, for how else could he unite the Serpentine, if not under the banner of a new king? It had been his goal all along. And since he had the flute, he could make it a reality. What would he need Skales for with such a weapon? Perhaps he would need to test it on him first? Thousands of thoughts ran through his mind, and none of them were positive. Neither did it help that the Anacodnrai was slowly making his way over to him. Skales shut his eyes as if scared that Pythor was gonna attack him. While he had the flute, there was nothing Skales could do to protect himself. He was trapped.

Then in a strangely comforting act, Pythor placed his hand on the Hypnobrai’s shoulder, whose eyes opened up and looked at him. Strangely, he suddenly felt calm.

“But…I’m going to need some help first. And I would much appreciate it if you were the one to help me.” The Anacondrai said, in a normal, almost uplifting manner. Pythor couldn’t possibly have been blind to Skales’ fear, and yet he was talking to him like Skales hadn’t just cowered in fear a moment ago. He wondered if perhaps it was the Anacondrai’s attempt to comfort him.

“I can't just slither up and use the flute against them all willy-nilly. The other Serpentine would hardly accept such a victory, and then it would all have been for nothing. No, what I need is a bit of deception for my plan to work. That’s where you come in.” 

Skales had almost recovered from his fear and now found himself in a much stranger position, with the Anacondrai practically pressed up against him, with a wall behind him. He had nowhere to go, but still, he was calm. It was like he was feeling safe, with the towering snake in front of him. He couldn’t even look away, as Pythor stared into his eyes as he spoke.

“I need you to slip me the flute under the fight, so I can gain the upper hand, while simultaneously avoiding the others from discovering my secret weapon. We’re both gonna get some protection from the flute’s effects, so don’t worry your pretty little head about that.” Pythor continued to explain, and it really did seem like he enjoyed coming up with plans like these. It was like he reveled in outsmarting others and winning over them.

“ And… in return, you’re gonna get little reward .”

It was then that Skales' interest was piqued, and he finally spoke up, even though he had been silent so far.

“What reward?”

Pythor put the flute away and grabbed him by both shoulders, with Skales letting out a small yelp in response.

“I’m gonna make you my second-in-command! If I’m gonna be ruling the Serpentine I’m gonna be needing an… advisor , yes! Someone to stand by and support me as I go forth with my plan to conquer all of Ninjago! And I want you to be the one by my side.”

Skales’ mouth slowly opened, though no words came out. His reaction came only out as a shocked expression. He had expected that Pythor would offer him something like that, but to hear him say it with such enthusiasm made Skales not sure whether Pythor just wanted him to help him complete his plan, or if he really was interested in having him by his side. In hindsight, considering Pythor called him his ‘number two’, It may have been his intention to have Skales ally with him from the start.

Thinking that Skales’ silence came from hesitation, Pythor continued to try and persuade him to agree to the deal.

“Don’t tell me you aren't interested? Being my Second-in-command is a worthwhile position, I can assure you! The power and authority you will wield will even surpass that of the other Generals! And all you would be required to do is help me achieve my goals.”

“And that requiresss deceiving every Ssserpentine in Ninjago,” Skales said, practically spitting out the words, as he turned his face away from Pyhtor’s. Still, there wasn’t any contempt in his voice. Only the bitter understanding of what Pythor wanted him to do. He wondered if he would go so far, just to get a chance to follow Pythor by his side, instead of behind him. Because no matter what Skales decided to do, he knew that Pythor would get what he wanted, one way or another.

He had expected an angry reaction from Pythor, perhaps a few select words regarding betrayal and what a certain someone would do for power and authority. But such words didn’t come. Instead, Skales felt a hand gently grab his cheek, before it slowly pushed his face back to Pythor, who looked at him with sharp, but alluring eyes. 

“Come on, Skales, don’t tell me this isn’t what you wanted? To be by my side in our quest to conquer all of Ninjago back to its rightful rulers? Isn’t that why you followed me, why you helped me make this possible? At this very moment, we’re standing together, aren't we? If your loyalty isn't with me, then I don’t know whose it’s with.” 

Skales had no way to respond that wouldn’t make him look like a spluttering fool. Pythor used no force to keep Skales focused on him, and yet the Hypnobrai felt like he was in an immovable position. And the way he was looking at him made him barely able to stand. He couldn’t help but wish to know the reason why the Anacodnrai kept using such affectionate gestures with him. It kept making Skales lose his composure, and he had no idea how to respond. Perhaps that was what Pythor was banking on. But Skales still couldn’t stop wondering if maybe he had other intentions behind his gestures, besides simply confounding him. He certainly couldn’t deny that there was starting to be a certain… tension between them.

“What do you say my dear Skales…will you be my loyal number two?”

The crowd was starting to roar with anticipation. It didn’t seem like they wanted to wait any longer. Fortunately for them, Skales and Pythor finally arrived, stopping at the base of the statue of the Devourer to admire the crowd that had been gathered. The other Generals were already standing in place as Pythor had instructed them to. All that was left was for Pyhtor to start the event. He and Skales had already prepared for the plan and had their cotton balls ready to be used as protection against the flute. An ingenious idea Skales was surprised hadn’t been thought of before. It was then that Pythor turned to him, with the same calm and confident look on his face he had every time he was about to start a speech.

“Just do as I've said, and I promise you will be my second-in-command.” He then turned his head away. “ Forever .” 

That last part sounded strangely ominous, and Skales thought about mentioning it, but he could tell it wasn’t the right time. He bowed to his future king, before placing the cotton balls in his ears, whereupon Pythor started his speech, as Skales slithered away.

“I bring you together to the Lost City of Ouroboros, before the statue of our very own Great Devourer, to speak of unity!” 

Even behind the stands where the serpentine were sitting, and with the cotton balls in his ears, the Hypnobria could still clearly hear the Anacondrai’s voice. Then came some shouts he couldn't hear properly before the entire arena was drowned out by the same sentence that was repeated several times by the crowd.

“Slither Pit! Slither Pit! Slither Pit! Slither Pit!”

Then back came Pythor’s voice, cutting through the noise as if it was a sharp blade. 

“Argh! You want a show?! You want to see a fight?! I ask for your allegiance but you will not give it!”

Right on cue, Skales had made his way all around the Slither Pit and joined the other Generals. It seemed they were too focused on Pythor to notice him. 

“So I will take it!” The Aancodnrai continued, earning a few shocked shouts from some of the spectators though they were mostly drowned out by the rest of the crowd.

“What are you saying?” Acidicus exclaimed, still unsure of what Pythor was going to do next. 

Skales had a hard time keeping himself together. Not exactly because of the pressure, but because he was dumbfounded at how much things were going according to plan. Everything was happening just as Pythor had expected. And soon enough it would be skales’ turn to play his part.

“I challenge the four tribe Generals for their staffs and their allegiance. At once!” 

Whatever shock or surprise the crowd was feeling was completely overshadowed by their excitement, as they roared and cheered at the prospect of a fight that they probably wouldn’t have the chance to witness again anytime soon.

With encouragement from the onlookers, the Generals wasted no time talking. They had not only been challenged for their respect and loyalty but even for their right as General. Such a bold challenge must either be met by laughter or a fierce confrontation. They choose the latter.

“I fought hard for this staff and will not give it up easily.” Claimed Acidicus as the four of them moved closer to Pythor.

“There's no way he can defeat the four of us at once!” Skalidor yelled booth as motivation and a way to mock his opponent. Fittingly, he was the first to attack, swinging his staff at Pythor. But with an unnatural speed only the Anacondrai possessed, he managed to dodge the attack, before swinging his tail at Skalidor, pushing him away. Seeing an opportunity, Acidicus rushed him, with his staff held high. But again Pythor managed to evade the attack. He then sent him back with a punch, but that didn’t change the fact that the Generals had nearly surrounded him. It wouldn’t be long before they would overwhelm him.

Skales had decided to try and stay out of the fight. If he was going to side with Pythor anyway, why burden himself with unnecessary damage? But he was starting to feel the anticipation of the fight. Sooner or later he would need to make the move that would secure Pythor his victory. But he had also been instructed to wait for the right opportunity. That, together with the slight guilt he was feeling, made him lose his concentration. He probably couldn’t fight effectively, even if he wanted to. 

Then Fangtom made his turn, making a fast and wild swing at the Anacondrai who quickly dodged and swung his tail in retaliation. Whether intentionally or not, Fangtom’s attack had served as the perfect distraction, as both Acidicus and Skaldior jumped on Pythor at the same time. Fangtom didn’t hesitate to join them, and together they had Pythor pinned on the ground. There, the Anacondrai’s strength wasn't enough to free himself. If he didn’t have the Sacred Flute, he would never have had the chance to win. He was truly powerless at the moment, with the only thing he could do was try and endure their joined attacks as long as possible. 

It was the perfect moment. Skales knew it. For a split second, just the slightest amount of time, he questioned what he was about to do. Was he truly willing to betray the Serpentine Generals, all four tribes, and even his friend Fangtom? Perhaps he would have listened to his worries of guilt if it weren’t for his steadfast belief that too much was at stake. Not only did he have much to gain, but so did the entirety of the Serpentine. But only if they were under the command of Pythor.

Skales snuck over to Pythor while the others were busy beating his body and handed him the Sacred Flute. Almost immediately Pythor started playing it, and at first, the Generals were staggered by the sound. But it didn’t take long before they backed away from him, howling in pain. Even Skales felt some of the pain from that cursed music, even with the cotton balls in his ears. He didn’t even want to imagine what it felt like without them. It was a testament to Pythor’s willpower that he didn’t even show a single hint of agony on his face.

Yes, only Pythor could be the one to unite the Serpentine once again and lead them to victory. Skales had come to believe he couldn’t do it himself, especially not after seeing how much Pythor had been able to do so quickly. He had gathered all the tribes under a single roof, found the Lost City of Ouroboros, and managed to find a way to beat every single General in one fight. There was no way Skales could even do a single one of those things. If he can’t be the one to lead the Serpentine into the future, he might as well join the one who can.

“My ears!” Yelled Skalidor. Even his great strength wasn't enough to withstand the pain.

“It hurts!” Cried out Acidicus, suffering just as much.

Sensing that it was time to complete the next part of the plan, and starting to get tired of the sound, Skales threw his staff on the ground as planned. Pythor had meant for the other Generals to follow suit, but since they didn’t, he took matters into his own hands. As he stopped playing the flute, he didn’t waste any time before attacking his dazed opponents. One by one in a flurry of blows, they were thrown on the floor, their staffs laying in front of the Anacondrai as a monument to their defeat. He then picked them up, before turning his attention back to the Generals.

“Bow to your master,” Pythor commanded with such seething contempt, that even Skales would have been hesitant to disobey him. He then turned to the crowd around them, while throwing the staffs in front of their correlating General.

“Bow to your master, Serpentine!” He yelled once again, this time to every Serpentine that could hear him. Haven being beaten, there was nothing else for the Generals to do but bow. The fight was over. And so the rest of the Serpentine followed suit. 

It had been done. Pythor had won and was more or less the official king over the Serpentine. And Skales’ position as his second-in-command had been secured as well. Everything was perfect. Then, the sound of rattling came from one of the podiums. Skales looked up from his bow and saw two maracas falling and landing in the sand. When he looked up at the stand they came from, he saw that Mezmo had already grabbed the owner, who upon further inspection, clearly was a human. And a familiar one at that.

“Lloyd?!” Pythor uttered with both a hint of rage and surprise. Skales found himself at a loss for words, before being able to speak, with more surprise than anger, though he wasn't exactly thrilled to see the boy again.

“Lloyd?!”

“Yes, that was what I said!”

Chapter Text

“So, what are we gonna do with this nosey little fellow?” Mezmo asked Pythor while holding on to the boy's collar, so he wouldn’t try and run away. Not that Skales thought it was necessary. The child looked completely terrified, and even then if he would dare to try and run, the Hypnobrai wasn’t counting on him making it very far.

Pythor took a quick look around, trying to find a suitable place for their surprise guest. A wicked smile spread across his face when he noticed a cage hanging from the statue of the Great Devourer. 

“Yes, that seems rather suitable. Hypbnobrai, how about you show our guest to his ‘room’, I’m sure he’s quite tired after such a long journey.” The Anacondrai commanded, his eyes locked firmly on the boy in front of him, who made an effort to avoid his gaze. 

“I have a name,” Mezmo replied, his tone almost as hard as stone. It took a moment for Pythor to register that the Hypbnobrai wasn’t obeying his order. His eyes shifted to the snake, who just stared back at him, both equally unwilling to relent to the other. While Skales normally wouldn’t have minded seeing how long their standoff would last, he had just been promoted to a rather lucrative promotion. One that solely relied upon the power and authority of a particular Anacondrai. So it would only be natural for him to defend said snake’s authority.

“Mezmo, you have been given an order by your King! I would advise you to obey.” Skales stated, his tone just stern enough to indicate that it would be in Mezmo best interest to listen. The Hypnobrai shifted his gaze to Skales, and stood silent for a second, before gesturing a single nod.

“As you say, General. Get moving, pipsqueak!” He gave Lloyd a hard push, before following behind him as the boy reluctantly walked over to his cage.

Skales looked before noticing Pythor staring at him, looking not too pleased.

“I thought you had your people under control!” He hissed at Skales, worried that Mezmo's disobedience was going to be a regular recurrence with the other Hypnobrai as well. A notion Skales was more than happy to dismiss, as he wasn’t too keen to find out what Pythor regarded as proper ways to discipline troops.

“And I do. I assure you Pythor, Mezmo isss just old-fashioned. He, and perhapsss along with othersss, need you to prove yourself before they’re willing to ssshow you the respect, you apparently so desperately ssseek.”

“ Respect ?! I’ve already defeated all their Generals, given them the lost city of Ouroboros, and united the Serpentine, what more do they need to see ?!” Pythor exclaimed as the two of them made their way over to the statue, his tone seething with bitternes. 

“Yesss, you've shown your raw might and intelligence, but you still haven’t proven your leadership yet,” Skales explained, trying to be helpful, rather than just insulting Pythor. He remembered back to when he decided to do something about Slithraa. It was only once he had destroyed the ninjas' monastery and retaken the staff, that he dared oppose his General. The key part was winning the trust of the others by showing them that he could lead them to victory, before laying his claim as leader of the tribe. A step that Pythor had seemingly decided to ignore, and one that Skales had to remind him of.

“But don’t worry, you will have plenty of chancesss to ssshow them that you’re a worthy leader. Especially if you have more of these plansss of yoursss.” Skales continued with a somewhat praising tone, giving the Anacondrai a reassuring look. Even Pythor seemed to forget his anger upon hearing his second-in-command’s praise.

“Oh, I’ve got plans, my dear number two. Plans that soon will show every Serpentine that I only want what’s best for us.” 

Pythor let out a small chuckle, making Skales eagerly wonder what he was planning on doing next. They then made their way to the cage, where Memzo and Lloyd were standing, apparently waiting for them. 

“Well, what are you waiting for? Throw him in!” Pythor commanded, this time with the Hypnobrai following his order without complaint. He grabbed the boy by the arms, who tried to wriggle free, before throwing him into the cage. Lloyd barely had time to stand, before the cage was closed, fully cementing his status as a prisoner. In a desperate attempt to escape, he tried to pull at the bars, to no avail. Skales was impressed that the metal hadn’t rusted away to dust, after having been buried in the sand for who knows how long.

“How do you like it, Lloyd? I hope it’s not too uncomfortable.” Pythor asked mockingly, his disdain against the boy completely overshadowed by his glee at seeing him in such a position.

“Perhaps you would like a blanket? Maybe a pillow?” Pythor continued asking, before bursting into laughter, with the other snakes that had gathered around them joining in. Even Skales allowed himself some satisfied chuckles.

“It’s a shame really, that you don’t have any friends. Then maybe someone would come and rescue you.” The Anacondrai said, and from the expression on Lloyd's face, it seemed to affect him greatly. So much so, that he for the first time opened his mouth.

“Maybe someone will come and rescue me!” He yelled defiantly, gritting his teeth at Pythor, who only looked more amused at his comeback than anything else.

“Oh really? And who should that be?” Pythor asked jokingly, before letting out another chuckle.

“My friends, the ninja! Oh, just you wait, for when they come, they’re gonna kick all your butts, you hear that! HAHAHA!” Lloyd let out a comically bad evil laughter. It was only once he had opened his mouth that Skales remembered how little he had wanted anything to do with him. Even seeing him locked up didn’t fill him with enough satisfaction to overshadow his contempt.

“Pythor, can we move on with thisss? I’m sssure we have more important thingsss to discusss, and thisss child’s voice is ssstarting to irritate me.” Skales remarked while giving Lloyd an antagonistic look.

“Hold on now,” Pythor said while signaling him to stay quiet. “I think our ‘guest’ just said something, very interesting.”

A devilish smile curled up on his face as he moved closer to the cage, practically pressing his face against the bars. The boy let out a scared yelp, before backing away,  though the small jail didn’t allow him much room to move. The Hypnobrai and the other Serpentine observed quietly, all confused about where Pythor was going with this.

“Did you say you were friends with the ninja ?” The Anacodnria asked, with an uncomfortable cheerful tone. 

“Uhh…”

“And that they were gonna come and, ohh, rescue you?” He continued asking, as the cogs slowly started turning in Skales’ head. 

“Uhm…yeah! So you better let me go, or else they’re gonna-” Lloyd didn’t have time to finish his sentence, as Pythor pushed the cage away, making it move back and forth, as he let out a victorious laugh.

“Marvelous! Just marvelous! You are certainly an annoying pest, but you’re a most excellent tool as well.” 

“What are you talking about?” The boy asked, with a hint of distress in his voice. 

“Oh, my boy, you see, it’s in my best interest to get rid of those troublesome buffoons, as they have a history of meddling with our affairs. And that’s where you come in, as you have just provided me with the most efficient way to eliminate them once and for all.” Pythor explained, his eyes going wider as he waited for the human to realize his plan. The other Sepretine and Skales as well were waiting, as they had already come to the realization that evaded Lloyd.

“H-how?!” 

“Well, by being the perfect bait !” He exclaimed with an almost vicious delivery, lunging his head at Lloyd as he uttered the last word. The horrified look on the boy’s face was only complimented by the sinister laughs surrounding him, as the snakes took great delight in seeing his distress. 

“Come now friends, let’s leave our little guest alone. It’s gonna be a big day tomorrow, and I'm sure you have a lot of things to think about, am I right?” Pythor asked as the laughter started dying down, though he was already leaving before Lloyd had the chance to respond, not that he had any to give. Skales slithered after Pythor, giving a quick glance back at the human, just in time to see him slump back in his cage, with a worried expression plastered all over his face.

As they moved away from the Slither Pit and earshot of the other Serpentine, Skales took the chance to ask Pythor about his plan.

“Ssso, I’m guessing we're gonna ssset up a trap for the ninja?” He asked though he made sure that it didn’t sound like a genuine question.

“Oh yes we are Skales, and it’s gonna be a most excellent one at that! And once they’re finally gone, there won't be anything to stand in our way!” He declared while holding a clenched fist in the air. Skales wouldn’t have minded just following along, but his curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he had started wondering what was in store for them next.

“And what exactly isss it they were gonna ssstop usss from doing? Asss it standsss, it doesn't ssseem like we have any goal to ssspeak of.” 

“Of course I have a goal in mind!” Pythor stated aggressively. “I simply have yet to speak of it.”

“Then will you tell me?” Skales asked, with a certain agitation in his voice. He had hoped that once he became Pyhtor’s right-hand man, the Anacondrai would stop running circles around him and just tell him what he had in mind.

“Patience my dear Skales, patience. Everything has its due time, and soon enough everything shall be revealed.” Pythor explained with a mystical, enigmatic tone. Which of course did little to ease Skales’ concern.

“I’m your second-in-command, I deserve to know what it is you’re planning!” Skales asserted decisively.

“ You !-” Pythor uttered, before quickly moving in front of Skales, stopping him right in his tracks. “-deserve exactly what I think you deserve!” He continued, his face nearly only an inch away from the Hypnobrai’s. Skales tried leaning back, but Pythor only just moved closer, making sure that Skales had no way to evade his gaze.

“And I will tell you my plans when I so desire to.” He uttered in a quiet tone, not that it made his words seem any less hostile.

Skales cursed himself for not having the courage to stand up to him at that moment. He was still riddled with worries that Pythor was going to discard him when he felt he didn’t have any use anymore. The doubts had slowly made their way into his thoughts since he agreed to help Pythor become king of the Serpentine. After all, what would he need a second-in-command for, when he held all the power? Besides the allegiance of the Hypnobrai, there wasn’t that much Skales could offer him besides advice. Advice that the Anacondrai consistently seemed to despise.

But just as the tension started building, Pythor moved away, giving the Hypnobrai space to breathe.

“All I ask is that you have a little trust in me,” Pythor said, with a small smile and any evidence of his previous anger seemingly erased.

“So wait until I deem it’s time to share my plan with the others. Then I will tell you all the details of my machinations. Can you do that for me?” He asked, with a nearly friendly tone. Before Skales had time to respond though, Pythor grabbed his chin and kept it in place, making sure that he couldn’t look away from him. Skales worried that at any moment the Anacondria would tighten his grip, but surprisingly his hold was fairly gentle. Weirdly, that seemed better at keeping his head in place than a strong grip would have. 

“Hmm?” Pythor muttered softly, still waiting for an answer.

“Yesss.” Skales replied, with a bit of unwillingness in his voice. Pythor didn’t even answer him, as he let go and started slithering onwards, clearly expecting Skales to just follow behind him. 

Skales on the other hand took a moment to rub his chin. There weren’t any bruises or anything, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the Anacondrai’s touch. Neither did it pass him by how quickly the snake’s personality had changed.

For all the problems Slihraa had, I can appreciate the fact you knew where you stood with him. He thought to himself, also thinking back to how his former General had the very least stayed in the same mood for more than a minute. With Pythor it was like there was a coin toss every few seconds, deciding how he responded to something. For others that might have been enough to scare someone away, but not Skales. Whatever games the Anacondrai was playing with him, he wasn’t going to break. Whether it was respect or pride talking, he didn't care. He wasn’t going to give up.

With newfound determination he caught up to his King, deciding if he couldn’t ask about his future plans, he could at least ask about the current ones.

“Can you at least tell me how you’re planning on catching the ninja? The last time we tried they managed to free themselves and foil your plan.”

“That was because we didn’t catch all of them. If the trap is gonna work, we have to make sure that we get every. Last. One of them!” Pythor declared, with a certain passion behind his voice. If Skales had to guess, he would say that Pythor still hadn’t forgiven them for their part in his failed ‘meeting’.

“And how are we gonna do that?” 

“Don’t worry, I have an… idea .”

The next day Skales was going around Ouroboros, ensuring everyone was on their stations. If the ninja came, he wanted to make sure that they wouldn’t sneak past them. At least not without difficulty. And just as was scolding a few Fangpyres, there came a commotion from the Slither Pit. He quickly made his way over there, praying to the Devourer that he wouldn’t need to break up another fight. To his surprise, he wasn’t met by a nig brawl, but instead, a bunch of Serpentine standing still, while looking up in the air. Skales slithered over to them, wondering what it was they were doing instead of keeping a lookout for the ninja.

“What do you think you’re doing?! You’re sssupposed to be on guard duty!” He yelled at the group, though only a few of them even glanced at him. But just as it seemed like Skales would need to yell again, a Hypnobrai noticed him and quickly ran over to him.

“O-oh, sorry boss! It’s just that we were distracted-”

“DISTRACTED!?” Skales shouted in disbelief, the others finally turning their attention to him, with the unfortunate Serpentine only able to stand in fear and wait for his General to contuine. “I gave you a direct order to guard the city, and here you are, looking at cloudsss! What even isss it that is ssso captivating that it keepsss you from doing your job!” He continued angrily, before finally turning to look at the sky himself. 

“ That .” The Hypnobrai somewhat anxiously answered Skales, while pointing at what looked like a ball of fire in the air, very quickly making its way through the sky.

“What the…” The confused Skales muttered to himself, as he tried his best to try and see if he could figure out what was flying through the air, which upon further inspection, wasn’t a giant ball of flame. After a little while, he could see that it was some kind of mechanical contraption, one with limbs at that. He had heard Fangtom talk about something called a ‘mech’, which description seemed to fit whatever it was that was flying over them. It was also at that point he realized that it wasn’t flying over them, but towards them, at very high speed at that. He also figured out that since he was able to see it better, that meant it had gotten closer. Very much closer.

With a frightened shriek, Skales quickly slithered away, with the other Serpentine following suit, as they too noticed the object in the sky was coming their way. Skales hid under the statue of the Devourer, covering his ears as he awaited the impact. After a few seconds, the metal creation finally landed, though the crash was not as loud as Skales had expected. He moved away from his hiding spot, ready to face whoever dared land in the middle of their city. Though after such an entrance, he wasn’t exactly looking forward to the encounter. 

The big cloud of dust that had followed the landing, quickly faded away, revealing the red and golden metal machine, formed in the spitting image of a samurai. It didn’t take very long for Skales to realize who had arrived at their doorstep.

“It’s Sssamurai X!” He exclaimed, remembering all the reports of the masked warrior attacking the Serpentine all around Ninjago.

A group of warriors slowly surrounded the mech, though it did little to intimidate the samurai.

“ Release the boy now! ” A rough, nearly metallic voice commanded from inside the machine, apparently being the owner of the battle robot, and presumably the well-known Samurai X.

“ Or else face the fury of Samurai X! ” 

Skales did not doubt that they had enough warriors to overwhelm and take down the samurai, but if their mission was to save the obnoxious child, then he wasn’t sure that they would be able to stop them in time. And he wasn't very keen on explaining to Pythor how he let an important prisoner escape. But to his fortunate surprise, before anyone had time to start a fight, a loud, and clear command flew through the air.

“NOW!”

While neither the samurai nor Skales was sure what was about to happen, it did little to change the outcome, as from two sides of the arena, on the podiums, two groups of Serpentine upon hearing the command, threw each a giant net into the air. Before the mechanized warrior had time to evade, the first net had already landed on the robot, keeping it in place as the second one landed too, pushing the machine into the ground, unable to get up or get free. Finally trapping the elusive Samurai X, that had hounded them so viciously.

The samurai tried getting out of the mech, though it seemed that the nets kept them in the machine as well. The warriors that had been surrounding the robot quickly flocked around it, celebrating their victory.

“Why, it seems that we have a bunch of unwanted visitors! It’s not very polite you know to barge into someone’s-oh, you’re not the ninja.” Pythor said, slithering up into the arena from behind the Devourer statue, having apparently prepared an entire speech for when the ninja would show up. Though in the end, he didn’t seem very displeased. Rather, a curious smile spread across his face, as he looked at Samurai X, as they tried freeing themselves from the trap, but to no avail.

“Well, if it isn't the infamous Samurai X! I didn’t expect to see you here, though it seems you have a knack for turning up unexpectedly.” He remarked with a mocking attitude, as he went up to the trapped machine. Though the samurai didn’t seem interested in humoring Pythor, as they didn’t respond.

“Quiet, eh? Aren’t they always.” Pythor stated, before taking in the sight of a successful plan. Not that it had been the result he had wanted, but it certainly wasn’t a loss. Meanwhile, the flabbergasted Skales managed to pull himself together and went over to Pythor.

“A net? You’re great trap wasss using a NET ?!” He exclaimed, surprised that the Anacodnrai hadn’t come up with something more interesting. Even the foolish boy could come up with something more than just using a net.

“Two nets actually, and besides, you shouldn’t mock the classics.” He commented calmly, keeping his focus on the trapped samurai, taking no heed to Skales’ criticism. He looked at the helpless warrior, as they desperately tried to get free, which gave him an idea.

“Though now you mention it, this does give me an idea for something that is a little bit more… original . One that will most certainly provide a passing punishment for all the trouble the ninja has given us.”  The Anacondrai explained though Skales couldn’t help wondering if it was less about us, or more about him still being angry over the last time they foiled one of his plans.

“Skales, have you commanded the warriors to keep a close eye out for our colored enemies?” Pythor asked, taking the Hypnobria slightly by surprise.

“U-uh of course, Pythor. They’re all keeping a close watch on any intrudersss who would dare to enter our-”

“Well, that’s great, but I’m gonna need you to order them not to sound the alarm if they notice the ninja.”

“...What?” Skales asked, not sure whether Pythor was joking or not.

“Don’t worry. It’s all for the new trap, you were so insisting on that I make.” He said, giving Skales a teasing wink, before slithering off, leaving the bewildered Hypnobrai behind. 

“You…you can’t be ssserious?! You don’t actually expect me to, to…ugh!” Skales said, before going on his way to give all the guards new orders, while angrily muttering to himself.

Skales wasn’t very impressed when he learned that Pythor had captured the ninja with a cage, but it was the part after that he found much more interesting. He stood by Pythor’s side, as the captured ninja were brought into the Slither Pit, accompanied by an entourage of Serpentine. It was clear Pythor didn’t plan on letting them escape again. Once they were in place, he could see the Anacondrai preparing to speak.

“You say you wanted a battle, and I give you one! I give you ninja! Versus! SAMURAI!” He yelled, his voice echoing throughout the arena. Soon enough, a gate opened up, and out came Samurai X, clad in chains, that were linked to the gate. While Pythor’s opening statement had sent a wave of excitement throughout the crowd, seeing the actual samurai only amplified it. Though their cheer died down as the chains on the samurai's mech were removed, instead replaced by quiet anticipation. Something Pythor was more than willing to build up, as he gave not only the crowd but also the ninja and samurai time to collect themselves, as the fight would soon begin. 

The Hypnobrai noted that it was perhaps a bit risky letting both their prisoners free, trying to make them attack each other. He wasn’t even sure how Pythor had managed to convince Samurai X to battle the ninja, but they seemed more than willing to fight, as they hadn’t tried running off yet. 

“I want to see once and for all who is the greatest hero! Is it Samurai, or ninja? Only the victor will be allowed to leave!” Pythor continued, riling up the crowd even further.

Skales was still worried that the samurai wasn’t going to fight, but after a short moment, his doubts were laid to rest, as the mysterious warrior was the first to attack, throwing a giant shuriken at the ninja, who barely managed to dodge in time. Just as the ninja regained their foothold, the samurai charged at them, taking a big swig with its clawed hand. Though with surprising agility, the ninja evaded by jumping over and past the giant robot, landing behind it. Skales had to admit that it was an effective maneuver. But the masked warrior wasted no time and threw another shuriken at them. While the rest jumped out of the way, the blue one decided to test his luck and ducked right as it reached him. Though his hubris would soon be punished, as it came right back and hit him in the back, with the crowd answering back with amused cheer. 

At this point, the Serpentine watching the fight were shouting and cheering their hearts out, and Skales could almost imagine any doubts they had against Pythor being their leader, slowly melting away as the blazing spirit of battle filled them. He could have used as many speeches as he would have liked but this, this is what would win Pythor the support of the Serpentine. Skales looked around, taking in the crowd, the same as Pythor. The Anacondrai was nodding to himself as he gazed around, and Skales could guess that he was congratulating himself. The Hypnobrai took a look at his king, and couldn’t help but admire him once again. He thought nothing would top his ascension to General, but standing there, he thanked the Devourer that he had managed to join Pythor. Whatever small conquests he could pull off with his tribe alone, couldn’t compare to the things Pythor would be able to do, with the entirety of the Serpentine behind him.

So lost was he while looking at Pythor, that he didn’t notice something strange happening. It was only then he looked back at the fight, and realized that the ninja had created some kind of mix between elemental power and spinjitzu, in the form of a tornado. Even the menacing Samurai X was backing away as the tornado approached them. With good reason, Skales would discover, as he started feeling the tornado pulling at him towards it. And by only less than a meter, did several tools and weapons miss him, as they flew past him and right into the tornado, together with nearly a hundred different objects from all around the area. Both he and Pythor looked in shock as the tornado dissipated as quickly as it came, and in its stead was a giant slingshot. As the ninja let go, a giant spiked ball flew toward the samurai, hitting them and sending the giant robot hurdling in the direction of where he and Pythor stood. They both shielded themselves in the split second before impact. Fortunately for them, the machine only hit the stairs in front of them, stopping it in its tracks. But before they had time to collect themselves, the ninja came dashing their way. 

Skales could only yelp in surprise, as they got closer. Pythor on the other hand, stood perfectly calm, as he slowly grabbed a lever in the wall next to him, and pulled it down. And just as the ninja was about to reach them, spikes flew up from the ground in front of them. With a sinister grin on his face, Pythor pulled the lever further down, sending the entire arena floor to lean to one side, making the ninja disappear from view. From their alarmed yelling, Skales had hoped they had fallen down to the seemingly bottomless pit beneath the arena. He hadn't seen it himself before now, but he had heard some other snakes talk about it. Curiosity got the better of him, and he started wondering what could be down there. 

Though his thoughts were quickly derailed, as an agitated Pythor looked around rapidly, before turning to Skales.

“Where are they? Did they fall down? Are they finally gone?” The Anacondrai asked, trying to get a peak over the tilted floor, to no success.

“I don’t know Pythor. You did block our view sssomewhat.” He answered back, with an almost judgemental tone.

Pythor was just about to reply to his comment when the sudden sound of thrusters igniting garnered both their attentions. And in a flash, the samurai flew up from the arena, the ninja clinging to the machine for dear life. Though it didn’t make it very far, as it ended up being stuck in the air, making it look like it would fall at any moment. At first, it seemed like it would buckle under all the weight, but then the hatch to the driver’s seat opened, and out stepped Samurai X, who then jumped off the robot. With that, the mech finally flew off, taking the ninja with them.

“Go, ninja, go!” Lloyd shouted happily from his cage. Before he or Pythor had time to tell the child to shut his mouth, the samurai landed on one of the stands, knocking two Serpentine out before jumping down to the arena. They then started running toward Skales and Pythor, but again the Anacodnrai demonstrated his quick thinking, as he quickly went over to the boy’s cage and took him out, before bringing him back under the statue and holding him hostage.

“GET HIM!” He yelled out in desperate anger, as warriors started surrounding the masked warrior. But either having not come to rescue Lloyd or just changing targets, the samurai instead of charging forward, activated some kind of device, that picked up the ninja's weapons and made them fly right into the samurai’s hands. They with a swift and graceful motion covered the weapons in a red cloth, right before throwing a shuriken, that flew right over to the same lever Pythor had used, tilting the arena once again. Which stopped the warriors from grabbing the samurai, who instead rolled down into the pit below, as Samurai X flew up in the air using a jetpack. They then landed on top of the Devourer statue, with Pythor practically growling at them out of fury. And after doing a mocking bow, they flew off again, leaving the Serpentine both without their prisoners, and the ninja’s magical weapons. Skales could only imagine how much Pythor was going to shout at him.

The night had fallen over Ouroboros, as the guards patrolled the walls and outskirts, while the rest went to sleep in whatever room they could find, as the city hadn’t quite yet been organized, leaving every snake out for themselves when it came to finding a bed. The Generals had of course been allowed to choose the best rooms, making the rest of their respective tribes take residence in the surrounding buildings. They still weren’t completely comfortable mingling with the other Serpentine. 

Pythor had of course made sure to find the most luxurious home and called it his, before the other tribes had arrived. But since it was a thousand-year-old buried city, that didn’t mean very much. But it was in that very same building where the Anacondrai had called Skales to ‘discuss’ all that had happened during the day.

“They escaped! How did they escape?!” Pythor shouted, his voice brimming with anger, as he took a table and threw it across the room. Skales watched with an uninterested demeanor as his king threw his tantrum, leaving no furniture untouched from his rage.

“We had them! We had them all, right where I wanted them, and they got away!”

“Perhapsss if you hadn't ssset them free to watch them fight each other, they wouldn’t have been able to escape.” The Hypnobrai explained, of course not mentioning the fact that he hadn’t objected to Pyhtor’s idea. But then he wasn’t the one in charge, was he? So Skales saw fit to lay the blame on his ruler.

Pythor’s rampage was put on hold, as the already frustrated Anacondrai turned to look at his second-in-command, who at that moment wondered why he couldn’t just keep his mouth shut.

“What did you say?” Pythor asked, his question holding more surprise than anger. Skales stood still for a moment, contemplating if it would just be best to apologize. But then he was suddenly hit with this sense of determination and looked directly into Pythor’s eyes.

“I sssaid, that if maybe we hadn’t let them out of their chainsss, then they wouldn’t even have had the chance to escape from usss.” Skales answered, with no hint of fear in his voice. He was Pythor’s number two, and therefore might as well be his advisor. Just because he had gotten a cozy promotion, didn’t mean that he was just going to let Pythor do everything he wanted. At least not without scolding him afterwards for his mistakes.

“Well, you sure were in no hurry to tell me that before!” Pythor replied, taking Skales’ comment rather well, considering his usual reactions.

“I wasss under the assumption that you knew what you were doing.”

“I know what I am doing!” Pythor yelled back, before he got strangely silent and seemingly observed the Hypnobrai.

“I thought that I had already made myself perfectly clear on how I feel about you chastising me.” He said, his anger somewhat fading away, and instead replaced with what seemed like uncertainty. And still, he kept looking at Skales with those investigating eyes as if he was trying to find something. Skales didn’t want to let it get to him, believing it was just another one of Pythor’s games. But he couldn’t help but feel a strange tingling in his stomach, as he watched the Anacondrai look him up and down.

Though he quickly shook off any distracting thoughts, and instead stood high and proud in front of Pythor, preparing to make a stand for his pride and capabilities.

“And I need to make sssure you know that I’m not sssome kind of mindless minion that will agree with anything you want to do. If you want sssomeone like that by your ssside, then you’re more than welcome to replace me.” Skales practically spat out at Pythor, making sure not to break their eye contact no matter what. Pythor had to know that he wasn’t afraid of him. The Anacondrai might have plans that Skales could never think of, but that didn’t mean Pythor was above criticism. Skales knew that he too was capable of things, even if they weren't as grand as his. 

As a silence grew between them, the Hypnobrai wondered if he could have phrased himself a little better. But it was too late to back away now. It was up to Pythor what happened next.

To his curiosity, the Anacondrai didn’t immediately go into a rant about his disloyalty, or whatever else Pythor could use against him. Instead, his look became fairly locked on Skales’ eyes, and his expression turned into one of deep speculation. It was like he was running through several ideas and outcomes in his head, and Skales had the feeling that they were all centered around him. But still, he didn’t turn his gaze away, instead only focusing all of his attention on Pythor. Whether it actually did anything, was up in the open. 

Still, something did change in Pythor, as suddenly a strange calmness came over him, which carried over to his voice.

“Replace you? Why, aren’t we bold today? I’m surprised you would even suggest something like that.” He stated, with an eerie casualness in his delivery.

“I’m not sssuggesting anything. I’m sssimply telling you where I ssstand.”

“Considering your recent deeds, I would think that you stand with me. So why should I have any reason to replace you?” Pythor continued, and with slow movement, he started slithering toward Skales. But the Hypnobrai was so focused on keeping eye contact that he didn’t notice.

“Because you ssseem to hate it anytime I object to you and your preciousss plansss. Ssso maybe you would appreciate someone a little more docile asss your sssecond-in-command, for I’m not letting you push me around.” 

Even as much as Skales tried to seem immovable, he couldn’t help but tense up as Pythor simply chuckled at his words. Not that it meant Pythor took his words lightly.

“Oh, is that what you think? Then tell me, my dear Skales, have my plans not worked every time, and brought me a great amount of power, and to you as well? So what gives you, a mere insignificant snake, the right to question me?” 

Pythor kept moving toward the Hypnobrai, getting closer with every second, and Skales was yet to realize it. He seemed almost entranced in their discussion, unable to move his eyes away.

“Do you really think ssso highly of yourself? Not that it mattersss. Just know that if you try anything too insane, I will ssstop you.”

“Stop me?! Oh, that’s rich. Then tell me, how exactly are you gonna pull that off, my simple Hypnobrai friend?” The Anacondrai asked, now with a somewhat playful tone. He had arrived right in front of Skales, towering over him as he usually did. But still, the Hypnobrai didn't react, though the chance that it was purely out of stoicism had diminished. Frankly, he was starting to feel rather warm for some reason.

“Perhaps you would need a demonstration,” Skales replied, though his tone didn’t indicate that there was any malice behind his words. Rather it felt like a counter to Pythor’s own teasing statement. 

The two snakes were now nearly touching up against each other, though neither seemed keen to address it. 

“Do you really think you would dare to do that?” Pythor continued bantering, the tense atmosphere that had filled the room now replaced with a strange anxiousness as if both were waiting for something to happen.

“Maybe I would,” Skales muttered, though his voice had gotten quieter, and his breathing unsteady. The Anacondrai looked to be more collected, though as his arms slowly wrapped around the Hypnobrai, slight twitches in his movement revealed a certain uneasiness in him. Not even his face could conceal the rush of adrenaline that pulsed throughout his body. Skales had in turn gotten relaxed, his body subconsciously letting itself rest in Pythor’s arms as if fully convinced he wouldn’t let go at any cost. It was then that the Anacondrai leaned his head down to Skales’ level, their heads now brushing lightly against each other, both lost in the other’s eyes.

“Shall we test it?” He whispered sensually to the Hypnobrai, who could only stare back at him in response. 

It was then that Skales finally started realizing what was happening, as he noticed how Pythor’s arms were holding on to him, in a strangely gentle manner. Before he had any time to question what was happening, his thoughts were quickly interrupted as in a swift movement, the Anacondria pressed his lips against the Hypnobrai’s. 

Skales’ first reaction was of course to push Pythor away. But as he placed his hands on Pythor’s shoulders, he was overcome with a peculiar feeling. Pleasantness. A pleasantness that spread from his mouth all the way through his body, practically making his revulsion slowly melt away, and making his body relax once again. It was then he realized, that he didn’t mind the fact Pythor was kissing him. Had it been any other snake, he would most certainly have pushed them away. But as Pythor continued kissing him, each movement with his mouth more gentle than the other, he couldn’t help but return the favor. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening to him, but he knew he didn’t want it to stop. And his hands he had planned to use to push Pythor away, he instead used to keep Pythor in place, just as he was doing with him.

But as Skales got lost in the moment, the Anacondrai suddenly pulled his lips away, leaving the bewildered Skales to once again question why he wasn’t doing anything to stop the Anacondrai. Pythor looked down at him, his face filled with equal amounts of shock and astonishment, as a light blush spread across his face. 

“Well, that wasn’t…entirely unpleasant.” He muttered, more to himself than to Skales. There was a strange tone in his voice as if he too couldn’t quite believe what had happened between the two of them. But the confusion didn’t last long, as slowly his expression shifted into one of calmness and endearment.

“Shall we continue, my dear number two?” He asked, and to Skales his voice sounded as soft as a feather, and as inviting as a gentle bed. 

As the entire situation started dawning on Skales, a heavy blush covered his entire face together with a quivering expression, that contrasted with Pythor’s tender demeanor. And still, as lost for words as the Hypnobrai was, he couldn’t help himself from giving the Anacodnrai a light nod. In return, a hungry smile covered Pythor’s face.

“I’m very happy to hear that.” He stated firmly, before once again closing the gap between their faces, and kissing Skales once again.

Chapter Text

“I expect that everything is in order?” Pythor asked as he looked at himself in the dusty mirror, with Skales standing behind him, waiting patiently for his king to be ready. Though he wouldn’t mind if he hurried a bit.

“Of course, Pythor.” He replied with a formal bow, as he could see the Anacondrai observing him through the mirror.

“Great! Then everything else should fall right into place.” Pythor stated cheerfully, before dusting off some sand that had gotten stuck to his chest.

“With the escape of the ninja, I suspect morale might be a bit low. But trust me, once I reveal my latest, and perhaps grandest plan as of yet, then morale won't be an issue any longer.” 

“You never ssseem to run out of plansss, do you?” Skales tried to jokingly ask, but his voice seemed unwilling to comply, leaving him to sound awkward as the words came out. Like he wasn’t completely sure with which tone he wanted to speak with. Still, the Anaocndrai paid no heed to his failed delivery, instead letting out a friendly chuckle. It was then he finally turned away from the mirror and moved towards the building's exit. 

“No, I really don’t.” He answered with pride in his voice, as if praising himself for his unending genius. As he passed the Hypnobrai, he didn’t even give him a single glance and simply continued. Skales of course followed after him, though he made the unconscious decision to stay a meter or so behind him.

While he cursed himself for his embarrassing attempt at making a small joke, he couldn’t help but think that his awkwardness hadn’t solely been present when making jokes. In all, his interactions with Pythor after their night kissing had seemed somehow tense and uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure if it might just have been him, but he had noticed that the Anacondrai had acted more coldly towards him than usual. Which Skales found rather conflicting since it was Pythor that had come on to him, and had been the one who had kissed him. Though he couldn’t deny that he had joined in. 

Whenever he thought about that night he couldn’t help but feel warm, and at the same time embarrassed. It was as if his body and mind had yet to properly accept what had happened between them. Moreover, he had still to decide whether the whole thing had been a mistake or not. He had of course enjoyed the experience. In fact, a little more than he had expected he would. Not that he was unfamiliar with his own interest in males, though on that field he was rather inexperienced. Perhaps that was why he found it so hard to grasp how he was supposed to respond to Pythor’s advances. Especially when it seemed the Anacondrai had completely forgotten all about it. Or at least acted like it hadn’t happened.

He couldn’t help but think it would make everything else easier if he just laid the whole thing to rest, and accepted that it was nothing else than a lapse of judgment on Pythor’s part. Besides, with the Anacondrai being king, how could he possibly find the time to be in a relationship? Which also applied to Skales. He was after all still the General of the Hypnobrai, and also now the second-in-command for Pythor. There were responsibilities he had to focus on, which couldn’t so easily be tossed aside because of a lover. It was common sense for Generals to not pursue a romantic relationship. 

But still, he felt something turn in him by the thought of forgetting about Pythor. It was as if he longed to feel the Anacondrai close to him once again. To know what it was like to be held by someone like him.

His dilemma had to be put to rest at the moment, as his duties called for his attention. He and Pyhtor had made their way through the sand-filled streets of Ouroboros and were soon reaching the Slither Pit. The streets were practically empty, as all the Serpentine had been called for the meeting. The promise of a ‘special’ announcement had done most of the work in convincing the snakes to attend. They made their way through the statue of the Devourer and out into the main arena. All of the Serpentine sat at the podiums, and as always noise filled the place, making it hard to hear. Skales couldn’t fully hear what was being said, but guessing from their tone, they were starting to get impatient. The other Generals already stood ready, looking on as he and Pythor arrived. As Pythor stopped right in front of the statue, the Generals and Skales positioned themselves by his side. While Skales’ position as Pythors advisor hadn't been made official, it didn’t take a genius to guess that he had the right ear of the Anacondrai. So of course he stood by Pythors side, with Fangtom by his.

“I hope we- finally get something to do around here .” The Fangpyre asked Skales, his weariness from being stuck in the city without anything proper to do clearly painted on his face. Skales too had started to feel the boredom that came with nothing to do. Keeping his tribe in check took most of his time, but even that had started to become less of an issue. A good thing of course, but it was the only thing keeping his attention.

“I assure you, Pythor hasss sssomething big planned,” Skales replied reassuringly.

I hope. He thought to himself, though he reminded himself to not underestimate the Anacondrai. 

“My dear Serpentine!” Pythor opened with, immediately making the bickering and chit-chattering snakes go quiet. It was as if all held their breath, as Pythor took a moment to revel in the power he held.

“I know my latest attempt at getting our revenge against those who dare defy us ended with…less than favorable results.” He continued, with whispering breaking out between the crowd.

“But I assure you, that it was only a single setback, on a road that shall be paved with victory!” The Anacondrai stated, earning a few cheers.

“For what I will bring to you will not only grant us our revenge, but it shall also give us the power we need, to take back our rightful place as rulers of the surface!” 

At first, confusion held the crowd's tongue, but soon enough the cheer came back, but much stronger than before.

“Because as your ruler, it is my mission to make sure that all of Ninjago fears and cowers before the might of the Serpentine! No longer shall we ever fear being forced underground, or fear falling victim to the humans' treachery!” Pythor continued, with the Serpentine hanging on to his every word, cheering him on as if he was a prophet. Even the other Generals seemed infatuated with Pythor’s words and diligently waited for him to continue.

“I will bring you the tool that shall make it possible for us to take what we deserve! To get our revenge on the deplorable surface dwellers who pushed us underground! All that shall be ours and so much more!” 

Skales had to remind himself to breathe, as he found himself lost in Pythor’s words. He had always adored the Anacondrai’s speeches. It was as if any bad will anyone held towards him was washed away in a flood of flowery and powerful words. Though he doubted that the words alone were what made Pythor’s speeches great. 

“For together, we shall achieve the impossible! We shall…” The pause felt like an eternity for the eager Serpentine, who all waited with a nearly blank stare as if nothing else mattered in the world. Skales and the Generals stared too at Pythor, just as anxious as the others.

“...awaken, THE GREAT DEVOURER!!!”

With a flair for the dramatic, Pythor shifted to the side, pointing towards the giant statue of the Devourer behind him. All gazes were turned to the statue, as mumbling overtook the crowds. Besides that, it seemed almost silent in the arena. Pythor still stood pointing at the statue, his once confident smile slowly giving away his nervousness, as he waited for a reply from the crowd that wouldn’t make him look like a fool. Skales too waited to see how the others reacted, as he himself felt somewhat at a loss on how to feel.

It was then out of nowhere, a Serpetine’s cheerful yelling burst through the mumbling. And soon enough, others followed his example, and it wasn’t long before the entire arena was shouting Pythor’s name in cheer.

“ PYTHOR! PYTHOR! PYTHOR! ”

The Anacondrai allowed himself to let out a relieved sigh, before wiping off a few drops of sweat on his forehead.

“Whew. I was worried there for a minute.” He commented to himself, though his gaze quickly turned over to Skales. He looked at the Hypnobrai with a fairly innocent smile, who could only awkwardly stare back, as he had no idea how to respond.

Once the whole announcement was over and everyone returned to their posts, Skales resumed his duties. But he kept finding himself thinking about the smile that Pythor had given him. Was it some kind of signal? Or just a random coincidence? Whatever it was, the Hypnobrai didn’t exactly appreciate that it was enough to keep him from focusing on his work.

While slithering through the streets of Ouroboros, on his way to make sure that the Hypnobrai tribe had all their weapons in top condition, a familiar friend came towards him.

“Nice to see you- again, Skales ,” Fangtom said, though there was a strange eccentric tone in his voice, that made Skales wonder if he was being truthful.

“It’s alwaysss a pleasure Fangtom,” Skales replied, but then they both turned quiet, and just stood in front of each other without moving.

“...Well, if there isss nothing else, I have sssome businesss I have to attend to-”

“ You have spent some -time together with Pyhtor, right?” Fangtom out of the blue asked, and Skales was starting to wonder if their conversation was about to turn ugly. 

“Yesss, indeed I have. You sssee, I have more or lesss become Pythor’s sssecond-in-command, ssso it’s only natural that I ssspend time with him.” Skales explained though it was only after he realized how much it sounded like he tried to cover for himself. Luckily, Fangtom didn't seem to care too much about that.

“Great! Then you might be able to explain to -me how he proposes we awaken the Devourer?”

“Um…” 

“ Besides, isn’t -awakening the Devourer just an old children’s story?” The Fangpyre asked, with clear skepticism in his voice. It was then Skales realized what the whole conversation was about.

“Maybe, but Pythor ssseems to believe that the legend holdsss sssome truth,” Skales stated, trying to sound like he wasn’t lying. In truth, Pythor had never mentioned awakening the Great Devourer to him. But that was something Skales could guess wouldn’t be very reassuring to hear, so he decided to keep it to himself.

“And if the legend isss true, then thisss will be the opportunity we have been looking for! With the Great Devourer by our ssside, we could conquer all of Ninjago.”

“IF, the legend is- true .”

Fangtom took a good look at his friend, with a certain worried look on his face.

“What happened- to you Skales ?” He asked, with a nearly somber expression. Skales couldn’t help being taken aback, though it didn’t stop him from responding.

“What’sss that sssupposed to mean?!” He nearly yelled, sounding more aggravated than he had expected to.

“You had just become the General of your tribe,- a truly remarkable feat by itself . By here comes Pythor- and suddenly you go back to being just another -lacky in someone else's schemes!” Fangtom explained, with disapproval in his voice. It was clear he held great respect for Skales, but the Hypnobrai was too infuriated to remember that.

“I assure you Fangtom, I’m no one’sss lackey! If anything, I have moved up in the world once again! With me being Pythor’s sssecond-in-command, I hold much more influence over the Ssserpentine than I ever could asss just a General!”

“Yes, you- went from being General back -to once again being someone else's number two,- just as you were with Slithraa .” The Fangpyre answered back, but Skales simply started chuckling, as if finding the whole situation amusing. It wasn’t long before Skales continued with a mocking tone.

“You can’t possibly compare the two! Slithraa was old, with no vision for the future. But Pythor has plans, great plans that will lead us to success.” 

“Plans like awakening the Devourer? Those are children’s stories, not something -Pythor should use our resources on.”

“And what else are we sssupposed to do? How else can we conquer Ninjago?! Without the Anacondrai we aren’t nearly asss powerful asss we once were! Not to ssspeak of the ninja, who keep disrupting our plansss! And what if the Elemental mastersss reassemble!?” 

Once Skales was done with his tangent, he let out a tired sigh, before looking back at his best friend.

“No, the Great Devourer isss our best chance at retaking our rightful place as rulersss of Ninjago.”

Fangtom stared at him for a long moment, leaving no expression on his face that could reveal what he was thinking. 

“...We will see.” He replied, before slowly slithering away, Skales losing sight of him between the streets of Ouroboros. The Hypnobrai tried his best to shake off their argument, but he couldn’t help but feel worried something had happened to their friendship. If there was one thing he didn’t need, it was losing his best friend. Not that he could be of too much help when it came to his situation with Pythor. Skales would never humiliate himself like that, and definitely not in front of a snake he respects. But that left him with little help to rely on.

The night slowly came into view, as the Serpentine went into their barracks, preparing for the next day. But no such rest awaited Skales, as a Venomari messenger came to him just as he was about to reach the district where the Hypnobrai had settled in.

“Skales! Pythor wants to see you-”

“Let me guess, immediately?” Skales apathetically asked, having hoped he could have avoided Pythor the whole day, but as an advisor, that's easier said than done.

“...Umm…yes.” The snake nervously replied, not sure how angry the General was about to be. Luckily for him, Skales only grumbled something under his breath and pushed the messenger aside as he made his way over to Pythor’s abode.

As he reached the entrance, he took a moment to prepare himself. While he couldn’t be sure what Pythor had in store for him, for whatever reason Skales could tell that he probably wasn’t going to enjoy the outcome. Skales expected that Pythor was most likely going to tell him to forget all about that night and never speak of it again. Something the Hypnobrai was more than prepared to do, to ensure both of their reputations stayed clean. With a single inhale, he finally opened the door and slithered inside. 

It didn’t take him long before he reached Pythor’s ‘plan room’, where he kept all sorts of ancient papers and documents hanging on the walls. Most of them concerned old Serpentine legends like the Devourer, the Fangblades, and a bunch of other stories Skales recognized from his childhood. He was sure Acidicus would barely be able to contain himself if he saw any of it. Skales had always heard of him as someone who greatly valued old stories and the history of the Serpentine.

Square in the room stood Pythor, standing over a table covered with dusty papers. He kept mumbling something incoherent as he fumbled with papers as if trying to look for a clue to a puzzle. The Hypnobrai was just about to announce his presence, when Pythor seemingly sensed him, stopped what he was doing, and turned to face him.

“Ah, Skales! There you are!” He said, with much more enthusiasm than Skales had expected.

“Yesss, asss you requested,” Skales answered back while doing a short bow. When no immediate reply came from the Anacondrai, he took the chance to move along the conversation to where he thought it was headed.

“Pythor, I know why you have asked me to come here. And don’t worry, I’m more than willing to forget all about that embarrassing encounter we-”

The Hypnobrai was suddenly cut off as Pythor moved over to him, and with a swift action grabbed Skales’ shoulders and pressed his lips against his. With a surprised yelp, Skales pulled this head back before staring shocked at Pythor.

“Could you ssstop doing that?!” He asked out of sheer surprise, as the kiss had left him completely disoriented.

“Oh, was I too quick?” Pythor sincerely asked, making Skales even more confused about what was happening.

“Maybe you would like it better if I went a bit more… slowly. ” He continued with a sensual tone, before slowly moving in for another kiss. Skales, still very much confused at the situation, held the Anacondrai back, who to the Hypnobrai’s surprise made no attempt at forcing himself closer. Instead, he just stared blankly at Skales, looking nearly as confused as he was.

“What? You seemed to enjoy it this the last time we kissed…quite a lot if I remember correctly.” Pythor asked with a sly grin, waiting for the flustered Hypnobrai to reply.

“W-well I just thought that…that…” 

Pythor continued to look at the embarrassed Skales with a curious glint in his eyes, as he tried his best to collect himself before finally answering.

“I just believed that…you were going to tell me to forget that night.” He finally managed to squeeze out of himself, cursing himself for having so much trouble saying such a simple sentence. 

“Forget? Oh, that would be ever so hard to do.” Pythor replied jokingly, but quickly a worried and serious expression took over his face.

“But, do tell me what made you think that was the case? After all-” The Anacondrai lifted his hand up and gently stroked Skales’ cheek. “-it would be a shame to forget such an enjoyable experience.”

Skales’ breath steadied slowly, and when Pythor removed his hand, the Hypnobrai had regained his composure.

“Well, it's just because you have seemed very… distant , of late. I thought it was a sign that you…regretted what had happened between us.”

“Do you?” Pythor asked gently, staring directly into Skales’ eyes. The Hypnobrai found himself cornered with no way out. He wasn’t exactly thrilled that his question had been answered with another. But it was a fair question, no doubt about that. But the answer was something that seemed impossible to admit face-to-face with Pythor. But there wasn’t any point in keeping it hidden, so with a nervous gulp, Skales opened his mouth.

“I-I…no.” He replied nervously, not sure what reply to expect from Pythor. To his relief, the Anacondrai didn’t linger long on the subject.

“Hm. Good. Now, I can see that I have to explain the situation to you.” 

Pythor then started slithering behind Skales. 

“While I have no problem with being with you, the other Serpentine might not be, as understanding, you see.” The Anacondrai kept slithering around Skales, his tail slowly wrapping around the listening snake.

“Not to speak of the indecency of a King being together with his second-in-command! Oh, it would be humiliating. And then the rumors would start that I simply appointed you my advisor because of our relationship. Then we would both lose the respect of the Serpentine, and that would do no one any good. So I’ve tried to play as…uninterested in you as possible. To keep away any rumors, or at least make sure no one starts asking any questions .” 

The Anacondrai had at that point nearly managed to wrap his tail all around Skales’ body, keeping him firmly in place. Pythor then placed himself right in front of the contemplating Skales, while looking at the snake with a sincere expression.

“So, in actuality, I’ve been trying to save both of our reputations, by keeping our little encounter a secret. I’m sorry if you’ve felt ignored, but that has to be the price we both pay to make this work.” Pythor ever so softly explained, before taking hold of Skales’ chin and lifting his head up, so they once again looked each other in the eyes.

“Now, the most important question of all…do you wanna contuine this little… thing …that’s between us?”

A lot of thoughts were running around Skales’ mind, as usual when it came to Pythor. Something about that Anacondrai drove him crazy, in a not entirely unpleasant manner. He could turn down Pythor’s offer and leave it at that. Then they both could go back to normal. But that night Skales had gotten a taste of something, he couldn’t let go off. That warm, and pleasant feeling he felt as he kissed Pythor. It felt like he had been missing that feeling for so long. He wasn’t exactly seeing a future with the Aancondrai in the long run. And it wasn’t like they could keep it hidden forever, even if Pythor’s plan sounded sensible. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that a longing for companionship had been answered, and he wasn’t about to let go of it.

“I do.” The Hypnobrai answered confidently, as he let go of himself, leaving himself in Pythor’s hands.

“Good. I was starting to worry a bit there.” Pythor answered with a short chuckle, before going in for a passionate kiss.

Chapter Text

“It says nothing about where the four Fangblades are hidden,” Skales exclaimed as the silence from Pythor started to get unbearable. They had been looking at the mural for nearly an hour, and still, they had managed to gather nothing in terms of further instructions for how to proceed with Pythor’s plan.

“Have our ancestors left us nothing?” He asked the Anacondrai with frustration, as his king did nothing but continue to stare at the murals. But still, he remained quiet, as if simply ignoring the Hypnobrai’s words. 

“Where are they?!” He finally blurted out as he couldn’t take the silence any longer. It was Pythor’s plan, yet he seemed just as at a loss as the other generals were.

“This, here,” Pythor said in an eerily calm manner, as he turned around and slithered towards the round stone table in the middle of the room, still seemingly ignoring Skales.

“This must be a clue.” He continued, before finally standing over the table. He then started reading the inscriptions chiseled into the stone. 

 “ When five fangs unite as one, the path toward the Devourer has begun .” Pythor read aloud, before looking at Skales to see his reaction.

“Yes, when the five tribes unite. We've done all this. It means nothing!” Skales ranted, before quickly realizing that he might need to keep his voice down. 

“If you don't find out soon, the others will begin to ask questions, and soon they will start to think you don't know what you are doing.” The Hypnobrai started to explain, with increasing nervousness, as he looked around the room brimming with Serpentine. They had all grouped together into their respective tribes, barely making an effort to associate with the other Serpentine. Except for a skeptical glance and a targeted whisper here and there.

“I know what I'm doing, fool!” Pythor lashed out, making Skales move ever so slightly back as Pythor spoke. Skales could guess that his calm demeanor had been an attempt to keep the situation under control. But as it stood, the Serpentine warriors with them were starting to get restless. Usually, it would have been the perfect time for the other Generals to speak up against Pythor. But they were still sore, figuratively and literally, from the last time they had stood against Pythor. In fact, they seemed almost shocked that Skales was so openly criticizing the Anacondrai.

“I'm trying to unleash the Great Devourer!” He continued, shaking his staff slightly, though he seemed to calm down from his outburst. “Legend spoke of a map showing exactly where the four Fangblades have been buried.” 

Skales nodded in agreement, but it was more to help keep Pythor calm than anything else.

“There must be something around here. Keep looking!” He demanded as he continued to study the stone table, ever certain that the key to moving forward was right under his nose. He just had to find it. 

The Hypnobrai wasn’t as easily convinced, and couldn’t help but feel embarrassed at the idea of staying any longer in that dusty tomb. If there was anything else that could help them, then they would have found it already. 

Skales slithered quietly away from the table, with Acidicus and Pythor staying to see if they could make out anything else from the inscriptions. Fangtom and Skalidor followed him, probably to get out of earshot from their king. 

“This is getting ridiculous!” Skalidor exclaimed once he was sure that Pythor couldn’t hear him. “My tribe has been stuck here for decades, and now that we have finally been freed, we have been dragged right back again!” 

Fangtom nodded in agreement with his two heads, and Skales wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. While Skales wouldn’t want to go back to his tomb either, he couldn’t help but feel that Skalidor was just complaining because Pythor was in charge. While it hadn't been officially stated, it was clear that the authority the Generals once held had been greatly reduced. They still had a say in their respective tribe’s affairs, but any big decisions were made by Pythor and him alone.

“Skalidor, you sssaid yourself that you have been living in thisss tomb for ssso long. Sssurely you must have noticed anything that could point usss in the direction of the Fangbladesss.” Skales asked, in hope of changing the topic. 

The General in response let out an angry grunt. “We translated the murals a long time ago, so trust me when I say that there isn’t anything that can help us.” 

Fangtom let out a tired sigh, before looking around the room, and back to the two of them.

“Well, we better- figure out something fast, or else -there’s gonna be problems.” He explained, nudging the others to take a glance at the situation. They did, and quickly realized what he was referring to. Tension was rising between the Serpentine warriors, and they were starting to act impatient. Skales had hoped now that they were all united under Pythor, they could look past their differences. But he was naive to think that it could be so easy.

“Then I suggest that we start working,” Skales said, earning a harsh stare from Skalidor.

“And who’s made you the boss, huh?” He asked aggressively, before closing in on Skales, who could only try to keep his composure.

“I remember that it was Pythor who beat us and became king, not you. Or do you have some kind of special privilege that I don’t know of?” Skalidor continued asking, getting even closer. The Hypnobrai tried to stay his ground, but he could feel the need to back away.

“ Back -off!” Fangtom stated, before griping Skalidor’s shoulder, keeping him from advancing. He stared daggers at the Fangpyre, but Fangtom was undeterred.

“This is no place- to start fighting . And besides, it isn’t his fault- that we’re down here . Or do you want to- bring the issue up with Pythor ?” He questioned the Constrictai, who looked back at where Pythor was standing. For all his bravado, he couldn’t hide his nervousness when looking at the Anacondrai. They stood there for a moment as Skalidor considered what to do next. In the end, he slapped Fangtom’s hand away and huffed before slithering away.

Skales looked at him with a sharp stare as he went away, before turning to Fangtom.

“Thanksss, old friend.” He thanked the Fangpyre. “Not that I wouldn't have told him off myself of course.” Skales continued with a sarcastic tone, earning a small chuckle from the Serpentine General.

“Why of course! You seemed to- have everything under control . But in truth,- I find his quarreling quite irritating -most of the time, so I was more- than happy to quiet him down .”

While the moment was pleasant enough, Skales couldn’t help but feel awkward from the last time they spoke. He wasn't quite sure if they left on good terms. In a desperate act to keep his friendship, he decided to speak up.

“Listen, Fangtom…I hope our last discussion hasn’t left a sssour taste in your mouth. I can understand if you’re skeptical about Pythor, even more ssso with how the sssituation isss now. But I’ve made my decision to sssupport him, and I’m not backing out anytime soon. I merely hope this won’t come between our friendship. Even with Pythor, it’sss nice to know that sssomeone has my back.

The Fangpyre looked surprised at Skales before a thoughtful expression spread on his faces. In the end, he gave a lighthearted smile to his friend.

“Skales, I’ve known you for- far too long to let a single Serpentine come between us . Besides, you may be right about him. Maybe he will awaken the Great Devourer, and -Ninjago can finally be ours.”

“I’m sure everything will work out in time. If we ever manage to decipher these cursed glyphs!” Skales responded with a humorous tone, though a small smile portrayed his gratefulness.

“Well, let's hope so. But as a friendly reminder, you -might need to step carefully around the- other tribes for the time being . If Skalidor is a sign of anything, then it’s- how the other Serpentine might not be so keen to see an Hypnobrai -as their king’s second-in-command.”

The Hypnobrai had thought of the possibility, but as it seemed until now, there hadn't been any incidents besides Skalidor. Skales had taken it as a sign that the unification of the tribes had been starting to change the opinions of the other snakes. But he could see why Fangtom might be worried.

“While I sssee your point, I believe it'sss only a matter of time before sssuch trivial concerns start to disappear. It might even end with the other Ssserpentine looking up to me, just asss they do with Pythor!” He explained, with what he believed was a fair bit of optimism and hope.

“If there was anyone that could do that,- then it would be you Skales ,” Fangtom commented surprisingly sincerely before going over to his tribe, leaving Skale behind to ponder his words. While he had thought himself suitable to lead the Hypnobrai, he had never actually considered getting the respect of the other tribes. As far as he was concerned, that was something only Pythor could pull off. But he couldn’t help but ponder over it, if only for a little bit.

Besides that, he was rather relieved to know that his friendship with Fangtom was still intact. The more he thought about it, the more his concern just seemed like paranoia. But that might just be the effect Pythor had on him. The Anacondrai was anything but predictable, and that was something Skales couldn’t help but admire. 

But what was between him and Pythor was starting to take its toll. Even if he could only notice it a little bit. The hardest part was definitely keeping up appearances of indifference toward each other. His questioning of Pythor had been the most direct form of this, if only because Skales thought that it was fair to do so. But it was still hard for him to tell if Pythor was playing along or was genuinely irritated by his questions. All the while trying to comprehend his newfound relationship with the Anacondrai, if it even went so far. He had considered that they both just happened to have taken a liking to each other and decided to have a bit of companionship. But a part of him hoped, and feared, that it could be something more intimate. But only time could tell that. The most important thing was to try and keep it hidden from the others. Even if that included his friend.

As time went on in the tomb, the more it became apparent that they were not making any progress. Even with Acidicus’ knowledge of Serpentine history and glyphs, he wasn’t able to decipher anything besides what they already knew. In the end, the tribes were sent deeper into the tomb to rest as night came. Except for the Constrictai, who Pythor had given orders to dig a giant tunnel. For what purpose, he didn’t tell, which only infuriated the others even more. Soon enough it was only Pythor, Skales and the other Generals left.

Pythor was still standing by the stone table, surrounded by the four golden staffs. Looking over the table, as if the answer would suddenly come to him. Skales could sense the tense atmosphere and was scared to act in fear of the others boiling over. Even with their loss against Pythor fresh on their minds, the lack of progress was making them reach the edge of their patience. But his efforts were in vain, as Fangtom was the first to finally snap, to Skales’ shock. He slowly slithered over to Pythor’s side, and said, in an infuriated tone;

“Where are -the four Fangblades ?”

“What if there is no map?!” Acidicus pushed in to say, now standing by Pythor’s other side. Skalidor too moved closer, interested in what Pythor had to say for himself.

“I know, I know!” Pythor exclaimed in defeat. 

“But I don't know where to look!” He continued, before pounding his hands down on the unfeeling stone table. Before Skales had the chance to intervene, Fangtom spoke up again.

“Then I’m taking my staff back.” He declared, grabbing said staff and holding it in defiance to Pythor, who could only look back at him with a face of surprise. Even Skales found himself at a loss for words.

“Me too,” Acidicus announced as well, grabbing his staff and turning his back as if about to leave. 

“Me three,” Skalidor uttered, joining in. But as he took his staff, he knocked it into Aciducs who nearly toppled over. It seemed the tension had reached a boiling point for the Venomari, who furiously started hitting Skalidor over the head with his staff. The Constrictai then retaliated, ending with both their staffs being thrown to the ground as they started fighting with each other. Skales could only shake his head at the scene before him. But then, he noticed that something had caught Pythor’s eye. Nearly effortlessly, the Anacondrai pushed the two Serpentine Generals away from each other and passed through them. While they looked at him shocked, Pythor went over to the two staffs, which venom was leaking out into a joined puddle on the floor. It was then that Skales too noticed the two colors of the venom mixing into a near blood-like red. 

“That's it!” Pythor called out, before picking up the two staffs, and then motioning Skales to get Fangtom’s too. Out of either shock or curiosity, the Fangpyre gave his staff up to Skales without a fight who then gave it over to Pythor.

“What's it?” Skales asked before the Anacondria took his staff as well, wondering what it was Pythor was planning to do.

“The Map of Fangs!” Pythor explained, with renewed enthusiasm. Fangtom then handed Pythor’s staff to him, perhaps out of obligation. The changed demeanor of the Anacondrai had definitely made its impact on all the Generals, who even patiently waited for Pythor to explain. 

“It's been right in front of us all this time.” He continued while placing the staffs upright on the table in a circle.

 “‘ When the five fangs unite as one, the path toward the Devourer has begun .’" He quoted from the inscription they had read beforehand. As he did, the venom from each staff slowly started dripping down on the table.

“It's not speaking of the five tribes, it's the venom in the five staffs!” Pythor proudly proclaimed, as he slid a piece of paper under the staffs, the venom continuing to drip down on it. But as a puddle was formed, the color again changed to red, before shortly covering the paper with lines and symbols. At first, it looked incomprehensible, but it quickly became apparent that it was a map of Ninjago. Skales and seemingly the other Generals could scarcely believe what they were looking at.

“Behold, the locations of the four Silver Fangblades!” Pythor shouted victoriously, picking up the paper and holding it over him for the other Generals to see. Then a united cheer arose from the Generals, as they now had insurmountable proof of the existence of the Fangblades. And therefore, proof of the possible awakening of the Great Devourer. The commotion was enough to gather the attention of the rest of the Serpentine, who quickly gathered the rest as the news of the Map of Fangs spread. It wasn’t long before all had gathered to cheer on the discovery. It was then, that Pythor continued to speak.

“Soon, the Great Devourer will be unleashed and Ninjago will be ours!” He yelled triumphantly, gathering even more cheering from the crowd. Soon the entire tomb echoed with shouts and cries of conquest and victory.

But soon enough their vigor faded, and everyone settled in for the night. Only Skales and Pythor were left awake. The Anacondrai was busy looking over a map of Ninjago that Skales had brought him, and the Map of Fangs. Skales could guess he was comparing the two to find the definite location of each Fangblade. 

As the minutes passed by, Skales found it ever harder to keep himself awake, with only his staff to keep him upright. Meanwhile, Pythor nearly had his snout touching the paper as he studied away. The Hypnobrai was worried that it would continue on for hours, but finally, life returned to the Anacondrai.

“Found it!” He excitedly exclaimed, making Skales jump and nearly fall.

“Found what?”

“The closest Fangblade should be around …here!” Pythor answered, pointing at a point on the map that was fairly close to the Constrictai tomb, all things considered. 

“This shall be the first place we strike. Then, we can continue onwards to the other Fangblades.”

“Yesss, then the Devourer is next!” Skales blurted out with a thrilled tone.

“Yes, the Devourer will be next,” Pythor replied with a content expression on his face. A quiet moment passed when the Anacondrai eyed up the Hypnobrai. It was like he was preparing himself for something, which only made Skales nervous for what would come next.

“I’m quite delighted to see that you're taking our little charade seriously, but-” Pythor said as he turned to Skales, who could already tell what he was talking about. “-next time, maybe you tone it down a notch. I don’t find it very pleasant having you question me in front of the other Generals. I’m nearly blaming that for the little stunt , they pulled earlier.” 

Skales found himself grasping for any excuses, but in the end, he just let out a defeated sigh. In all honesty, he might have been right.

“I apologize, but now that we have the map, there won’t be any need to question your actionsss any further.”

“I do hope so,” Pythor uttered rather uncaringly, before looking back to the maps. He then almost immediately turned to face Skales again.

“Oh, and more itsy, bisty thing. Your friend, Fangtom?” The Anacondrai asked, with an innocent voice.

“Yesss, what about him?” Skales replied, slightly unsure of why Pythor was bringing him up.

“I would appreciate it if you kept him in line for me. Threatening to take back his staff is something I don’t take lightly. Especially not if it incites the others to do so as well.” Pythor continued, his tone now threatening, and Skales couldn't tell if it was directed at him or Fangtom. In any case, the Hypnobrai found himself worried that his Fangpyre friend might be on Pythor’s bad side. Something that would only make his own situation even more complicated.

“I assure you Pythor, asss I sssaid before, with the map in your handsss, Fangtom, and any other Ssserpentine, will have no groundsss to object to your rule,” Skales explained, trying his best to sound calm and collected, though as always a bit of panic escaped his voice. 

“Hmpf, we’ll see,” Pythor muttered dismissively, perhaps noting Skales' apprehension to his request. “In any case, be a darling and keep an eye on him.” 

“...O-of course, my king.” The Hypnobrai replied together with a bow, rather poorly so, as he practically reeled back from Pythor’s use of ‘darling’. 

“Oh please, my dear Skales,” Pythor said, in an affectionate tone, catching Skales’ eyes with his. “You don’t need to be so formal in private, especially not with how close we two are. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Chapter Text

The sound of festivities filled the otherwise quiet city of Ouroboros. The impossible had been done, and a relic of a past age of glory had been recovered. A Fangblade. A thing of legends and bedtime stories told to children, had been discovered and was in Serpentine hands, where it belonged. Skales could still hear the cheering ringing in his ears, from when they returned to the city. All the Serpentine that had stayed behind were in awe when Pythor proudly showed them the blade. The same feeling of victory had echoed in the warriors as they had made their way back. Skales couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in the fact that he had been there when they dug up the Fangblade. The map had been the first actual evidence of the Devourer, and with the first blade in their hands, there was no one left to doubt that soon enough the last three Fangblades would be found, and Pythor would awaken the Great Devourer. And to sweeten the whole affair, they had managed to not only defeat the pesky Samurai X but also reveal their identity. Skales was certainly surprised to learn he recognized the girl. He had first seen her at the attack on Jamanakai Village. Later he had heard from some Serpentine that the same girl was helping the ninja. It would explain why the Samurai had helped the ninja escape when they had captured them both. But whoever the Samurai was, she had been a great enemy. And yet she had still been defeated. Even the other Generals and Fangtom were ecstatic upon their return, seemingly forgetting all about their previous distrust of Pythor and his plans. The first step had been taken on the journey to the Devourer, and it had been a great one.

But instead of feeling joyful about the whole situation, Skales felt relieved. He had practically been ready to sacrifice everything in Pyhtor’s name. If the legend of the Devourer had been fake, and if Pythor hadn’t managed to win the trust and respect of the other tribes, Skales would have fallen with him. Losing both the backing of his own tribe and his recent title as General. And while Pythor’s success had meant he had lost most of the control he held over the Hypnobrai, he had instead gained a fraction of influence over all the Serpentine, as Pythor’s second-in-command. A thing that could easily rival the position of General. Indeed, his loyalty had been greatly rewarded, which was only fair for all the trouble he had gone through in the Anacondrai’s name.

And yet, it didn’t seem enough. An opportunity had presented itself. One that could gain him so much more power than he could imagine. While an advisor to Pythor would certainly have some influence over him, a lover could have so much more. The idea of furthering his relationship with Pythor for his own gain didn’t sit right with the Hypnobrai. But he did have feelings for the Anacondrai. That he couldn’t deny any longer. So why couldn’t he use it in his favor? Why couldn’t he gain something from the situation, now that it seemed inevitable the two of them weren’t breaking apart anytime soon?

Those thoughts swirled in his mind, as the others around him partied and celebrated. Their successful mission had proved that the Serpentine could work together once again. And with that information, the snakes had used it as an excuse to mingle and celebrate together, without the boundaries of the tribes separating them. It was a sight that Skales had never even dreamed he would see. And yet it was happening right in front of him. 

Skales had celebrated too, with his friend Fangtom of course. It had been a long time since the two of them had the chance to have fun together, just as they did in the past. The festivities were only helped by the fact that some Serpentine had the great idea of stealing food and drinks from the amusement pack. It was a long time ago since any Serpentine had eaten so well. Everything should point to Skales forgetting all about power, Fangblades, and the Devourer. But his demeanor was slightly soured by the fact that Pythor wasn’t there to join them. 

The part of him that cared for the Anacondrai was the same one that had hoped he would join them. But instead, as soon as they had arrived and Pythor had time to revel in his victory, he had gone right back to his chamber. Skales had heard from some others that he was searching for the location of the next Fangblade.

Skales wasn’t entirely surprised, but still disappointed. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would have looked like for him to be having fun. Many things he could imagine the Anacondrai doing, but having simple fun was something he barely could comprehend. The thought tickled his curiosity for the snake, who still seemed an enigma to him.

Once the festivities started to die down, and the night stretched all over the city, Skales managed to gather enough will to visit the Anacondrai. He and Fantom had already split earlier in the night, so he had no one to explain his little errand to. 

Skales made his way through the city, slithering past half-asleep Serpentine and others who were making their way to their bunks. Even Skales was starting to feel the effects of the long night. He planned to settle in for the night, after visiting Pythor. 

Once he reached the building where the Anacondrai had made his home, he was surprised to find himself looking over his shoulder. The sense that what he was doing was somehow a little too personal for people not to question, started overwhelming him. He only calmed back down once he was certain no one was around to see him enter. And so he did, following the orange light of a candle to where he presumed Pythor to be. He was correct, finding the Anacondrai standing by his table, looking over the map for the Fangblades. The intensity by which he stared at the map made Skales wonder if disturbing him was going to be a good idea. But he had already come inside, so he might as well.

“Pythor,” Skales said before bowing. The other serpent finally noticed that someone had entered his home and seemingly shifted all his focus to him.

“Oh, Skales, what a pleasant surprise. Come now, why are you bowing, I already told you it was mostly just for formality. And especially unnecessary here in private.” Pythor uttered with a joyful tone while pushing the map to the side as if to forget it completely.

“I know, your high-...I mean, Pythor. I’m sssimply trying to get used to your new position. It wasn’t ssso long ago we were digging in the desert together, and now here you are. King of the Ssserpentine.”

“Indeed I am. But I haven’t forgotten about our time together when I was but a single, unimportant Anacondrai, and you only a General. We both have risen in the world, haven’t we?” Pythor reminisced, his gaze lingering on the Hypnobrai, who found himself warming up by the look in his eyes. 

“ And, I still haven't forgotten about the crucial support you were so eager to give me during those times. One could even dare say that I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am without you.”

“I’m…sssure you would have found a way.” 

“Ever so truly humble, my dear Skales. Perhaps? Maybe. Certainly? Not so much I’m afraid. The world is ever-turbulent, and the powers in place are ever-shifting. But you-” The Anacondrai moved away from the table, and over to the slightly nervous Skales.

“-you are something to rely upon. I knew, from the first time we met, that I could depend on you. And your loyalty would be guaranteed if I merely managed to earn it. But in truth, it seemed I gained something, much more than loyalty.” Pythor practically whispered to Skales in a soft tone. The Hypnobrai wanted to let those honeyed words take over him, but creeping guilt in his gut made him turn his head away from Pythor.

“Loyalty? You flatter me, but the truth isss that I betrayed my previousss General-” Skales said, as a wound opened up when it came to his former leader. While it didn’t haunt him too much, there was a lingering regret in him. But one Pythor was quick to try and snuff out, as he interrupted the Hypnobrai.

“But what loyalty did you have for him?” Pythor quickly asked, while grabbing Skales’ head and turning it towards his.

“And wasn’t he under the control of Lloyd, that gullible, irritating child? Wasn’t it in your right to remove him from power?”

“It might have been, but I was hisss sssecond-in-command, my loyalty wasss meant to be assured.”

“Maybe, but sometimes we must do…what we have to do for the good of ourselves,” Pythor explained, in a strangely cold and cryptic tone, as if there was something else in his words. But Skales didn’t have long to ponder before the Anacondrai continued.

“What matters is that you were successful. That you made the rewarding decision. A decision…that lead you to me.” 

He moved his and Skales’ head closer together, and once again whispering, he said:

“Wouldn’t you say that it was the right one?” 

Skales’ heart was beating fast, and he could barely find any words to respond with. In the end, he just nodded slowly. But it seemed satisfactory enough for the Anacondria, as he smiled warmly at the Hypnobrai. 

“See? Nothing wrong with making a good decision every now and then.” He said, with a light chuckle.

The two stared into each other’s eyes for a while, until Skales heard something that caught his attention. Or rather, it was the lack of hearing anything that piqued his interest. While he had noticed that the party was dying down when he decided to visit Pythor, it seemed most of the Serpentine had gotten to bed. While he wouldn’t mind staying a little longer with the Anacondrai, his drowsy eyes were telling him to go to sleep. So with a yawn, he turned away from Pythor and slowly slithered over to the exit, to the Anacondrai’s disappointment.

“While I would love to ssstay, it'sss getting late. I better return to my quartersss to get sssome sssleep.” Skales explained with a tired voice.

“Oh, but you wouldn’t need to leave to do that.”

The sentence surprised Skales enough to stop in his tracks and turn to look at Pythor in confusion. Sensing the Hypnobrai wasn’t understanding what he was referring to, Pyhtor decided to show him. Without a word, he made his way to one end of the room. There against the wall was a bed sitting on the ground, separated from the floor by a single small step. A traditional Serpentine bed. Pythor made his way on it and slithered to one side of the bed, with Skales noticing that there was enough space for two on the bed. 

“I had this little accommodation built a short while ago, after being crowned king. It was clear to me that a king deserved a kingly bed, not the least after the hard work I did to reach my position. But I do see now that I may have gone a bit overboard when it came to its size. Maybe you would like to remedy it? It would be a shame not to share this magnificent bed with anyone.” Pythor suggested with a devious smirk. Skales’ face had turned so red he could barely mutter a single word. Believing his silence to be because of hesitation against his proposal, Pythor quickly tried to reassure him before he could make up his mind.

“Come now, I’m sure you’re tribe isn’t gonna notice you’re gone for one night. And isn’t it such a long way to the Hypnobrai quarters anyway? Wouldn’t it be easier to just lie down here? By my side, coincidentally.”

The Anacondrai then laid down halfway on the bed, before clapping on the empty side, while looking at Skales, waiting for him to join him. The Hypnobrai stared at the spot beside Pythor with more fear than when he faced Slithraa in combat. He was lost in contradicting emotions, that urged him both to leave as fast as he could but also to lay down on the bed with satisfaction. His hesitation to decide only made him feel more embarrassed, as he thought of how stupid he must look Pythor. 

“W-wouldn’t you perhaps be more…comfortable, sssleeping alone? After all, I don’t think I would be any good as a sssleep buddy.” Skales asked his voice quivering. It was a last-ditch attempt to escape the situation without having to take a stance. He could only hope it would work.

“Hm, let me think about it…no,” Pythor replied in a dry tone but with a slight smile on his face, before giving Skales a look of anticipation. There was no way around it. Skales had to make a choice. He pondered for a bit before he felt the urge to act against his own embarrassment. To show that wouldn’t let himself be controlled by that irritating indecisiveness. So decided to do what came first to mind. 

Skales slithered over to the bed and nervously laid down, with the approving Pythor beside him. The Hypnobrai had made the decision to have his back to the Anacondrai if only so Pyhtor wouldn’t have to look at his blushing face. He had always been a warrior, one of the best his tribe had to offer. Which was what led him to become second-in-command to Slithraa, and what allowed him to usurp his place as General. Yet laying there he didn’t feel like a warrior or a leader, but a weak, nervous wreck. It was only a few times he had felt like that. All of which involved different forms of intimacy and affection. And the worst of those cases happened when someone made their advances to him. Perhaps that was why he could barely respond to Pythor's affection for him. Or maybe it was because he had never been so intimate with another male before. It could easily be a mix of the two. But whatever it was, it made him feel ashamed. He kept hoping he could respond to Pythor in the same brazen, and confident way he did. And yet the courage never came to him. Skales could only wonder what the Anacondrai saw in him, after several times seeing him at his weakest. 

Then he felt a familiar cold, but soothing body press up against his back. And then slowly an arm came around and held onto him, while a tail twisted around his. He could feel Pythor’s head resting on top of his, and his chest moving with each breath. Skales wondered what would happen next, but then nothing more came. Instead, the breathing gave way to a relaxed slumber, and even as Pythor stopped moving, he still held on firmly to the Hypnobrai. It took a minute for Skales to realize that he was being cuddled. It was an experience that while not unfamiliar, was certainly a surprise. It had never struck Skales that Pythor would have liked to cuddle. For all the great things he believed Pythor to be, someone who cuddles was not one of those things. 

As Skales slightly adjusted his position to be more relaxing, he suddenly found himself in a state of comfort and safety. It took him a bit to get used to Pythor’s body against his, but when he did, he felt all the tension in his body slowly fade away. But with its departure came tiredness to take its place. Soon, Skales felt his eyes grow heavy and his mind losing focus. His last thoughts were of affirmation. That there was something between them. Something special. He could trust Pythor, even with his life. He was sure.

It wasn’t long before Pythor had found the next location of the Fangblade. Contrary to the first one, the place of the second was much more suitable, as the map led them right to an ancient Serpentine pyramid. A statue of a giant serpent had stood at the front, as they had made their way to the entrance. Once inside, Pythor had granted Skales the honor of holding the map and leading them through the maze they found inside. Even though the map became less useful than he had imagined. It pinpointed the exact location of the Fangblade, but how to traverse the labyrinth it resided in hadn’t been included. So with torches lit, they made their way through, ending up walking in what seemed like circles for hours. 

Pythor had made the strange decision to bring the boy Lloyd with them. He had mentioned using him as bait for whatever traps were inside. Though Skales had a hard time telling whether he was being serious. Not to mention that he personally didn’t believe many of the traps had survived the passage of time. 

Their journey through the ruin didn’t become much easier as they continued. The walls around them seemingly were closing in on them, the longer they stayed. Skales didn’t much enjoy being surrounded by the old stones. It reminded him too much of a tomb. The kind he and his fellow Serpentine had been left in to rot. He felt the same uneasiness coming from the other warriors accompanying them. Whispers and murmurs echoed against the cramped corridors and only got worse as they reached further and further into the center of the pyramid. He could even sense the same restlessness from Pythor, as a displeased and tired expression spread on his face as they went on. But just as it seemed the hallways would never end, they reached one that widened and relieved some of the pressure they had felt. And Skales noticed that according to the map, they should soon reach the Fangblade. 

As they turned a sharp corner, Skales was too busy looking at the map to notice Pythor signaling them to stop. He ended up bumping into the Anacondrai, who didn’t seem too pleased.

“Ugh. Why mussst we ssstop, if the next Fangblade is just ahead of usss?” Skales asked annoyed, hoping to find the blade as soon as possible and get back out into the fresh air. 

Pythor simply turned back forward and lifted his staff, to Skales’ confusion. He then slammed it into the floor. Shockingly, the ground immediately gave way and crumpled to pieces, falling down to an imaginable deep hole underneath. Skales barely had time to react before Pythor turned around to face him.

“What good is unlocking the Great Devourer with the four Fangblades, if we're not around to see it?!” Pythor questioned aggressively, closing in on Skales with each word muttered, who could only look away in response.

“Get the boy!” The Anacondrai then commanded not interested in hearing any excuses from Skales. 

He then echoed Pythor’s command to the soldiers behind him, who did the same. Soon enough the command had reached the back of the group, where the boy was being held. He was brought up to the front, and his chains removed. With the innocence of a child, Lloyd looked happily at his newly freed hands and then up at Pythor.

“Wow, you’re letting me go?!” He asked joyfully. Skales would have at other times enjoyed seeing his blissful naivety crushed. But the reprimand from Pythor had soured his already low mood, so he felt strangely no interest in the suffering of the boy.

“Heh, only to fetch, my dear boy,” Pythor said, before taking Lloyd over to the edge of the chasm, where only a few loose stones were left hanging. For some reason, the tone Pythor had spoken with had seemed familiar to Skales. But he was too tired to think about it.

“Do step lightly,” Pythor added forebodingly, as he gestured Lloyd to continue to the other side. Perhaps rightfully understanding that he didn’t have much choice, or simply not fully comprehending the danger the corridor posed, he without hesitation started making his way past the chasm. After a few steps, he reached a hole between the rocks. He decided to jump over but as soon as he hit the rock ahead, it cracked under his weight. The only reason he didn’t fall to his doom was because he managed to cling to another rock. Once he climbed back up, he looked over to Pythor.

“Bring me the Fangblade, and I'll let you go.” The Anacondrai said demandingly. Without much choice, the boy continued forward.

Barely a meter ahead, the floor started falling from beneath him, forcing him to run. Once the floor under him became solid again, a ceiling full of spikes began the fall toward him. At that point, Skales wasn’t very convinced the boy was going to make it. But he was convinced that the traps in the pyramid were indeed still functioning. Then the sound of hundreds of arrows flying filled the corridor. The boy's terrified scream followed and disappeared once again. Sounds of rocks falling then came after, and at that point, Skales was willing to bet he was good as dead. He looked to Pythor who looked back at him with the same unsure expression. 

“It’s gone!” Suddenly echoed toward them, which meant that the boy had survived to Skales’ surprise. But it also confirmed the biggest fear that had accompanied their search. That someone had gotten to it before them. 

“It’s gone?!” Pythor repeated, his head and body practically twitching from disbelief, as the reality of the situation started dawning on him.

“Where iss it?” Skales asked no one in particular, as he was just as dumbfounded as Pythor was.

“Do I still get to be free?” The boy asked through the long corridor, with the faintest of hope in his voice.

“NO!” The Anacondrai firmly yelled back, before mumbling to himself, his frustration only growing with each word.

“How can this be, who could have taken it before us?! Was it the ninja?! No, impossible!-”

“Ugh, Pythor?”

“-Then who else! Who would dare trespass upon one of our sacred ruins and steal from it?! The audacity ! Once I find out who, then-”

“Pythor?”

“WHAT SKALES, WHAT?!” Pythor screamed at Skales, who could only back away before continuing his original question.

“W-what do you want usss to do?”

The question seemed to push Pythor out of his mild breakdown, as he looked over the Serpentine warriors behind, who were just as directionless as he. He looked around indecisively, before coming up with something he at least hoped would keep them busy while he tried to think of something.

“We…we will send out search parties to all areas around this pyramid. If we can cover enough ground, we should be able to find out who has the Fangblade.”

The Serpentine didn’t seem too convinced, but neither they could think of anything better to do.

"Excellent plan, my king!” Skales commented, hoping to dampen any doubt their warriors had. Not that Pythor seemed to notice his efforts, as the Anacondrai seemed busy thinking to himself.

“But, what of the boy?” He then asked, looking behind Pythor and into the corridor filled with traps. He wasn’t quite sure that Lloyd would be able to get back without dying if he tried.

“Who?” Pythor replied earnestly before looking back and seemingly remembering the boy he had sent to his near death.

“Oh him! I had honestly forgotten all about him, thank you for reminding me. While it would certainly not have been too much of a loss if he had perished, it would be a waste to leave him there.” He said, with Skales nodding in agreement.

“So why don’t you go get him for me?”

At first, Skales thought he was joking, but after a few moments, he realized that wasn’t the case.

“What? Me?!” He questioned, completely taken aback by the suggestion.

“Yes, now that you were so diligent to remind him of me. Now, my warriors, we march back!” Pythor announced, with the command echoing back, and slowly the Serpentine started walking back to the exit. Pythor also started following them, with Skales pleading with him on the way.

“Come now, you can't be ssserious?! Sssurely you have othersss to take care of tasksss sssuch asss these.”

Upon hearing his words, Pythor stopped in his tracks, and once they were out of earshot of the others, he turned to face the Hypnobrai.

“I do, but you’re the one I trust the most . So why don’t you be a dear and take care of this little thing for me? Most preferably without complaining.” Pythor asked of Skales, who tried to object, but upon meeting the Anacondrai’s firm but gentle stare, he could only fall silent.

“See, wasn’t so hard, was it? Now toodaloo!” Pythor unceremoniously said before continuing forward with the other Serpentine, half-heartedly waving back at Skales. The Hypnobrai could barely close his mouth which stood agap, as he watched as Pythor left him behind. He stood there for a little while, even as a few Hypnobrai came up to him.

“Uhm. General? Are you coming with us?” Asked one of them. 

“Huh?” Skales muttered, before looking at the Hypnobrai that spoke to him. It was one of the few female Hypnobrai in his tribe, though that didn’t make her stand out as much as her pink scales that replaced the otherwise common blue scales. Even so, he hadn’t managed to learn her name yet. She was joined by two other Hynobrai who stood and waited for his response.

“Oh, yesss-I mean, I will join you later. I have to retrieve the boy.” He said, pointing down the corridor.

“Um…Pythor?! Are you still there?!” The boy yelled, reaching their ears. The pink Hypnobrai seemed puzzled at his words.

“Are you sure? We could easily take care of it so that you could go and-”

“Thisss isss ordersss directly from Pythor, ssso there'sss no discussing it! Just… go back and tell the rest of the tribe I will be joining them sssoon.” Skales stated before turning around and staring down the long path he had to take to reach Lloyd with dread. The pink Hypnobrai seemed hesitant to leave, but in the end, she decided to make nothing more of it.

“...As you say, General. We will be waiting for your return. Come, let's go.” She said to her fellow Hypnobrai, as they walked away, all three with a confused expression. The explanation they could think of was that Pythor was punishing him, but they weren’t going to ask to make sure.

That left Skales alone with his task. He looked down the dark path with a defeated look. He wasn’t sure why Pythor would make him do such a dangerous, and demeaning task. Skales wasn't buying that it was out of trust, but there wasn’t much else that made sense. Was it that Pythor was angry and lashing out? Was he being punished for bumping into him, and then questioning him in front of the others? Questions that seemed without answers.

“HELLO!!!” Lloyd screamed, to Skales’ irritation.

“I’M COMING YOU BRAT! STAY STILL!” 

“...Oh. Ok.” Skales quietly heard back.

He then went to the first chasm, taking the same route as the boy, though his jump was more successful, as he landed safely on the other side. That only left the second, and much longer chasm. With a grunt of frustration, he hugged the wall and slowly slithered past. The rocks moved ever so slightly as he made his way across, and he feared they would fall from under him at any second. Luckily, that wasn’t the case and he made it safely across. 

Next came the spikes, which he didn’t look very much forward to. He laid on his stomach and looked under, seeing that the last pair of pikes were high up enough for someone to crawl under. It was only the first that was too low. He thought about what to do for a moment before he remembered the loose rocks. Carefully he managed to take one out from the path he had taken and place it before the spikes. Then came the hard part. After preparing himself, he grabbed the edge of the spiked roof and pushed it upwards. At first, it didn’t seem possible to move it up, but slowly it gave in. With an exhausted grunt, he held it up long enough to use his tail to push the rock under. Once that was done, he let go. The sound of a spike hitting the rock wasn’t exactly gentle, but the rock was still in one piece. And the spikes were then high up enough for him to crawl under. Still, he had to be careful, or else his back would scrape against the tips of the spikes. 

When he came out the other side, he breathed a sigh of relief, only to be horrified by the sight before him. The hallway ahead was covered with arrows along the sides and floor, which would have painted a grisly sight if someone had been caught in the trap.

“How did he manage to get past thisss ?” Skales commented to himself, with a bit of astonishment in his voice. 

Slithering past, he was faced with the last hurdle. The corridor was covered in dirt and rocks that nearly went up to the ceiling. But not completely. He climbed up and as soon he reached the top, he could see that there was a bit of space between the mound and ceiling he could crawl through. Except the last part, where the rubble went all the way to the ceiling. 

“Can you hear me?” Skales asked to the other side of the pile.

“Yes!” Lloyd answered back, happy to hear someone was coming for him, and that he hadn’t actually been left to rot.

“You’re gonna need to dig out the top of the rubble, or else you’re not gonna get past,” Skales commanded.

“Umm… there are some pretty big rocks up there, and I’ve had my arms in chains for, I don’t know how long. So I’m not sure that I-”

“ Oh by the Devourer ,” Skales whispered angrily to himself, before aggressively crawling over the rubble as if to vent his frustrations. It didn’t take him too long to reach the other side, whereupon he started digging and pushing rocks out of the way.

“Of course he chose me. He couldn’t have chosen a Constrictai, oh no! That would have been too easy. I had to do it. Why? Because it's Pythor !” Skales uttered to himself, not caring whether the boy could hear him or not. Soon, there was only one big rock left, blocking his way. With all his strength he pushed, and slowly the rock started moving. After one last push, the rock came loose and rolled down.

“Wow!” The boy yelled having seemingly dodged the falling rock. He then came up the hole, directly facing Skales’ angry expression. Even though he hadn’t heard him complaining, he could see that it hadn't been exactly easy getting him free. Faced with the boy, Skales snarled slightly. It had been some time since he had been so close to him. The only other time was when the boy still had control over Slithraa and ordered him and the others around like his own personal soldiers.

“You are here to rescue me. Right ?” Lloyd asked hesitantly, as Skales’ demeanor didn’t exactly seem like that of a rescuer.

“ Yesss , and be happy for that,” Skales answered nearly threatingly, before turning around in the small crawl space.

“Follow me out…OR, you could ssstay here and-”

“Nope. I’m gonna follow you, no problem.” He replied quickly before following behind Skales, making sure to not stay too close.

When Skales reached the end and crawled back down to the floor, he noticed how dirty his scales had gotten. Fruitlessly, he tried to wipe away the dirt, but to no prevail.

Pythor is gonna owe me a warm bath after this . Skales thought to himself. Then came the boy, who glided down the dirt pile. Without looking back Skales continued forward, with Lloyd running up behind him.

“Soooo, do you think that Pythor might reconsider setting me free?” Lloyd asked, with the same hopeless optimism in his voice.

“I wouldn’t really, no.” Skales answered coldly, not even glancing at the boy.”

“Dang it! I’ve already been a prisoner for who knows how long now, and you can’t even CONSIDER letting me go.” 

“Well, that’sss the point of a prisoner. They don’t get to decide when to leave.” The Hypnobrai stated harshly, that time looking back to face Lloyd. 

“Why don’t you appreciate the fact that we don’t use you for entertainment? Or eat you.” 

“Come on, that’s just an old myth, even I know that,” Lloyd replied confidently, but as no answer came from the Hypnobrai, he felt a slight tingle of fear going up his spine.

“R-right?” 

Skales didn’t answer, but instead, an amused smile spread on his face. When they reached the spikes, Skales wasted no time and got ready to crawl.

“Just be happy that *ugh*, Pythor still has some use for you.” 

“Guess I am.” He commented, though there didn't seem to be that much relief in his tone. 

Once past the spikes, there were only two obstacles left. The two chasms. But as long as the rocks would hold their weight, then there wouldn’t be a problem. But the boy wasn’t as sure as Skales, as when the Serpentine went over to the edge, he anxiously stood a few feet behind. 

“Um…how are we gonna get past?”

“How do you think ? We walk along the edge.” Skales said, pointing at the very slim path he had taken himself.

“Oh no, there’s no way you’re gonna get me to walk over that!”

“You don’t exactly how much of a choice, do you?” The Hypnobrai reminded him of, not wanting to waste time indulging the child’s fears.

“Can you, like, at least test it?”

Skales stared at him for a few moments, contemplating whether it would be easier to just carry him under his arm. But as he wasn't in the mood for screaming or yelling, he sighed and picked up a rock from the floor. He then turned to the path and threw it on the first rock.

“Sssee. It holdsss.”

No more than a moment after the words had left his mouth, a cracking sound came from the rock, which then fell down the chasm. As Skales looked, other rocks followed suit and soon enough the path was entirely gone, as if never had been there. Skales stared frighteningly at the sight, thinking of how ready he was just before to walk across. But his thoughts were interrupted by an annoying giggle from behind him.

“Hehe, and you said it would hold.”

Skales growled at the boy, which made him quickly shut up again. But that still left Skales with no way to get past. As he inspected the missing path, he noticed that the spaces between the rocks were fairly wide. Easily enough for someone to stick their hand in and hold on. Without much hesitation, he went right over to the edge and grabbed onto the wall with his two hands.

“Alright, we’re gonna need to climb across. Follow behind me, and-” Skales looked behind, and to his dread, a frightened expression was plastered over the boy’s face.

“You can’t be serious. You walked up a mountain to find my tribe’s tomb, and now you can’t even climb!?” He exclaimed, barely believing the situation he stood in.

“Yeah! The word being ‘walked’ . I don’t know what makes you think a ten-year-old is a master climber, but I’m barely gonna make it a meter across before I fall.”

“And what do you suggest we do then, huh?!” Skales questioned him, not expecting any good answer to come. But the question made the boy think about something, before he looked up at Skales, unsure.

“Well, I have an idea, but I’m sure you’re gonna like it.”

It took a few seconds for Skales to realize what the boy was thinking.

“If I could just, you know… hold on , then we can both get across.” Lloyd continued, consciously avoiding mentioning what he would hold on to, as he was worried about the Serpentine's reaction. Rightly so, as a frustrated look grew on Skales, which accumulated with him banging his head into the wall. He stood there for a few moments, contemplating what he was doing, and was angry at Pythor for making him go through this. With a long and tired sigh, Skales moved his head away from the wall.

“.. .Get on .” He muttered, in the most venomous tone possible. Still, an excited smile spread across Lloyd's face as he moved over to Skales. Even if he was dealing with a dangerous situation, his childishness became obvious at the prospect of being carried on someone’s back.

“If you touch my face, then I’m gonna ssshake you off, got it?” Skales explained with hostile intentions. That stopped Lloyd in his tracks, but he then nodded understandingly and got behind Skales. With a small prayer, he hopped up the snake’s back, and grabbed onto his shoulders, hoping that the Hypnobrai wouldn’t immediately snap at him. Fortunately for him, he didn’t, which Skales considered to be an act of extreme restraint. Lloyd moved around a bit, casually trying to find the right position and places to hold on. 

“Wow, you feel cold. I guess that comes with being cold-blooded, huh.”

Skales didn’t entertain him with an answer, but instead stayed quiet and waited for the boy to stop moving. But once he did, Skales started climbing. He could definitely feel the extra weight on his back, but he was a warrior and a Serpentine. The weight of one small human on his back wasn't going to stop him. So slowly and surely he started climbing across, with the dark abyss right under them. Luckily, Skales could use his tail to give him some more support, making him less nervous whenever he had to grab onto another rock. However, it didn’t help shorten the rather long climb that was ahead of him.

As the climb continued, Lloyd started feeling slightly awkward at the fact that the two of them were climbing in silence. While he contemplated whether it was smart to strike up a conversation, in the end, his own boredom got the better of him as always.

“So, I’ve heard you have gotten pretty good friends with Pythor.”

“Out of everyone who could have sssnuck into Ouroborosss, it just had to be you, didn’t it,” Skales muttered to himself more than to Lloyd, which slightly annoyed the kid.

“Hey, sorry for trying to lighten the mood! It’s not like we’re over a dark pit or something.”

“And what, that meansss I ssshould humor your questionsss?”

“Why not? Got something better to do?” 

“Yesss, trying to not fall to my death.” He replied, hoping that the boy would tire of talking at some point, but he highly doubted it.

“Come on, it’s the only interesting thing I’ve heard. Well, except for your plan to unleash a giant snake.” Lloyd stated, with a bit of surprise in his voice.

“It'sss not just a giant snake. It's the Great Devourer, the most powerful serpent in Ninjago, which we shall use to-wait, you’ve heard what about me and Pythor?” Skales asked, finally realizing and wondering how the child could have heard about him and Pythor.

“Oh, now you’re interested,” Lloyd said sarcastically, with Skales just about to snarl at him again, but then the boy continued.

“It’s not much, except some gossip I’ve heard from some of the Serpentine guarding me. They just talk about how much you spend time with Pythor and how much he seems to like you, especially compared to the other Generals.”

“Do they now? What else have they been saying?” The Hypnobrai asked as he wondered how much gossip was going around that even their prisoner had heard some of it.

“Not much else, except a few rude comments and insults here and there. But…what I wanted to say is that I was once Pythor’s friend too.”

“I have heard of that, yesss.” Skales replied, with a mocking tone in his voice. Lloyd could tell he was being made fun of, but he pushed it aside.

“Then you have also heard of how he betrayed me,” Lloyd explained, his voice signifying that he thought of it as a big reveal. 

“He told me that too,” Skales said, ruining what Lloyd thought to be a big revelation. But it also gave way to new questions.

“And you still trust him?! Even when you know he betrays his friends?”

“He wasn’t your friend. He merely wanted sssomething from you, and when the chance came, he took it from you. Sssimple as that.”

“And how do you know he’s not going to do the same thing to you?” The boy asked, for once saying something that truly hit Skales, and made him pause for a moment. But it was merely a lapse of judgment before he continued, his silence being the only answer he gave to Lloyd. The boy had been right when it came to one thing, as the talking had distracted him for so long that he hadn't noticed they finally made it to the other side. He jumped back on the floor, his tail sore from supporting him, as well as his arms and hands. Getting a feel for solid ground, he stood and stretched for a bit, before noticing that Lloyd was still hanging on to his back. To be nice, he gave the boy a second or two to jump off. When he didn’t, he grabbed him from his back and pulled him over his head, and held him in front of him. Then unceremoniously he let go, letting the boy drop to the ground.

“You know you could just have asked me!” Lloyd said, with an irritated tone, as he stood up and dusted himself off.

“I thought you could have figured that out yourself. Apparently not.” The Hypnobrai answered, before slithering over to the next pit in their path.

Thinking that the Serpentine deserved to be knocked down a peck, he decided to bring up a topic he believed Skales wouldn't enjoy too much.

“Hey, how come you’re a second-in-command again? I thought you had become a General.” 

Skales scoffed at the boy’s attempt to rile him up, but he still couldn’t help but answer.

“I’ll have you know that I’m ssstill a General.”

“Yeah, but you’re also still doing what someone else tells you to do. It doesn't seem that much has changed.” 

“Everything hasss changed!” Skales declared loudly, to Lloyd's surprise.

“With Pythor asss King of the Ssserpentine, we will finally rule the sssurface! And me being hisss advisor, I too ssshall ssshare in the power he will acquire.”

“Pythor doesn’t seem like the type to share.” The boy stated, with a foreboding voice.

“Be quiet.” The Hypnobrai ordered, having decided he had heard enough from the boy. He didn’t need another person to doubt his decisions, especially not a child. But while he tried to dismiss his words, there was a tinge of truth to them. Pythor had used and discarded the boy as easily as one would change a glove. Skales had at least kept Slithraa in his tribe after defeating him. But it was the child that Pythor had betrayed, the same one who had used his tribe to steal candy from villagers. The boy deserved his fate after the degradation he had caused to the Hypnobrai and the danger he had put them in. Skales wouldn’t forget or forgive that anytime soon.

Reaching the edge of the chasm, he jumped over where the missing rock had stood before. He turned around, to only be faced with the boy and his scared expression once again.

“Ssstop wasting time and jump! You can easily make it acrosss.” Skales said, trying his best to not sound too reassuring. But they were near the end of their whole ordeal and Skales wouldn’t mind seeing the sun again. The boy still seemed hesitant, but in the end, he did walk over to the edge. He wobbled a bit as he looked down, and then prepared himself to jump. He stood a few seconds before he made the attempt. At first, Skales believed that the boy had made the jump. But as he landed, the Serpentine could see something was wrong. He had landed right on the edge of the rock. Lloyd tried bending forward but to no avail. The boy slowly fell backward and for a moment he felt his feet leave the stone. But just as it seemed he was about to plunge down into the darkness, a strong hand gripped his wrist. It took him a moment, but he soon realized that Skales had managed to grab him at the last second, the Hypnobrai himself leaning over the edge. 

There weren't any words shared between them but instead looks. Skales looked down at the child and he looked back up at him. What he was met with was of course a face filled with fear of falling down. But also…a fear of him. Not the kind of fear born from intimidation or strength, but the kind from looking at someone who just saved you from falling. And yet still believing that they would drop you at any second without a whiff of empathy. Skales at first felt shocked at the revelation but then also hurt. Was that how the boy saw him? Not as a feared and powerful warrior, but as a cruel villain that would only save him to then enjoy the sight of seeing him fall to his death. It seemed like ignorance to Skales. He was fighting against the oppressors that had forced his kind underground for decades. But yet, hadn’t he wished such cruelty on the boy before? Hadn’t he been the monster the boy thought he was looking at, at some point? It wasn't enough to shake his fundamental beliefs and faith in what he was doing. But still, he didn’t enjoy that look. He didn’t enjoy that someone saw him like that. Even if that was what he truly was.

With a decisive pull, he managed to get Lloyd up to the edge, whereupon he grabbed on and climbed back up. Once on the ground again, he took the time to recollect himself. Meanwhile, Skales stood up and slithered over to the boy. Lloyd turned to face him and for a moment seemed to contemplate whether to say something or not. In the end, he couldn’t just stay silent after Skales had saved his life.

“OK, I know you aren’t going to listen to me but, just…I’m sorry for what I did to your tribe. It wasn’t nice, I get that now. And I know you have all these plans to take revenge on the surface, take over Ninjago, but…I don’t think you should trust Pythor. He doesn't seem like someone who would go through all this if it didn’t serve him somehow. I just…I just…he betrayed me and I don’t see why he wouldn’t do the same to you. How he would betray you, I don’t know, but…please. Reconsider helping Pythor. I think a lot of people are gonna get hurt, probably even the Serpentine. Whatever you think you’re getting out of it, I don’t think it will end as you think. Oh, and also…thanks for saving me…”

The boy stood and waited for a response, hoping that the Hypnobrai would listen to him. And he had listened to him. 

But Skales knew Pythor more than he did. He knew Pythor wouldn’t betray him, wouldn’t cast him aside. If he only followed him, all he wished for himself, for his tribe, and all the Serpentine, would come true. Pythor was the one to make it all real. The time for doubt had to pass, or else he wouldn’t be able to serve Pythor as best as he could and help him awaken the Devourer. He realized that now. With that, he looked at Lloyd with a stern and cold expression, who could only stare back with a defeated look. 

“Get going.”

Chapter Text

It had barely seemed like a day since they managed to recover the second Fangblade. While the first one had been a bit of trouble, the second one was even worse. First, they discovered that it had already been found and taken from the pyramid that housed it. Only to then learn that the surface dwellers were using it as a simple trophy for a music competition. One of their most significant cultural artifacts was being paraded around in a golden cup. Skales would have laughed upon hearing the news if it hadn’t been so insulting. The only good news had been that it wasn’t yet in the hands of the terrible ninja. 

But thanks to Pythor’s plan, they had been able to claim their second blade. Or at least thanks to his improvisation, once the original plan failed. With the blade in their possession, another victorious return to Ouroboros followed soon. Half of the Fangblades were in their possession, and it could be felt in the mood of the Serpentine. Their spirits were higher than ever, and so was their cooperation. Whatever hostility there had been between the tribes was almost completely forgotten, and it seemed like a joyous return to unity, that had only been seen since the war. Even then, Skales felt they stood more unified than ever. And all thanks to Pythor.

One night, Skales once again found himself in Pythor’s quarters. Something that had become a small routine between them. The dwelling was dark, with the only light coming from the moon through the windows. When Skales had entered, he had called out to Pythor, but no response came. 

He made his way further inside, a sudden eerie feeling settling in his stomach. The Serpentine he had asked had all said Pythor was there, searching for the location of the next Fangblade. But no lights or sign of Pythor could be found. As he slithered around, he considered leaving. But then, he felt like something was behind him. Before he could react, two arms wrapped themselves around him, and swung him to the side, making him lose his balance. He was nearly about to yell when he noticed he was being held from falling. And right above him, two familiar dark pink eyes stared at him, but with nobody to accompany them. Then the scales revealed themselves. 

Skales had heard of the Anacondrais' ability to make themselves invisible, but he hadn’t personally seen it. Which was maybe the point. But he felt a tinge of relief as his assailant chuckled in amusement.

“Oh, hope I didn’t frighten you too much my dear. Just a harmless bit of fun.” Pythor explained, but Skales wasn’t having it.

“Did you have to do that?! I’ll have you know, wasss just about to attack you!” Skales angrily stated though he didn’t feel so intimidating in Pythor’s arms.

“I’m sure you were.” He said with a large grin, as he moved his face closer to the Hypnobrai. 

“But seeing you so surprised is half of the fun I get from our annual meetings. The other half, of course, being this,” 

Pythor then leaned the rest of the way down and gave Skales a short kiss, though it was more than enough to leave him more lax in the Anacondrai’s arms. 

“Now, ready to forgive me, hm?”

“...Yesss.” 

“That's what I hoped to hear,” Pythor said, before lifting Skales back to his feet, or tail rather. The Anacondrai then slithered along to one side of the room, where a dark, metal chest sat, collecting dust. Humming happily to himself, he opened the chest, and from its contents, picked up two very familiar daggers.

“See this, Skales?” Pythor asked with the Hypnobrai nodding in a slow rhythm, as he stared longingly at the Fangblades before him. The fact they were held in Serpentine hands once again filled him with pride. He wasn’t sure if Pythor felt quite the same, but there was a quite earnest joy in his eyes as they wandered across the blade's edge.

“With already two blades in our possession, we’re already halfway there. Soon enough we shall make our way to the location of the third, and once it's within our grasp…then we’re so nearly there. My victory, OUR victory, is at hand.”

Once his small speech was finished, he carefully placed the blades back in the chest and closed it. He then turned back to Skales, who dutifully stood still. Then with a deadly finesse, the snake quickly closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Skales.

“All thanks to me…and you ,” Pythor commented, whispering the words into Skales’ ear, who was flustered at the sensation.

Their embrace was less of a hug and more of Pythor taking possession of him. Keeping him close, and not allowing his arms to move. And that still rang true, even as he slightly let go of his grip, and let the two of them look at each other, with the Anacondrai looking from above. His and Skales’ eyes met and they stared deeply into one another. Pythor's breath was kept at a steady pace, while the Hypnobrai’s fluctuated in a chaotic rhythm with his pounding heart. That burning feeling in his chest was as addicting as it was exhilarating. Nearly instinctually, Skales let his arms run up Pythors, nearly all the way to his shoulders. All the while without breaking eye contact. 

“I do ever love it so much when you’re speechless, my darling.” Pythor softly stated, letting his hand stroke Skales’ cheek. It was true that the Hypnobrai was mostly empty for words, and relied on Pythor doing the talking for both of them. Something neither of them especially took issue with.

Skales then got to feel the strength of an Anacondrai. With a rush, Pythor picked the Hypnobrai slightly off the ground and threw both of them against the nearest wall. They landed with a bump, but Pythor made sure to soften the impact. Skales didn’t have time to collect his senses before he felt something warm against his neck. The Anacondrai had bent his head down, and slowly caressed the scales around his neck, with his tongue. Which soon after evolved into a series of kisses that covered nearly the entire side of his face. For as hard as he tried, Skales couldn’t help but let out a few quiet moans, which every time Pythor answered with a satisfied smile. But it was a small pause before he resumed kissing the Hypnobrai’s scales. The Hypnobrai’s breathing became even more erratic, as his hands clenched around Pythor’s arms. He even allowed himself to wrap his tail around the others, something that wasn’t met with any resistance. Instead, their tails weaved around each other into a tight pattern.  

Without any words, Pythor stopped for a moment so their eyes could meet again.

“You have no idea, how precious you are to me.” 

Skales didn’t have a long time to enjoy those words, as their lips met once again. It was a long, and drawn-out kiss that made the Hypnobrai close his eyes, if only to better appreciate the sensation of being so close to the Anacondrai. So intimately close. Then, like thunder in the quiet of the night, a sound and voice pierced their little heaven.

“Skales, are you there?” The female voice said, accompanied by the sound of the building’s door being pushed open. The voice was one that took Skales a moment to recognize. A few steps later the familiar pink Hypnobrai came inside, squinting her eyes, as she tried to look through the darkness. She looked around, as she continued speaking;

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but the tribe has been asking for-”

Her words instantly stopped as soon as she laid her eyes on the two of them. Both had been too surprised to react and unfortunately stood in the same position. There was a chance they could explain it away as the two arguing and Pythor having pushed Skales to the wall. But that seemed unlikely, as they held onto each other too intimately. Not forgetting that both of their mouths were still clinging together, as their eyes stared at the intruder.

An awkward silence set in, that for both parties felt like an eternity. Slowly, Pythor removed his mouth from Skales’, and a mix of rage and shock spread across his face. Skales could only look with such fear and distress, that one would think death itself stood in front of him.

“I-I’ll…I’ll leave…” She nervously stammered out, having most certainly planned for more to say, but couldn’t force it out. With that, she quickly backed away, all the way to the door, which she closed with a slam. The sound of her footsteps quickly leaving the area could be heard from inside.

Slowly the two untangled themselves from each other and just stared at the closed door. All the while, the both of them wore the same expression as before. The silence was broken when Pythor let out a long, tired sigh. Skales couldn’t tell whether it was out of frustration or disappointment.

“You know-” Pythor started saying, with Skales turning to look at him. But Pythor kept staring at the door, keeping their eyes from each other. His tone was unusually cold as if there was some rage-filled train of thought that occupied his mind.

“-I’ve done my share in keeping this thing just between the two of us. And as it stands, I think I've done an excellent job at that. Trust me, I made sure no one was supposed to interrupt us. But it seems, you haven’t done as good of a job, my dear number two.” He continued, before finally turning to face Skales.

“So I expect you to do your share and take care of this !” Pythor hissed, his head lunging at Skales, who could only turn his cheek as a reflex. Whatever caring acts and words there were before were gone and replaced by something that matched the coldness that ran in their veins. It was as if all the light in a room had disappeared, and you were left with nothing but the eerie shapes in the dark that surrounded you.

“Is that understood?” The Anacondrai asked, the slow but demanding tone of his voice tearing into the Hypnobrai, who could only sheepishly slump down and nod.

“Yes, my king. I will.” He replied, and with that, he slithered defeated out of the building, with Pythor's eyes burning into the back of his neck. Skales could barely muster to lift his head, even after escaping his piercing gaze.

But as he made his way through the empty streets of Ouroboros, he managed to gain some confidence. If only because he knew he was going to need it. Simple rumors about the two of them, no matter how true, were still just rumors. Those could easily be dismissed. But she saw them. That Hypnobrai saw the two of them together, and that was something that would be harder to ignore. While Pythor’s words had hurt him, he knew what he was saying was true. Thanks to Pythor no one openly dared to ask any questions about them. It was his fault for not properly keeping his own tribe in check. Something he would make up for. For their sake. For Pythor.

While he worried that a scene would be inevitable in the Hypnobrai barracks, to his luck, that would not be the case. For as he wandered near the streets to Pythor’s quarters, his eyes caught the flash of something pink. And it wasn’t hard to figure out who it might have been. It was there he started to think of why he hadn’t noticed her that much before. The color of her scales was a clear giveaway, so it surprised him that he didn’t remember seeing her that often. He didn’t even know her name yet. Perhaps if your scales were like that compared to an entire tribe of Serpentine with the same color of scales, then you would learn to not stand out. He himself wasn’t entirely sure what had led to the color. It covered too much of her body to just be cosmetic. A birth defect that changed one's color wasn’t unheard of, but very rare. That seemed like the most likely answer.

But as his thoughts twirled around, in the end, he recognized that they were better off for another time. As it stood, whatever was going to happen next had a high chance of not being very pretty. With that, he moved closer to where he saw her. There he found her next to the street, in a tight space that stood between two buildings.

At first, she didn’t see him and instead continued going back and forth, clearly thinking about what to do. But as he came closer, she finally saw him and let out a short gasp, backing away slightly. But behind her, there was only a wall, and Skales blocked the only escape. There was no chance for her to get away without a confrontation.

“Skales! I’m…I’m so sorry for disturbing you and…I-I mean I didn’t see anything! Nothing! So-”

“Quiet!” He ordered, and with an apprehensive nod, she obeyed. 

Skales let out a long and frustrated sigh, as he thought of the best way to respond to the situation. Should he threaten her? Bribe her? He had no idea. It was his first time dealing with something of such a delicate nature. One thing was clear, however, and that was he had to make sure she didn’t tell anyone what she saw. For his and Pythor’s sake. No matter what he would need to do to make it so.

“Do not play dumb with me.” He started saying, with a certain edge in his voice. “We both know what you sssaw. Unfortunately for you, that wasss sssomething not meant for you, or anybody else to sssee.”

“I know! It was just that the tribe had been wondering where you were, and Mezmo and Slithraa got into an argument, that then quickly turned into a fight and I didn’t know what else to do, and-”

“Do you think your excuses are going to save you from thisss?” Skales replied, and a helpless expression spread across the female Hypnobrai’s face.

“No…I just need you to know I didn’t mean to disturb the two of you, I-”

“But you did. And you couldn’t have come at a worse time!”

“I wouldn’t say it was the worst just…alright, it was pretty bad timing.” She answered, recognizing that she really had messed up badly.

“ Exactly .” He commented with a displeased tone. 

The two stood and stared at each other, the worry on her face only growing as the seconds passed. Still, the thoughts stirred in Skales. He still hadn't decided what to do yet. But she seemed like the timid type. A threat or two would perhaps be enough. And there was only one way to find out.

“You have to have realized by now, that I can’t have you running around and telling everyone about thisss, right?”

“Yes, I know. But you have to believe me when I say I wouldn't tell anyone about something so personal, alright!”

“And how can I trust-...wait what?”

A fuse short-circuited in Skales’ brain once he processed what she had said. He and Pythor being together was something that wouldn’t be short of a scandal. Skales being his number two and advisor could quickly be said to only be because he was in a relationship with the king. It would undermine any authority he had, as well as for Pythor. Skales had shown his dedication and belief to Pythor enough so that the other Serpentine viewed him as a reason to trust whatever the Anacondrai did. Why else would he put his fate in the hands of someone not from his own tribe, if not because he truly believed in his cause? If it came out how close the two truly were, all that would crumble away. Something that Pythor had made sure to explain to him. 

And yet, none of those truly significant details were what she mentioned. Just that it was…personal? It was, but also so much more. Skales couldn’t comprehend how she could ignore such obvious ramifications.

“I have no problem with you two being together, but I can completely understand not wanting the rest of the Serpentine to know. Trust me…I know that it's sometimes hard for them to…accept difference.” She explained, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head as if recalling an unpleasant memory. There was a solemn look in her eyes that made Skales drop his guard and let go of his anger.

It wasn’t hard for him to believe she spoke the truth. It couldn’t have been easy growing up, standing out so much compared to others. He knew how ruthless Serpentine children could be.

“So I want you to know you can trust me when I say I wouldn’t tell anybody about this. And I don’t say this just because you’re the leader of the tribe, but because I respect you and wouldn’t do anything that would cause you trouble.”

Skales stood in front of her and felt lost. He didn’t want to believe and wanted instead to do what he needed to do. But it didn’t feel right to push her further, to come up with a threat or bribe that would make her silent. It would just feel uncalled for and unjust. Her words sounded so earnest that he couldn’t find a reason to not believe her. Even if he knew Pythor wouldn’t feel the same. If he was here, he couldn’t imagine what he might do. Or what would happen if he learned Skales just let her go with a warning. But in the end, that felt like the right thing to do.

“...And I can be assured you won’t mention a sssingle peep to anyone, right?” Skales asked, after some speculation. It was a stupid move to just blindly trust her, he knew that. But anything else felt…wrong. 

“Yes! I swear it, not to a general, but to you.” She answered before bowing her head, as a sign of respect. 

Once again the separation of his status and him as a person felt alien to the Hypnobrai. Every Serpentine has grown up learning to obey and respect the general. And yet that seemed less important to her. He couldn’t figure out what her deal was, but he had already made up his mind. He wanted the whole thing to be over, so he wouldn’t have to think about it anymore.

“And if anyone asksss, then you didn’t find me at Pythor’sss quartersss.”

“I understand.” She replied, lifting her head, and looking at Skales patiently. He then motioned to her that she could leave, moving to the side so she could leave. She let out a quick thank you and started walking past Skales and away.

As she did, Skales looked at her and felt a strange sensation in his chest. A feeling that didn’t disappear, even as she got farther away.

“Hey!” He yelled, just loud enough so only she could hear it. Surprised and worried, she turned around.

“What’sss your name?” Skales asked, before realizing how personal it sounded.

“Just in case you try anything!” He added on, though there wasn’t much intimidation in his threat. 

“...Selma.” She replied, with a confused expression on her face. She then turned her head again and continued walking. Soon enough she was gone from view, and her footsteps quickly disappeared between the streets of Ouroboros.

Skales continued to stand there as if he were waiting for something. For some reason, the feeling in his chest was still there. It seemed familiar. Like something that Pythor had made him feel. He let the name repeat in his head until it ended up getting stuck. The Hypnobrai still couldn’t believe how truthful and understanding she had been. As if there wasn’t any hidden agenda or scheming thoughts in her head. Just plain truth, with no catch. It was there he realized how opposite it was from Pythor. But he had started to enjoy that part about him. The speculation and thrill it brought were intoxicating. And only made better by his moments of sweetness. With those thoughts came the realization that he should probably return to Pythor. Whatever problem there was between Mezmo and Slithraa could solved tomorrow. 

He slithered through the streets, making sure he wasn’t spotted by anyone. Soon enough he came back to the Anacondrai’s quarters and entered. The moment he met those dark pink eyes, he felt his heart sink, and he lowered his head.

“Is it done?” Pythor asked, with clear annoyance in his voice. 

“Yesss, it isss done, my king. Ssshe won’t be bothering usss anymore.” Skales answered after gathering himself. 

The Hypnobrai came closer to Pythor, though it was clear he was wary. The Anacondrai looked at his second-in-command, and the scowl on his face slowly disappeared. As if he felt a certain tinge of guilt, or concluded he may have been too hard on his partner. Putting on a soft smile, he himself moved closer, slowly wrapping his tail around Skales’. Much to the Hypnobrai’s surprise.

“Oh, I’m sorry if I might have been…to harsh about this uncomfortable circumstance we found ourselves in. You must understand, it's only because I worry about us! You know what would happen if we were discovered, right?”

Pythor tried to catch Skales’ eyes but to no avail. Placing his hand on the Hypnobrai’s cheek, he turned his gaze back to him. 

“Right?” He repeated, once their eyes were once again locked together, his face neutral and waiting. 

Letting out a sigh, Skales looked down for a moment.

“I do.”

"Good," Pythor said before a devious look spread across his face.

“Now, I think we were in the middle of something before we were so rudely interrupted! Let us continue, shall we?” He asked, though he didn’t wait for an answer, before pulling Skales up close to him. 

Their mouths joined together once again, and the night continued as Pythor had planned. Though what Skales didn’t know, was that Pythor’s good mood came from him finding the location of the next Fangblade. Which was nestled deep somewhere inside the Fire Temple. A palace that would soon be their next destination.

Chapter Text

The volcanic mountain was clear to see many miles away. And once they got close enough, so was the smoke that came from its top. It was a black cloud that spelled trouble. But that wasn’t something that Skales wanted to tell Pythor. It seemed childish.

They had wandered a long road to reach their destination, but their spirits were lifted once they managed to get to the Forest of Tranquility. As the name said, it was a quiet and subtle place that almost felt eerie. The trees which were taller than buildings, seemed to look down upon the Serpentine. Skales found himself nearly comparing the tree tops to the cavern ceiling that covered their tomb, forever keeping out the light from the outside. Which only made him crave the open and desolate planes of the Sea of Sand even more. Where the sky was free from distractions and visible from dawn to dusk. But once the forest was reached, the Fire Temple felt to be just a short walk away. It didn’t take long before they could clearly see the volcano, whereafter a wave of cheer swept through their ranks. 

The other Generals were staying behind, overseeing a secret project that Pythor had delegated to them. Skales wasn’t quite sure what it was about, but he knew it involved digging and many Constrictai. He had mentioned it to Pythor, who had told him that it would be revealed soon enough. Skales thought that if anyone, he would have deserved to know of such things. But of course, he wouldn’t object to the decision directly.

He and Pythor were at the top of the snake, they formed as they marched. Behind them were the warriors who dutifully followed them. And at the back end of the snake, were their prisoner, Lloyd Garmadon. It wasn’t hard for Skales to believe he truly was the son of the infamous Garmadon. Though he lacked the skills and wits of his father, he had more than made up for it with his cruelty toward the Serpentine. Skales could guess that it was meant as an insult to the boy, that he was kept at the back, hanging from a cage.

Skales looked over at Pythor, who was busy studying the map as if the volcano wasn’t already visible. 

“Why did we take the boy with usss? Won’t he just be a distraction, while we perform our task?”

"Questioning me again, number two? How awfully impolite of you.” Pythor replied, his eyes still glued to the map. But in the end, it looked as if he concluded it was fair to offer an explanation, as he turned to the Hypnobrai.

“In the very likely case of the Ninja trying once again to disrupt our search for the Fangblades, it is always useful to have a hostage on hand. It does after all seem the Ninja have some misguided desire to free the fool. And , it is also useful to have someone to test for possible traps!” He cheerfully explained, letting out a sinister chuckle. 

Skales looked behind them, though he couldn’t see the boy. Their last talk back at the pyramid had been enlightening, to say the least. Even if it has had the opposite effect their prisoner had hoped. His determination to serve Pythor had only gotten stronger. He couldn’t believe he had been about to fall for the boy’s petty attempt to turn him against his king. But he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t seeing Lloyd in a less hostile light. He also could not ignore the feeling that he had paid for his crime against Skales’ tribe already. Lloyd had been their prisoner for some time and subjugated to all the indignities that came with it. It had reached a point where the thought of just letting the boy go and being done with him had crossed his mind a few times. But then it was Pythor's right to decide what they did with their prisoner. If he wanted him to be a hostage, then that was that. 

As they neared the volcano and temple, an uncertainty, brought about by the black smoke, started to invade Skales’ mind.

“Are you sure the volcano is safe to enter? It looksss rather…unstable.” 

“Rubbish, it is perfectly safe, I'm certain,” Pythor assured him, but then it looked like he was struck by a thought.

“And even if it wasn’t, do you think that would matter ?” The Anacondrai asked, moving his head close to the Hypnobrai’s. There was a dreadful tone in his voice that made Skales unsure.

In the end, he was unable to formulate an answer. But it seemed good enough for Pythor, as he moved away and focused on the temple ahead. Skales hadn't quite understood what Pythor had meant, but he thought nothing more of it. 

Soon enough they reached the entrance of the red structure. While the gates were closed, Pythor's quick hit with his tail revealed it wasn’t locked, as the gates swung open without resistance. He and Skales slithered in and up stone steps. At the top, the entrance into the temple itself stood without a door or gate. It was easy to see deep inside. There the visage of a large, grinning face stood at the other end and looked back. As they went inside, a creepy feeling took over. The inside was lit up by the red glow from the lava that stood at each side of a path, while smoke filled the room. The path led straight ahead, directly into the mouth of the visage. There a tunnel showed itself, leading deeper into the volcano. 

Skales looked back at their nervous warriors. But they kept walking without interruption, sure that their King and his Second-in-command knew what they were doing. So without fear, they went into the cramped tunnel, surrounded by rock from all sides. After walking for a short while they entered the inner-most center of the temple. The floor had long since been covered with lava, and only pillars of stone that stuck from the ground remained. There wasn't any clear path down, but the wall consisted of several cliffs one could use to easily climb down.

There was still the problem that nothing connected the pillars. And the Fangblade itself was meant to be at the center. Pythor quickly ordered several Serpentine to go out into the forest and construct ladders they could use to make a path between the pillars. It took a little while, but they soon returned, climbed down, and placed them along the pillars of rock. 

Soon enough a path to the center became possible. Then the digging began. A Hypnobrai took a shovel and started working, while the rest stood around, impatiently waiting. Lloyd had been placed on one pillar away, while Skales and Pythor stood around the digging Hypnobrai.

Again Pythor was glued to the map as if he was trying to decode some hidden secret it held. But Skales started to realize that Anacondrai was in fact anxious.

Most probably wouldn’t have noticed, but Skales had spent quite enough time together with the Anacondrai to see things most wouldn’t. His almost twitching motions as he studied the map were a clue. Another was that he wasn’t actually reading the map. Rather his eyes glazed over the lines and with no attempt to properly look. If they weren’t surrounded by Serpentine, Skales might have tried to comfort him. But then again, there was a good chance that Pythor wouldn't accept it. Comfort was something he sometimes gave to Skales but wouldn’t in any circumstance accept himself.

So silently they both stood on either side of the deepening hole. At some point the question if they were looking at the right place started to buzz around, but Skales quickly shut down the idea. Meanwhile, the already hot champer of lava started to become even hotter,

“Thisss doesn’t ssseem sssafe,” Skales commented, looking around the frail-looking walls that surrounded them.

“Quiet!” Pythor ordered, and so the silence continued, only interrupted by the sound of shoveling.

Then it finally happened. A very distant ‘cling’ could be heard, that sounded somehow more delicate than the normal sound of metal against metal. With the sound, Pythor suddenly raised his head and came to life.

“Huh?!” he barely managed to mutter, before whipping around and jumping into the hole.

“Out of my way, fool!” He yelled before slapping the Hypnobrai away, who sheepishly crawled out of the hole while rubbing his cheek. 

The suspense had caught every Serpentine in its net, and no one dared look away. With all the eyes on Pythor, a wide, satisfied smile spread on his face.

“The third Fangblade is ours!” He victoriously declared, grabbing the Fangbalde from the ground and holding it up high for all to see.

As always, cheer erupted amongst the Serpentine, subtly helped by Skales riling them up. He too couldn’t help but smile. With the third Fangblade in their possession, there was only one left. One left before they could awaken the Great Devourer and finally take over Ninjago. Then vengeance would finally be theirs. 

Pythor climbed up the hole and still smiling, studied the beautiful blade, that clearly reflected the magma that lighted up the chamber, letting out a well-deserved laugh. But soon after, while chuckling quietly to himself, the smile suddenly disappeared. His eyes then narrowed on the blade, as if he could see something. 

Skales was at first worried that something was wrong with the blade, but then Pythor muttered that most hated word they knew.

“Ninja?”

Neither Skales nor any other Serpetine had time to react to his words, before Pythor swung around, pointing the Fangblade forward.

“ATTACK!” He ordered, and all eyes looked in his direction. Sure enough, there was the ninja, together with their sensei and some dark, unknown creature with four arms they couldn’t recognize.

“Light as a leaf! Attack like there is no tomorrow!” Wu yelled as a battle cry, before attacking a charging Hypnobrai and running into others of their warriors, knocking them off the ladders as he went.

Meanwhile, the rest of the ninja spread out around the rest of the pillars, attacking the Serpentine and using their elemental powers to navigate the dangerous environment. Their troops were surprised and at a disadvantage against the ninja. 

Pythor looked around and spotted a staircase carved into the rock, leading to a tunnel further up.

“Skales! Secure the exit, quickly!” Pythor commanded Skales, who nodded and grabbed some Serpentine to go with him, while the battle raged on.

But the situation only turned worse once the red ninja pulled out his golden sword. The lava beneath them started glowing brightly and the volcano began shaking and pieces of rock fell from the ceiling. But at that point, Pythor had already started gathering the Serpentine and sending them up the staircase. After all, they got what they came for. All they needed was to leave with the Fangblade in hand. But while Skales waited in the tunnel, making sure the tunnel would leave them to safety, Pythor got an idea. He quickly whispered his plan to a few Constrictai who nodded eagerly. 

“Let's get out of here! But not before we leave them with a parting gift. Boys!” The Anacondrai yelled as the Serpentine walked up the staircase. 

Behind him, the Constrictai started digging into the ground. They soon reappeared in places across the chamber, with lava flowing from the holes. The mountain started shaking even more violently and it was clear that it was becoming more unstable. If neither party soon left they could end up buried or burned by the volcano.

“DAD!” Their prisoner yelled as they carried his cage toward the exit.

Pythor didn’t have time to process the information, before the dark monster the ninja came with jumped up to the stairs, and started making his way through the Serpentine. A few ran down to stop him but were quickly defeated. As Pythor finally reached the tunnel at the top, the monster was still coming up toward them.

“Argh!” He exclaimed as it became clear they wouldn’t be getting rid of him until they got rid of the boy first. “Lose the boy!” He coldly commanded. As ordered, the Serpentine carrying his cage threw it toward the lave, though it got stuck on rocks.

“The tunnel isss ready!” Skales told Pythor, while the Serpentine quickly came through. 

“Good. Make sure it stays that way!”

While the Anacondrai tried to enter, the amount of warriors coming through forced him to wait until they were all through. Besides, it wouldn’t have looked good to leave anyone behind.

Once all had come through, it was finally Pythor’s turn. But just as he was halfway through, Skales saw a flash of gold, and then the Fangblade in Pythor’s hand disappeared. The Anacondrai turned toward his attacker and snarled at him in frustration. Skales couldn’t see who it was, but Pythor stepped out from the tunnel. The volcano was only getting worse, and Skales feared if they didn’t come out soon enough, they would trapped in its flames.

The Hypnobrai peaked his head out from the tunnel, only to see Pythor frantically tugging at the golden sword stuck to the wall, together with the Fangblade. But Skales didn’t think about that. He only thought about getting Pythor out of danger.

“Hurry, we must leave here at once!” He practically begged the Anacondrai, who looked back at him with a face filled with panic. But that meant he didn’t see the shower of lava that rose from below and came tumbling down toward him.

Without missing a beat, Skales grabbed Pythor and pulled him into the tunnel. The heat nearly seared the purple Serpentine, who cried out in pain for a moment. The Hypnobrai didn’t let go and kept holding on, pulling him away from the tunnel, as a rock fell and closed off the entrance. He kept pulling and running, swearing to not stop until they were in safety.

Luckily, soon enough as they went the temperature started dropping and the shaking from the inner chamber became less prevalent. It would seem they had managed to get to a sort of safe distance, even if they were still inside the volcano.

But, as if Pythor had turned to rock, he suddenly stopped. The momentum Skales had built nearly sent him flying off, but he kept hold of the Anacondrai’s arm.

“Why are you stopping?! We ssstill need to get to a sssafe dist-” 

Skales was interrupted when Pythor with no regard for the Hypnobrai, pushed him off. The force was enough to make Skales fall to the ground. He barely had time to compose himself, before Pythor’s seething face came down into his.

“DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!!” He yelled, with Skales being so shocked he couldn’t even react. It took even longer for him to comprehend what had been said.

“I-” Skales muttered, but he couldn’t finish his sentence before Pythor continued yelling.

“I had the Fangblade, RIGHT IN MY GRASP! It was RIGHT THERE! But you, YOU , took me away, just as I was about to get it free!”

By then, the commotion had garnered the attention of the fleeing Serpentine, who either stopped or turned back, to sheepishly listen to their conversation.

“B-but, the volcano, it wasss unstable, I had to-”

“You didn’t have to do anything! I asked you to secure the tunnel, and nothing else! If you had just done what I asked, then I would have the blade in my hands. Instead, it's either in the hands of the ninja or submerged in gallons of lava!”

Skales head was rolling in confusion. He knew the situation had become dangerous. That if he hadn’t done what he did, Pythor might have been burned by the magma, or worse. Couldn’t Pythor see that?

“If I hadn’t pulled you away, you might have been hit by the lava, or a falling rock, or-” Skales tried to explain, but once again he was stopped. Not by words, but by Pythor who practically stared Skales down from above, his eyes piercing with loathing. Skales had more to say, but he felt the words slowly fall back into his throat, as he did all he could to avoid Pythor's eyes.

“Did I ask you to speak?” The Anacondrai asked almost calmly, but that was the worst part. 

Skales kept focusing on the ground, but he felt Pythor getting closer, his gaze almost burning into the Hypnobrai’s scales.

“ Did I ?” He repeated, with a firmer tone, making it clear he expected an answer and wasn’t about to repeat himself.

“...No, my King,” Skales replied, his voice almost a whisper.

“No, I didn’t. Oh, you idiotic moron!” Pythor exclaimed, finally turning away, if only to curse the situation and by default Skales as well.

It was then the Hypnobrai was overcome with thoughts. Or fear more like. He started to understand that the Fangblade perhaps hadn’t just been lost, but destroyed by the volcano. If that was the case, then he really had doomed their mission. Their goal to awaken the Devourer and take over Ninjago. All because of him. All because of his mistake.

Taken over by panic, Skales got ready to speak and nearly got up. But as he looked at the Anacondrai’s turned back, he felt his strength leaving. In the end, he decided to continue speaking from the ground.

“M-my King, the Fangblade may not be entirely destroyed. If it’sss a relic of sssuch importance, it may only be damaged by the heat. Then it ssshouldn’t be impossible to repair it, and…”

Once again Skales' words trailed off, as he was met by a mocking laughter from Pythor. The Anacondrai turned to him, a surprised and bewildered look on his face.

“Destroyed? Damaged ?! It's a Fangblade you fool! Do you really think such a thing could be harmed by meer lava?! I thought you knew better than that. No, luckily for you, if the ninja didn’t manage to get it, then it's most certainly sitting as beautiful as ever in a pool of magma.”

Pythor got closer again, his face covered with a threatening demeanor. 

“Besides, if it really could have been damaged by the heat, then I would have thrown you down to get it myself . Be sure of that.”

The words hurt more than Skales could imagined. As he looked back at Pythor, it was as if any care the Anacondrai had for him slowly drained and was replaced with disappointment. In the end, he felt such shame, that it paradoxically ended up letting him stand again. The hollow feeling he felt in his chest made him so light, so much so that he had a hard time standing up straight. Then, in either a hopeless bid for reconciliation or approval, he decided to defend his action, one last time.

“Ssstill, if I hadn’t pulled you away, you would have been harmed. That must count for something, right?!” He asked, the desperation dripping from his words and making him seem so small and meek compared to Pythor.

But the Anacondrai only looked at him with a genuinely confused expression.

“Do you think that I care about that? You stood in my WAY. That is what ‘counts’, my number two. REMEMBER THAT !”

Skales’ eyes flickered side to side, as he tried to think of something to say, something to do. But nothing came to him. All he could do was stand there, like a scolded child.

“Hmm. There’s a good chance the ninja left the Fangblade.” Pythor started muttering to himself, completely ignoring Skales for a moment. “Especially if they don’t know it can’t be harmed by the heat. Or maybe just to avoid being cooked by the volcano. Nevertheless, if the volcano has erupted, then the lava should be flowing out…yes, there might be a chance we can still get it.”

Pythor turned back to the lost Hypnobrai, his malice replaced by an apathetic annoyance.

“Second-in-command, why don’t go and make yourself useful and make search parties to try and find the Fangblade in the lava streams? Or would you rather stand there, while our victory is slowly drifting away?”

Skales silently bowed as an answer and started slithering away. In front of him and throughout the tunnel were several Serpentine who either heard or overheard their argument. On their faces, there was pity, mockery, and confusion. One some all three. But always a mix of those emotions. Skales tried to keep his head high, trying to act as if the argument hadn’t affected him. He kept up the charade, even as he went through the tunnel and gave the order to search for the Fangblade around the volcano. But that took the rest of his strength and thereafter he sulked around. He had taken the decision to avoid other Serpentine, at least until he was a less pitiful sight. 

He didn’t know what had happened. His relationship with Pythor had seemed to be at its best. And yet, he could already feel that Pythor’s love had diminished. To call it heartwrenching would be an understatement. He tried to figure out what he had done wrong, but he couldn’t figure out what else he could have done. It was like running around in a maze while blind, trying to find the right path with no sense of direction. After all, he couldn't just have left Pythor there, or else he would have been hurt. But then, Pythor may have known that. Maybe it was a decision on his part, so he could focus on getting the Fangblade. Which would mean that Skales really had stood in his way. But the Hypnobrai couldn't accept that he shouldn't have tried to save him. It was the only thing he could think of at that moment. Yet, perhaps he had been too hasty? If he had just waited and trusted Pythor, the Anacodnrai could have pulled through and they would have the Fangblade. And Skales wouldn't have had to contend with a disappointed and furious Pythor. The longer he looked at it, the more Pythor's words seemed to ring true. Skales might really have failed him. If that was the case, then he wouldn't know what to do. He had promised himself to help Pythor, to help his plans. If he was an obstacle, then what future did he have with Pythor? Would Pythor even want to have anything to do with him anymore?

In the end, he wanted to wallow in the misery of his situation. It felt like a suitable punishment, for how he had failed Pythor. Nothing else felt like it could make up for what he had done.

But his thoughts were put on hold, as a familiar voice chimed in.

“General Skales? Are you…alright?”

It was like a rude awakening, as Skales had drifted into his mind and lost all sense of reality. He looked hastily around before he found the source of the voice. It was Selma, who stood by his side, without him noticing.

His first reaction was to yell for her to get away and leave him alone. But as he looked at her face, there was a sincere concern and kindness in her face, that made him doubt. Grasping for words he looked around, but eventually, his eyes fell back to her.

“I…you heard, what happened?” He asked, nearly wishing she hadn’t.

“Just hearsay, but…it didn’t sound so good.” She replied, with a pained expression on her face.

“...I heard you and Pythor got into a fight?”

“Ha, it wasn’t much of a fight, considering I was laying on the ground, helplessly,” Skales joked, with a sad, dry tone. “I…I made a mistake. One that perhaps has cost us the Fangblade.”

He expected shock and disgust, but neither came from her.

“But, I heard you saved Pythor from the volcano. That doesn’t sound like a mistake.

“It wasss, if it jeopardized our mission! And besidesss, Pythor might not even have needed sssaving. I probably acted too quickly without thought.”

“But I heard the volcano was about to erupt! Everyone else had left, so if Pythor was still inside, he probably was in real danger.”

“Thisss isss Pythor we’re talking about! He’sss an Anacondrai, not to ssspeak of hisss other achievementsss. He wouldn’t have done anything if it was too big a risk, I know it! *Sigh* I ssshould just have trusted hisss judgment, then we maybe would ssstill have the Fangblade.” 

Skales wasn’t quite sure why he was so open about it. He rationalized it as being because she already knew about their relationship. On the other hand, he found her to be a surprisingly good listener when the need arose. And listen she did, while trying to come up with something comforting to say.

“Well, Pythor has sent us out to find the Fangblade right? That means it isn’t lost yet.”

“It ssstill might be.”

“Or it might not.” Selma rebutted with surprising firmness.

“What I think is important, is that you did what you thought was right. And that was to protect Pythor. If you ask me, that was the best, and the most caring thing you could have done…I’m sure Pythor thinks so too.”

“Then you don’t know Pythor as I do,” Skales replied, looking away for a moment, allowing a shadow of worry to come over Selma’s face.

Skales kept looking ahead, with the smoking volcano in the background. As Pythor had predicted, streams of lava came flowing down from the top. But the Hypnobrai didn’t make much of an attempt to search. He just kept looking silently, with Selma walking by his side.

Perhaps sensing he didn’t want to talk more about it, she stayed quiet as well. But she did allow herself to place a comforting arm on Skales’ back. At first, he seemed unsure, but that quickly washed away, and instead, he let her comfort him. Skales couldn’t deny that it was good having someone he could talk with earnestly about Pythor. Especially without having to go through the loops of avoiding mentioning their relationship. 

But while he appreciated the uplifting, he still knew that it had been his mistake. But that also meant he wanted nothing more than to make it up to Pythor. He didn’t know when, but as soon as an opportunity came, he would take it. He would show that Pythor hadn’t misplaced his trust in him. 

But that would be for later. For now, he simply slithered along with Selma, thinking about what he had done.

Chapter Text

“You mind telling me what we’re doing out here?” Skales asked, while calmly slithering through the sand.

“Patience, number two, patience! We’ll be there soon enough, so don’t get too worked up.” Pythor replied, who was at the front, with Skales following behind him.

They were currently in the middle of the Sea of Sand, far away from anything, even Ouroboros. A surface dweller might have suffered under the blazing sun and smoldering sand, but for a Serpentine, it was the perfect climate to be in. But even then, it did little to make the act of traveling through a desert, surrounded by nothing, less tedious. Pythor had nevertheless made it abundantly clear that it was of utmost importance that Skales traveled with him. Apparently, he had something to show him.

It had been only a couple of days since their expedition to the Fire Temple, searching for the Fangblade. While they had been caught by surprise by the meddlesome ninja and forced to retreat, they had still succeeded in their mission. After the volcano had erupted, Pythor together with a few Venomari managed to find the blade. It had been flowing down the mountain with a stream of lava, but as Pythor had predicted, it didn’t leave a single mark on the Fangblade. Which meant that they now had three of the four Fangblades in their possession. And yet, they still haven't gone after the final one.

“I understand that thisss matter is of utmost importance…but I ssstill don’t understand, why are we not sssearching for the final Fangblade?” The Hypnobrai asked.

In truth, their activity after finding the Fangblade had drastically decreased. To the point that Skales had heard a few Serpentine were sneaking off to other parts of Ninjago, to entertain themselves. Still, they had only been the ones without anything to do. A large number had been given mysterious orders and disappeared, but this was with Pythor’s permission. Even the other Generals were nowhere to be seen. Something was going on, something Skales had yet to learn of. He could only hope that whatever place Pythor was taking him to had something to do with it.

“Why the rush! It isn’t going anywhere.” The Anacondrai cheekly answered, to Skales’ surprise.

“No, not unlesss the ninja getsss to it before usss!”

“My dear Skales, I know we have had a few bad run-ins with the ninja when it comes to the Fangblades. But the first time I calculated to have been incidental, the second time because of unfortunate circumstances, and finally, the third, because they tracked us. Do you know what that means?” Explained Pythor, before looking back at Skales and waiting for a response.

“...That they have never known where the Fangblades are?”

“Exactly!” Pythor exclaimed, though it was hard to tell if it really was  Skales he was proud of, or his own intellect.

“Which also means that they haven’t got the faintest clue where the last one is located. And trust me, according to the map, not a single living soul will be able to guess it!”

“Where is it then?”

Pythor looked at Skales with a slightly smug look.

“Don’t you worry your silly little head about that. Just know that it gives us plenty of time to finish my latest project.”

“Your project?!” Skales said surprised.

“Yes. Oh, speaking of which, we’re here.” Pythor stated, turning his gaze to a pile of rocks, sitting at the top of a dune.

He slithered over to it, with Skales following cautiously behind him. Until at least he realized that it was truly just a bunch of rocks. Skales was about to call him out when Pythor made his way over to them. Standing in front of a round, but flat stone, he curled his tail around it and pulled. To the Hypnobrai’s surprise, the rock gave in easily. But even more, it seemed to be nothing but a cover. For beneath, there was a tunnel, with a faint, orange light emanating from within.

Skales looked shocked at Pythor, who seemed entertained by his surprise.

“After you,” Pythor said, gesturing for Skales to go in. 

The Hypnobrai was unsure, but he couldn’t help but be curious about what Pythor was leading him to. With that, Skales went over to the entrance and jumped in. There was a short fall, but otherwise, the ground was flat and sturdy. Ahead, he could see that the light he had seen outside was in fact torches, stretching down the tunnel.

As he started slithering forward, a sound from outside caught his attention.

“*AHEM*!” Pythor loudly uttered.

Skales could already guess what the Anacondrai wanted. He rolled his eyes and went back to the entrance. He stretched his arm out apathetically, with Pythor taking it and using him as support as he descended. 

“Remind me to teach you some manners in the near future, hm?” He commented with a teasing smile, before slithering down the tunnel.

After their argument at the Fire Temple. Things hadn’t exactly been the same between them. Or rather, Skales felt so. The few times they were alone, Pythor would still make comments to him and say sweet things. He even still called him to his chamber a few times, and the Hypnobrai accepted the invitation each time, but Skales had stopped doing it on his own. Even if things seemed fine on the surface, he felt an underlying tension. His mistake still hung heavy on his head, and he imagined that Pythor hadn't forgotten about it, not yet. But for some reason, it was as if Pythor wanted to act like it didn’t happen. Skales could barely even guess what was going on inside the Anacondrai’s head, let alone his reasons for doing so. Which perhaps was why he felt so compelled by him.

“You must excuse the architecture, this tunnel is still due for some renovations,” Pythor explained, as he led Skales through the tunnel. “The ones connected to the tombs are far more superior, not to speak of, less cramped.” 

Pythor looked with apprehension at the walls of the tight tunnel. There was barely room for two Seprentine to go through it, side by side. But in reality, the rocky and sharp walls meant only one could go through, with the rest going behind them.

“Wait, did you sssay thisss was connected to the tombsss?” Skales muttered as the sheer scale of Pythor’s ‘little’ project started dawning on him.

“Indeed, yes. But wait a moment, and then all shall be clear, I assure you.”

With that, they continued to go down the tunnel, silently. Contrary to Pythor’s claim, it took a little longer than a moment. At first, it went downwards for a while, before the curve became flatter. Soon enough it straightened out and they went in a straight line, for what felt like miles. In the end, Skales was rather interested in where it was leading.

His wish was granted, as they finally reached the end of the tunnel. He was first met by a myriad of voices echoing through the tunnel. Then a greenish light became clear on the other end. As they slithered to the end, the sight Skales was met with was awe-striking. What he saw was a giant underground room, which seemed to be a few hundred meters tall. Its shape was round and tightened the further up it went. Skales could see that along the walls were several entrances to tunnels like the one they were in. Though most were much wider and lightened by green lamps in the ceiling. The tunnels were connected to the ground floor by a path that went around the room, carved into the walls. 

All around there were Serpentine, the ones that Skales had thought disappeared. Most were just standing about on the ground floor, but a few were seen hauling mining equipment in and out of the tunnels.

“Construction is still underway, but it shouldn’t be long before our new base of operations is finished!” Pythor explained with a prideful tone, as he looked over his work.

“But, isn’t Ouroboros our headquarters?”

“It was, temporarily. In truth, it was little more than a grand symbol of which to reunite the Serpentine under. And with its location known to the ninja, conspiring my schemes there is a risk I would rather not take. No, this! This is where we will do our work!” He proclaimed confidently.

“From here, once the Devourer is freed and chaos is unleashed on the surface dwellers, we will be able to attack from nearly any place in Ninjago! After that, actually conquering the land will be as easy as stealing candy from a child.”

Skales looked around and tried to fully take in the sight. He was starting to understand where Pythor was coming from. Not only would this new base conceal their activity from the ninja. But if Pythor truly meant that every tomb was connected, they could strike in most places at a moment's notice. The only thing that Skales had against it, was that it meant they were once again forced underground. Something he wasn’t exactly looking forward to.

“Thisss will ssstill be a… temporary measure, yes?”

“What?” Pythor said, caught off guard. But as he looked at Skales, it seemed he may have guessed where the Hypnobrai’s question was coming from. 

“Oh, sure, definitely.” The Anacondrai replied, but it was rather half-heartedly. Skales was at least not very convinced. But it was something they could discuss later. 

As Skales looked down again, he noticed three rather familiar Serpentine, seemingly bickering with each other.

“Isss that the other Generalsss? Ssso thisss isss where they have been.”

“Of course, I needed someone remotely competent to look over something this important. And , I needed at the least all three of those buffoons to make up for one of you.” The Anacondrai said sweetly. 

The Hypnobrai looked stunned at Pythor, who smiled and gave him a wink. Skales couldn’t do much other than try to hide away his embarrassed expression. But as he did, a question came to him.

“I…I thank you for your compliment. But, that ssstill doesn't explain how I wasn’t informed about thisss.”

“Why, you had so much to look after! I didn’t want to burden you with any more unnecessary work.”

“But-”

“Besides, now you do know about it! Wouldn’t you say then that everything has been sorted out?”

“...Yes,” Skales answered, with a small sigh hidden between his words.

“Splendid! Though, I must admit, perhaps it would have been more practical to have had you oversee this project. Having three of the four Generals away seems to have made the other Serpentine restless. You reported it to me yourself, didn’t you?”

“Yesss, it had come to my attention that some Serpentine have wandered off. But, with these tunnelsss, it ssshould be easy to gather and take them back to Ouroboros. You just need to give the order, and I will take care of it.”

“No, this is…an opportunity, actually,” Pythor said, and Skales could see that a new scheme was underway.

“Let it lie, for now. I might yet find some use for this little predicament. Now, come, there’s something I must show you.” The Anacondrai said, before slithering down the stone walkway. 

Skales followed behind him, and soon enough they were at the bottom. The Serpentine that had stood around either bowed to their king or tried their best to look busy. Meanwhile, the Generals noticed Pythor and bowed. As Skales came past them, they nodded welcomingly, though, for all but Fangtom, it was more of a formality than anything.

On the floor, there was carved into the stone ritual-like patterns, and a circle lined with Serpentine symbols. From the ceiling hanged chains with claws. And in the middle, was what seemed to be a pedestal, with acid oozing from its basin.

“Here, the Fangblades will be kept from now on,” Pythor stated, pointing to the pedestal. “Ouroboros is not as safe as it has been, as I said before. And unlike that four-armed monster, I can’t carry all of the blades at once.”

That monster. Skales have heard rumors that the thing they met at the Fire Temple was none other than Lord Garmadon himself. Wu had survived until now, so it wouldn’t be unthinkable that Garmadon had done the same. But that thing in the volcano was far from the Spinjitsu master they knew. Skales had tried to approach Pythor about the topic, but he had shut down any attempt he made. On the whole, Pythor discouraged any talk about the matter. For what reason, the Hypnobrai couldn’t guess.

“So here they shall be, safe from the surface dwellers and the ninja.” He continued to explain, with Skales wondering about the usefulness of gathering all in one place.

“But if all the Fangbladesss are gathered together, wouldn’t it make it easier for the ninja to sssteal them? Ssshouldn’t we ssspread them across Ninjago, ssso that if even one wasss lost, we would ssstill have the othersss?

"Theoretically that would be the right course of action, but that too would spread our warriors. No, if even one is lost we will end up in a cat-and-mouse game with the accursed ninja for who knows how long! I’d rather we focus all our efforts in one safe location, where the ninja will have little chance of succeeding when they try.”

Skales caught on to Pythor’s use of ‘when’, and made a realization.

“...You intend thisss to be a trap .” The Hypnobrai exclaimed, to Pythors delight.

“That’s why you’re my second-in-command!” The Anacondrai said with a sweet tone, before explaining his plan further. “Once I start my search for the final Fangblade, it won’t be long before the ninja notices. But thanks to our tunnels, I will have a headstart and they’ll have no hope of reaching its location before we’re long gone. In desperation, they will then seek out the other Fangblade in our possession. And once they do, they will make one heroic attack! Which of course will end in their capture, and no one to stand in our way, any longer.”

“And you’re sssure of this?”

“Truthfully…not completely. But what I do know, is that no matter what series of events that will transpire, we will turn out victorious!” Pythor proclaimed with such vigor, that no one could question that he truly believed it.

“But, here your part comes to play,” He said, before calmly slithering behind the Hypnobrai, and grabbing his shoulders. He directed him over to the pedestal and made him stare at it.

“While I trust the other Generals to oversee a digging site, I’m not thrilled at the idea of trusting them to guard the Fangblades, without my supervision.” He started to explain, with Skales listening attentively.

“ That , is a task I could only ever trust to my most loyal follower; you ! So when I soon depart for the last Fangblade, I need you to be here and protect the rest.”

A sense of pride shot through Skales, as he started to understand the importance of the mission he was being given. To feel his loyalty being rewarded was a beautiful sensation of gratification. But Pythor wasn’t quite finished, and leaned his head over to Skales’ ear, and whispered his final words.

“See it as a way to make up for that little blunder you made back at the Fire Temple.”

The words pierced Skales like spikes of ice, making his already cold blood chill as a tundra. The shock nearly made him gasp, but he managed to keep his composure.

“I know you didn’t mean to stand in my way. But what's done is done. Now I’m giving you the opportunity to correct it.”

Skales could feel Pythor tighten his grip around his shoulders.

“I expect you, to accept it,” Pythor whispered closely to him, his tone dark as if he was threatening him. 

The Hypnobrai gathered the rest of his strength and managed to keep standing. He took Pythor’s words to heart and knew what it meant. That Pythor of course hadn’t forgotten or forgiven what he did. No matter what his intentions had been at the time. It gave him a sinking feeling, but he managed to see some light in the situation. The fact that Pythor was allowing him to make up for it, meant he was willing to forgive him. And Skales wasn’t about to squander it.

“O-of course, my King,” Skales replied, his voice shaken but still filled with determination. Which seemed to satisfy the Anacondrai.

“Goodie!” He said light-heartedly, a such rapid shift from his previous demeanor, that it took Skales a moment to register it. Pythor padded Skales on the shoulder before going away.

He then slithered over to the other Generals, who had been watching and wondering what the two had been talking about.

“My Second-in-command will be in charge of this fortress until further notice! Understood?” Pythor proclaimed, loud enough so that the surrounding Serpentine also heard it. 

“Yes, Pythor,” Acidicus said, speaking for the three of them, before bowing. 

Pythor didn’t say another word to them and instead continued on his way. But not before turning to Skales one last time.

“I’ll let you know once my plan is set into motion. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with this place. There are quite a few traps that the other Generals will be sure to tell you of, and I want them all to be ready for when the time comes.” The Anacondrai explained, before making his way up the walkway to the tunnel they had entered from. 

Meanwhile, Skales stared disorientated at the snake, until he finally disappeared. He felt lost for a moment until the determination from before came back. Now he knew he had a way to redeem himself in Pythor’s eyes. Something he was going to try to do with everything he had. He looked around at the Serpentine and saw that they had stopped their work to listen.

“Alright, you heard our King, I’m in charge! And I want thiss fortresss finished before the end of the week! Get to work!” Skales ordered, earning a few groans from the tired Serpentine workers. Nevertheless, they went on their way and construction continued as before.

Skales made his way over to the other Generals, with some seeming less than thrilled with the change of management. 

“Ah, Skales, how nice of you to come! Did Pythor finally tell his favorite snake about his little plans?” Skalidor mockingly asked.

“Keep your insultsss to yourself, Constrictai. We have work to do, and I anticipate you won’t be a problem.”

“Sure, oh great Skales, the dear right hand of the King.” 

“Watch your tongue Skalidor,- you can insult Skales all you want but -you should ask yourself if you dare accidentally mock Pythor as well,” Fangtom warned him, with the Constrictai turning pale as he considered the consequences.

In the end, he hissed at Skales before slithering away, who smiled at him teasingly. Acidicus looked back at him and then over to Skales, before shaking his head.

“I’m getting too old for this.” He lamented before going after Skalidor, not sure whether to console or ridicule him.

Once it was only Fangtom and Skales, they both seemed to relax their posture and breathed easier.

“ Don’t loathe him too much my friend, he is a -very proud and stubborn snake. Being under Pythor’s control still irritates him- to no end .” The Fangpyre explained though it invoked little sympathy in Skales.

“Ssso I sssee…can I ssstill expect him to follow my ordersss?”

“If they come from someone- other than you, then probably .” 

“How reassuring,” Skales muttered with a weary voice. Pythor had barely been gone a minute and already the Hypnobrai couldn’t help but be worried about his return, and if he would find Skales’ work, satisfactory.

“Ssstill, alwaysss good to know I can rely on you.” He said, with a more hopeful tone.

“Of course! Now- was there anything you wanted to know ?”

“Pythor mentioned sssome trapsss.” Skales said as he looked around, wondering just how close he was to one of them.

“Oh yes, he sure does like his traps, doesn't he? They're all around the center and- built into the foundation. There are a few arms that grab -onto you if you get too close, and a few cage-traps. And then my personal favorite, a switch- to open the floor to a pool of acid .”

Skales looked over to the pedestal with an amazed look.

“How could all of these even fit?” He asked, astonished.

“ They barely -did, but he was rather insistent on it,” Fangtom told him, and Skales didn’t have a hard time believing him.

Now that he knew all he needed to know, the Hypnobrai prepared himself. He was going to redeem himself in Pythor’s eyes, no matter what.

“Well then, letsss get to work!”

Chapter Text

“Isss everything ready?!” Skales asked a few Serpentine warriors, two Constrictai and a Venomari, who he had given orders to check up on the traps. 

“Yes, everything should work as intended.” Answered one of the Constrictai. 

“Well, go and double-check it! I want nothing to go wrong no matter what!” He commanded, earning a few tired groans from the warriors, though they only dared to let them out a few feet away from the Hypnobrai.

“Are you sure this- is necessary, Skales ?” Asked Fangtom, who slithered up next to him.

“ We’ve already gone through the traps -and defenses several times now. Don't you- think that if anything could go wrong, we would have noticed?"

“Perhaps, but I’m not taking that chance!” Skales declared with determination. “It wasss Pythor who gave me the responsibility of protecting the Fangbladesss, and I ssswore to him that I would do ssso.”

“ Maybe, but while I know -Pythor has made a big deal out of his little traps, what are the chances that the- Ninja would even take the chance of attacking our lair? How would they even -find this place?”

“I don’t know, but they have been rather frustratingly good at finding out about our plansss. It wouldn’t sssuprise me if they managed to learn of thisss place asss well.”

“Still, all we can do now is wait for Pythor- to return. Why don’t you relax a bit, my friend ?” Fangtom asked with a sincere smile on both his heads.

“I’ll relax only once Pythor returnsss.” Skales replied, turning away from the Fangpyre to continue overseeing the lair and its defenses.

The floor of the underground lair was filled with Serpentine from all four tribes, who were impatiently waiting for the return of their king. A part of Pythor’s trap for the Ninja, if they attacked, was to leave the entrances to the lair unprotected, to lull them into a false sense of security. Skales hadn’t liked the idea of just letting the Ninja waltz in, but all he could do was make sure a good number of their warriors were keeping a lookout. Still, Skales was just as impatient as the others for Pythor's return, if even not more so. And yet, all he could do was wait.

“ Pythor this -Pythor that.” Muttered Fangtom under his breath as he left his friend to worry in peace. He had for a long time kept his own criticism toward Pythor hidden when around Skales, but he was starting to reach his breaking point. He hadn’t revealed it to the Hypnobrai yet, but he had heard a bit of Pythor's treatment toward Skales after he saved his life in the volcano. If he believed his words would reach him, he would have told Skales that Pythor wasn’t worth it. But he could already tell that any attempt would be fruitless. Especially if the rumors he had heard about the two of them were true. Then the Anacondrai truly had his fangs dug deep into his friend.

Fangtom slithered across the floor and made his way over to his two acquaintances, Skalidor and Acidicus. While there had been hostility between them and Skales, they were the only ones Fangtom could freely discuss his distrust of Pythor with. Even if he tried to defend Skales as much as possible.

“There you are, two-heads. Is our friend Skales still fretting about the place like a blind mouse?” The Constrictai General asked him with a chuckle, and Fangtom could only sigh.

“Do not be too hard- on our fellow General. He might be as enthralled by Pythor as -the others, but he only wishes what’s best for the Serpentine. Even if- his loyalty seems rather one-sided .”

“Still you are making excuses for him!” Acidicus chimed in to say with an accusatory tone. “He might be loyal, but I’ll say that this ‘one-sided’ loyalty has made him blind to Pythor’s self-serving nature. Even if his lofty promises are hard to resist. And besides, is guarding this place and waiting for the Ninja to attack really the best course of action?”

“ According to Pythor -yes.” Fangtom said with a weary voice.

“Well it's awfully boring, that's for sure,” Skalidor commented with a huff.

“Skales is at least making the most out of it.” The Venomari said, pointing to the Hypnobrai, who was in the process of yelling at a new pair of unfortunate Serpentine.

“Heh, he’s commandeering if anything.” The Constrictai commented, before looking away embarrassed, realizing it sounded a little too much like a compliment. But that didn’t stop Fangtom from picking up what he had said. As they stood, the gears turned in his head, and in the end, he found the words to convey something of a rather sensitive nature.

“Can I ask you something- in good fun ?” Fangtom asked the other two Generals, who looked confused at each other.

“What?” They asked in unison.

“ If we were to imagine a world where -Pythor wasn’t in the picture, would you be willing to follow Skales?” He asked, earning a few worried looks from the others.

“Keep your voice down! That sounds terribly close to treason .” Acidicus said while looking around them, trying to see if anyone was listening in on their conversation.

“Yeah, what are you playing at, Fangtom?” 

“All I’m saying is that we all have our- issues with Pythor. But could Skales be someone -we wouldn’t oppose leading us?”

“Why him?! It’s just because you’re buddies, isn’t it?”

“Maybe I’m a bit biased, but honestly, who- else would you imagine could do it if not him ? Even in Pythor’s shadow, he has earned more admiration -from all the tribes than us three combined. Or do you think all four tribes would- bow to you ? Or you ?” Fangtom continued, pointing first to Skalidor and then Acidicus. At first, it seemed they wished to argue, but as they pondered over the question, they fell silent.

“ That's what I -thought.”

“Why even discuss such things?! Unless you’re planning a coup, it won’t matter whether we think Skales could be our leader. And even then, making him turn against Pythor is easier said than done!” The Constrictai stated with an accusing glare.

“Of course I’m not planning a coup- against Pythor, do you think I’m mad ?! The point I’m making -is that everything hinges on this Devourer business working out as Pythor thinks it will. In the case it won’t, it would be wise to have a backup. Otherwise, we- can look forward to the four tribes once again being split and at the mercy of the surface dwellers .”

“It would be…advantageous, if not necessary, in case what you propose should transpire,” Acidicus replied, looking to Skalidor for confirmation. The Constrictai looked rather uneasy at the idea of agreeing, but in the end, he gave in.

“ Fine . Even as a blind servant to Pythor, he’s been a great General. He might even make a fine King. If the time comes when Pythor’s rule dissolves, I would rather stick by a self-confident Hypnobrai than a pompous Anacondrai.”

With that, an agreement had come between the Generals. Fangtom could of course divulge this to Skales. But he knew he wouldn't understand. But he felt relieved at having possibly secured Skales’ future in the event that Pythor would end up the charlatan they feared he would be. But the harder part would be to convince Skales to leave Pythor behind and step up himself. Still, that was for the future to decide.

The three continued to banter as the time passed, while Skales went around the lair, making sure everything was as perfect as it could be. But as some time passed, his own impatience started to grow, and he wished Pythor would return sooner rather than later, especially as there continued to be no signs of the Ninja.  

Among the other Serpentine, they tried to alleviate their boredom through discussion. Fangtom especially noticed how many talked about the Devourer. Specifically, how unsure they were of what the Great Serpent was even going to do. Something that Pythor had little time to properly explain, or at least, that was the optimistic view of it.

“So, what happens when the Great Devourer is unleashed?” Fangtom inevitably asked his fellow Generals, wanting to hear their view on the situation. “Will it really consume everything?”

“I hope so, if only to teach the surface dwellers a lesson for locking us underground for so many years,” Skalidor said, his lust for vengeance seething through his words.

“Who knows if the legend is even true? I for one am curious to see what happens.” Acicidus commented. He had for a long time studied Serpentine history and legends, but as it stood, the map and the Fangblades themselves were the only proof so far that gave those stories any real weight. But if they were true, then he couldn’t wait to see the myth come to life.

“Keep alert, Pythor ssshould be back sssoon!” Skales commanded, having heard their talking.

“And why are you even talking about sssuch thingsss? We will all sssee the Great Devourer ourselvesss sssoon enough.”

“If you say so, Skales, but just remember, if it isn’t real, and Pythor has deceived us, then-” 

“Then what!” Skales blurted out, in response to Skalidor. “Pythor isss our King, and he hasn’t led usss astray yet! Just wait and sssee, once he returnsss with the last Fanbglade, victory over Ninjago will be oursss. And then you will have no excusesss for doubting our rightful ruler.” The Hypnobrai explained, almost as a warning. 

For once Skalidor stayed quiet. But Skales noticed something. The way they were looking at him, it seemed…different. If he knew what it was about, he would have called them out on it. But as it stood, he could only go away, while looking at them with a suspicious glare. He would need to ask Fangtom about it later. But right now, he had a duty to fulfill.

And that duty became realized once a Serpentine warrior quickly made his way over to him.

“The Ninja, Ninja are here!” He announced to Skales with a loud whisper.

The Hypnobrai’s body tensed, but he quickly gained control over himself.

“Give everyone the sssignal.” He commanded, and the Serpentine nodded before scurrying off. 

Soon after the many groups of warriors started to move and made their way toward the spiral pathway. Before long the Ninja were surrounded, with Serpentine coming from the chains on the ceiling and in front and behind them. The Serpentine started encircling them, and their plan started to take shape. As planned, each of the four Generals picked a Ninja to focus on, believing they would be more than a match for them. They then pushed them away from each other and isolated them. The only thing not planned was the Ninja coming with their Samurai X ally and Sensei. But the mechsuit’s effectiveness was greatly hampered by the tight space of the lair. Skales was more than sure they could take them on and win.

Though that would remain to be seen. At first, Skales started out confident, confronting the Red Ninja. He hadn’t revealed it to anyone, but he had made sure to pick him. If it hadn’t been for him, Pythor would have escaped with the Fangblade back at the volcano, without Skales needing to save him. Skales thought it fitting that he would personally punish the Ninja for the problems he caused between him and Pythor.

“You're sssurrounded, young fire ssstarter,” Skales stated mockingly, as the ninja took a combat stance.

“Perhapsss you can now do our bidding!” The Hypnobrai said, before unleashing his hypnotic powers. To his surprise though, it didn’t seem to work.

“Ugh. Must not look. Ninja, go!” The Red Ninja yelled, before using his Spinjitzu with closed eyes. 

Skales barely had time to react before the tornado of fire moved backwards and took out the two Serpentine behind the Ninja, before storming forward. The warrior by his side was quickly absorbed before Skales suffered the same treatment.

“I wish I could see me now, because you all just got Kai'd!” The ninja said, before sending them all flying over the edge and to the ground below. 

Luckily they weren’t too high up, so they didn’t suffer any real injury. Not that it didn’t hurt. As Skales picked himself up from the floor, he reminded himself to not mention his defeat to anyone, especially not Pythor. He didn’t know how much more his dignity could survive. When back on his tail, he hoped that the other Generals had better success at taking out the Ninja. Unfortunately, he quickly realized that not only had Skalidor and Acidicus already been taken out, but the White Ninja had already made his way to the ground floor. Skales was just in time to see Fangtom and his Fangpyres being fought off by the Blue Ninja before Samurai X came flying in.

The White Ninja was quickly surrounded but fought them off long enough for his buddies to join him. They formed a defense circle and inched closer to the Fangblades on the pedestal, with Samurai X coming to help them. It wasn’t long before an opportunity for them arose and the Black Ninja started running toward the Fangblades. But as always, Pythor’s plan worked. He barely made it halfway there, before two snake-like hooks flew up from the ground and grabbed his wrist and weapon, holding him in place.

“It's a trap!” The Ninja yelled, but it was too late. They tried to spread out but a cage came from the floor and trapped them all inside.

Skales slithered closer, enjoying the sight of them trying to bend the bars to no avail. Then, an all too familiar voice rang throughout the lair, causing almost complete silence.

“Come, come, can this get any better?!” Pythor exclaimed, coming down from the spiral pathway. In the commotion, Skales had completely missed that the Anacondrai had finally arrived. And just in time to see Skales’ victory.

“Seriously, they fell right into my trap!” He said with a gleeful grin. He gestured to some Serpentine who operated a crane-like device that grabbed onto the cage and lifted it into the air. There they were left hanging, like a giant birdcage.

With excitement, Skales pushed past the crowd looking at the Ninjas while laughing, making his way toward his King.

“Pythor! You have returned!” He said, before quickly remembering to bow.

“Ah yes, my number two, I see the plan worked, flawlessly ! I see I was right to entrust the task to you.” Pythor said, with a calm and satisfied voice.

“I-...thank you!” Skales almost yelled, nearly falling over his own words.

Just then the other three Generals came over, still shaking off the battle with the ninja. Fangtom especially seemed bothered by the pain in his fangs.

“ Oh , you three. I’m sure you did fine as well.” The Anacondrai half-heartedly commented.

Usually, such a thing would have earned him a few scornful looks, but instead, the three were fixated on the object in his hand. 

“Is…is that…?” Skalidor slowly muttered, pointing to the greenish blade.

“This? Oh yes is it.” Pythor said, before flashing the Fangblade to all four Generals, earning a few mesmerized words from their mouths.

“With this, we have finally gathered the last of the Fangblades. And now all that remains is enacting the final part of my plan.”

“You mean, our plan, right?” Fangtom questioned him, having freed his gaze from the Fangblade.

“Yes yes, our plan, that was what I meant.” Pythor rectified with an annoyed tone.

“Now, enough gawking. I want that oversized piece of metal out of their cage, together with their weapons.” He explained while pointing up at the helpless Ninja. “I don’t want them to escape at any cost, understand?!” 

The four nodded before bowing and returning to look after their new prisoners, with only Skales remaining behind. The Hypnobrai looked around and noticed that all the Serpentine were preoccupied with mocking the Ninja. Pythor must have realized the same because without Skales noticing, the Anacondrai slithered over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Now that we’re alone, I can reward you properly.” He whispered into Skales’ ear, before moving his head next to his and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. 

“Don’t worry, there’s more than that waiting for later,” Pythor said with a slow and seductive tone, that made Skales dazed and embarrassed. 

“I’ll…I’ll look forward to it.” He managed to mutter out, barely able to keep his eyes in the same direction as the Aancondrai.

“It's simply adorable whenever I make you flustered,” Pythor commented with a small smile.

“Now, let's get going. I have a show to put on.” 

Soon after, when all the Ninjas were disarmed and the robot suit was removed from their cage, Pythor made his way into the middle of the crowd of Serpentine that had formed. There, everyone held their breath, as Pythor gave Skales a signal, and he started moving towards the pedestal. With the traps disabled, he went across the floor without worry and reached the Fangblades. There he took off the golden pedestal that held the blades and made his way back to Pythor. He gave it to the Anacondrai, before moving behind him. Once in his hands, the crowd erupted into a deafening cheer that echoed across the entire lair. 

“Together, we have taken back the four Fangblades!” Pythor said, placing the green Fangblade into the last hole on the pedestal, completing the set. After so long, their dream had finally become reality, and the ancient prophecy nearing its conclusion.

“When we return them to the city of Ouroboros, together we will unleash the Great Devourer!” He triumphantly stated, raising the Fangblades high for all to see, making the cheer return just as strong.

“To the city of Ouroboros!” The Anacondrai announced, before going toward the spiral pathway. The cheer continued, but there was a different atmosphere to it. One of confusion and letdown. Skales could barely comprehend it, until a Constrictai stood forward, and said what the crowd was thinking.

“We spent so much time digging this underground fortress, it'd be a shame not to use it a little bit more.”

Pythor barely had time to respond before Acidicus joined in.

“At least let us celebrate in capturing the ninja.” 

With the voice of a General joining them, all the unsatisfied Serpentine started nodding in approval. 

While Skales had no idea what Pythor was thinking, he could clearly see befuddlement on the Anacondrai’s face, which only turned more sour with each second that passed. He started to worry that his King was about to lose face in front of his subjects or say something rash. With that in mind, he quickly returned to his side.

“Give them thisss victory, and tomorrow we will return the bladesss to Ouroborosss,” Skales whispered, hoping that Pyhtor would see reason.

“Fine!” The Anacondrai muttered, sensing he couldn’t afford to lose the Serpentine’s support so close to his plan’s fulfillment.

“But I don't want anyone here to let down their guard, you hear me!” Pythor said, with a threatening lurch toward Skales, who nodded in understanding. He knew the kind of look that was in Pythor’s eyes. It was the same as when he left the defense of the Fangblades in his hands. But this time, Skales was sure there was nothing to fear. The Ninjas were captured together with Samurai X, and even their sensei, Wu. There was no one in Ninjago to stop or impede their plans. A celebration was truly, well deserved.

”Then tonight, we celebrate with a Slither Pit!” Pythor announced and all the warriors cheered in anticipation.

It didn’t take long for two warriors to come forth and declare their participation. It was a Constrictai and a Venomari who were to face each other. Usually, such a thing would have divided the two tribes in the past. But in that moment, they both cheered with camaraderie at their own warrior, without the seething disgust toward the other. Already, the atmosphere was leagues more friendly than the last time a Slither Pit included different Serpentine against each other, where Pythor faced all the Generals at once.

The combatants were made ready and armed. The Constrictai opted for two daggers, while the Venomari took up a sword. A circle was formed, and the two stepped into the ring. Soon the announcement was made, and the fighting started. Skales took his place by Pythor’s side while making sure to have a clean view of the Ninja up in the air, in case they tried anything.

The fight went on and did well to entertain the crowd. After a stressful day of guarding the Fangblades, Skales couldn’t deny he savored the relaxation. But as he glanced at Pythor, he could see that the Anacondrai didn’t feel the same, as an impatient look was plastered on his face. Skales quickly checked to make sure no one was watching and then placed a supporting hand on Pythor’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I’m sssure they will tire themselvesss out sssoon enough, and then it'sss just one night before we’re on our way, to free, the Devourer !” 

“Yes, but I would have preferred that we didn’t dillydally now that were so close!” Pythor said, grasping at the air as if trying to catch something. 

“ But , what kind of King would I be if I didn’t listen to my dear subjects every now and then?” He continued, before turning to Skales and giving him a quick smile, which Skales gladly returned.

At that point, the victor of the Slither Pit had already been declared, and the game continued. Now with a Fangpyre and a new Venomari, both using swords. But the two were evenly matched, and the excitement of the crowd started to die down. Luckily, the judge of the Slither Pit had an idea of how to spice up the next fight.

“Let's change the game, shall we?!” He announced over a microphone they had stolen from the surface, before flipping a lever. As he did, the circle of Serpentine symbols on the floor began to glow red and then started to spin around. When it finally stopped, it landed on the symbol of a pit of venom.

“Vat of Venom!” The judge proudly declared, before flipping another switch, which triggered what Skales had assumed was just a trap, that made the floor around the middle open up, revealing pools of venom beneath.

“Wait, thisss place also worksss asss a Ssslither Pit?” The Hypnobrai asked, surprised.

“Oh yes, of course! What kind of Serpentine lair doesn't have an inbuilt Slither Pit?”

The next fight began, with two new contestants. This time another Constrictai armed with a sword and shield, against a Hypnobrai with a spear. As suggested by their weapons, the Constrictai went on the defense, as the Hypnobrai made a storm of attacks, quickly overwhelming the short Serpentine.

While Skales watched the fight, he suddenly realized he had forgotten to keep track of the Ninja. He looked up towards them and was horrified to see that the Red Ninja had escaped. The Ninja was hanging from one of the chains connected to the cage, swinging back and forth, trying to make a jump to one of the walls.

“Uhm, P-Pythor?” Skales stuttered, as he quickly tapped the Anacondrai’s tail with his staff. As if he had thought the same as Skales before, he immediately looked up at the cage and saw the same thing Skales did. The surprised look on his face quickly gave way to anger, as he wordlessly started slithering away. Skales rightly assumed that Pythor was going to take care of it himself. 

He watched on as Pythor made his up the pathway and stood right where the Ninja planned to land. Once he did, he was grabbed by Pythor and immediately gave up. It caused a minor interruption of the Slither Pit, as the Ninja was placed back in the cage. This time, to avoid any other escape attempts, they were all chained to the cage’s bars. Skales had worried that it would have soured Pythor’s mood, but instead, the Anacondrai returned to his satisfied self, to Skales’ relief. They continued to watch the Slither Pit, which ended with the Hypnobrai winning. He was in such good spirits after the fight, that he decided to continue in the next round, this time against the Fangpyre from one of the previous fights. The fight ended up being intense, which pleased the crowd greatly. This was the reason why it came as such a shock for both Pythor and Skales when the cheering ended, and was replaced by confused muttering.

“Wha-what happened?!” Pythor exclaimed, but before anyone could answer, a small voice reached his ears.

“I really gotta grow into this thing.” A young, dismayed voice said.

“No, it can’t be…I left that annoying insect to burn in a volcano!” Pythor hissed with frustration, before making his way to the commotion, pushing Serpentine away and leaving Skales behind.

“Well, if we don't meet again, Pythor!” Lloyd said as the Anacondrai moved up in front to face their little intruder.

“Unhand the ninja, or suffer humiliation against the Green Ninja!”  The boy continued, with utmost confidence. Which was almost immediately shattered, as Pythor started laughing, as if he had just witnessed the funniest thing in his life. His laughter quickly spread to the rest of the Serpentine, who joined in on humiliating the so-called ‘Green Ninja’. Even Skales could barely contain his amusement to just a chuckle.

“Oh, yeah? You and what army?!” Pythor shouted with a gloading grin, with everyone managing to keep quiet to hear the child’s response.

“Uh, how about my army of fists!” Lloyd replied, before punching and kicking the air in the saddest attempt at intimidation that Skales had ever seen. And when he almost lost his balance after an overly ambitious kick, the laughter erupted amongst the crowd once again. But as they did, another voice pierced the air, demanding silence.

“Or this army!”

Everyone looked up, and Skales almost fell backwards as he saw Garmaddon himself in front of one of the entrances staring them down, accompanied by a literal army of Skeletons. He quickly guessed that they must have slipped in while Lloyd was making his grand entrance. It was a clever trick, not that Skales believed the boy had planned it intentionally.

“Dad!” Lloyd yelled up to his father.

“Lloyd, you helped me realize I do have a choice. And if there is anyone who is going to threaten Ninjago, it better well be me!” The dark, four-armed creature stated, turning his attention back to the Serpentine.

“The Skeleton Army?!” Pythor uttered with an astonished tone, as he took in the full scale of the threat they were facing.

“But why would they fight beside you?! You betrayed them and Samukai long ago!” He remarked, perhaps with the smallest hope of spreading uncertainty amongst the Skeletons. However, that was quickly proved futile, as one of the Skeleton Commanders answered him.

“Because everybody hate snakes!” He proudly declared, making it their army’s turn to laugh.

Sensing that there was no way around it, Pythor wasn’t going to wait for the Skeletons to make their move.

“Attack!” He ordered with a roaring voice as if was hoping he could make the Skeletons’ bones shake himself.

“Attack!” The Skeleton Commander replied, and so both armies started storming against each other, with the Skeletons running down the Pathway and the Serpentine over to meet them.

Just before they collided, Skales quickly made his way over to Pythor to be given orders. When he did, the Anacondrai glanced at him with a look like a cornered animal.

“Keep them busy!” Was the only thing he said, before heading directly toward the Pedestal where the Fangblades had been placed before the Slither Pit was started. Skales guessed that Pythor was planning to escape with the Fangblades and vowed to do all he could to make it happen.

Rushing forward, he came crashing into the brawl between the Serpentine and Skeletons. Through sheer numbers, the Skeleton Army had managed to push their way down from the pathway and the fighting had spread across the ground floor. But the Serpentine had a good number of their own and rammed them toward the walls. There Skales wasted no time attacking and struck Skeleton after Skeleton. But even as fragile as they were, they were still relentless. No matter how many he took down, more came, and even the ones he believed to have defeated, just dusted themselves off and jumped back into the fray. Normally his staff would have made an adequate weapon, but it was too clunky and slow for the barrage of enemies he had to take care of. So when an especially stubborn Skeleton held on to his staff when he hit him and wouldn’t let go, Skales didn't mind too much as he threw the staff toward a group of the Skeleton’s comrades. After all, his fists were more than enough.

After hitting a Skeleton he was immediately made aware of another behind him. When he turned to him, the large-skulled fool just started jumping around and blabbering like an idiot. 

“Are you ssserious?” Skales asked, both in disbelief and amusement. Unfortunately, it seemed there was a method to the madness, as he heard a grunt behind him, but didn’t have time to react before he felt something hit the back of his head.

He could hear the two say something to each other, but couldn’t make out the words as he tried to stand up. He grabbed his head and realized how disoriented he was. He tried to shake it off, but the world around him seemed to fade into blurry colors. He only barely perceived that his attackers went away to continue fighting elsewhere.’

Get a hold of yourself Skales! You’ve been through worse! You can’t let Pythor down, not now, not when we’re so close to victory!  The Serpentine thought to himself, forcing his tail to lift him up. Standing up again, he again reminded himself that Pythor was counting on him, and the fate of the Serpentine was at risk. With that in mind, he pushed forward and returned to the fighting. He still couldn’t understand what was happening around him, but he could see the outlines of figures, and luckily it was easy to tell white from any of the other colors. The Hypnobrai frantically started to strike whoever he could, trying to keep himself conscious. But it was an uphill battle, as his senses nearly could not keep up with the world around him. At one point he even swore that something green came sprinting past him, but he didn’t have time to think about it.

He continued fighting the best he could and slowly started regaining his senses. Enough to hear the sound of the Ninjas Spinjitzu amongst the chaos. Something that didn't bode well for their chances of victory. But still, he fought on, hoping the tide would turn, or at least that Pythor would manage to escape with the Fangblades. Speaking of which, he at some point suddenly felt an invisible force pick him up and push him up against a wall. He tried to fight back, but the vice-like grip suddenly seemed strangely familiar. Then his attacker partially revealed himself, with two bright pink eyes staring at him.

“Pythor?” Skales asked hesitantly, but it seemed the Anacondrai wasn’t in the mood for conversation.

“Listen here and listen closely! The Ninja have the Fangblades, all of them! They’re going to take them to Torchfire Mountain, the only place where the blades can be destroyed, you understand?! I need you to be there, and be ready to pick me up, but wait for my signal! You got that?!” Pythor explained in a rapid-fire fashion that Skales had a hard time figuring out, but he got the most important details. 

“You GOT IT ?!” He repeated when the answer didn’t come fast enough, shaking the Hypnobrai by the shoulders.

“Yesss, yesss sssire!” Skales stated with a pained tone, as he felt Pythors fingers dig into his scales.

“If you fail, there will be consequences, ones you are NOT capable of comprehending!” The Anacondrai threatened, before throwing Skales to the side and his eyes disappeared.

The Hypnobrai had no idea if Pyhtor was still there but by his tone, he guessed that he was in a hurry. It then clicked for him what Pythor was going to do. But even more so, Skales realized what it meant. The Fangblades had been lost, and the awakening of the Great Devourer was hanging in the balance, all because they decided to not leave for Ouroboros immediately. Something he had advised. Slowly he started to understand, that it was all his fault. If not for him, Garmadon and the Skeleton Army wouldn't have made it in time and stopped them. He had been so sure he had lived up to Pythor’s expectations, but instead, he might have doomed his King’s plan. 

Skales sat up against the wall and contemplated what he was going to do, with the chaos around fading from his mind. For a moment, he felt he was there, all alone, with no one else. He had failed Pythor, again. And the only thought he had, was how in the world he was going to make up for it.

Chapter Text

When the chaos had ended and the last of the Skeletons had been routed, an eerie silence fell on the underground lair. The fighting had left its mark across the floor, with abandoned weapons littering the ground, together with wounded and exhausted Serpentine warriors. What should have been an easy fight, had instead ended in a pyrrhic victory for the snakes. They had been left battered and filled with a sense of defeat. With their full force behind them, they should have been able to take on the Skeleton army with no problems. And they would have, if not for the fact it had been a surprise attack, which the Ninja had aided in when they got freed.

Skales slithered across the battlefield, trying his best to assess the damage. No matter how the result looked, they had still won in the end. And yet he couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong. As he looked around, it became clear that this unease came from the fact, that there were far fewer Serpentine than before. None had run after their fleeing enemies, and none had left before the battle started. But still, their numbers were far too few. This was why he felt an almost irrational amount of relief when he saw his fellow Generals, huddled together near the center of the lair, next to the vat of venom where the Fangbaldes had been kept. They hadn’t come out of the battle unhurt, but they still stood tall with pride, as expected of them. It was only when Skales came closer, that he saw the weary looks on their faces, which told a different story.

“Where isss everyone?” He hesitantly asked, scared to hear the answer.

“They’re gone, the cowards!” Hissed Skalidor, standing with arms crossed and staring at their remaining warriors with a mix of pity and contempt.

“Gone? What do you mean they’re gone?!” Skales exclaimed, slamming his staff into the stone floor.

“Some left during the fight, others did soon after,” Acidicus explained with a detached, melancholy tone.

Before Skales could ask further, Fangtom moved closer and interrupted him.

“We’re guessing since we lost the Fangblades- some of our comrades decided the fight had already been lost. They probably used the -tunnels to leave, and are now spread across Ninjago. Well, everyone except these ones.” He said, before nodding over to the other Serpentine, who had slowly started helping each other up and were waiting for new orders. Skales looked at them with newfound worry, as he realized that their leader wasn’t here to guide them.

“Maybe we should have left as well.” The Venomari General bitterly stated, earning the attention of the other three. “After all, Pythor has abandoned us, so why should we-”

“He hasss not abandoned usss!” Skales almost shouted.

“Oh really, then where is he?!” Skalidor mockingly asked.

“While we are licking our woundsss, Pythor isss busy taking back the Fangbladesss from those meddling Ninjasss asss we ssspeak!”

“Is that- so? How do you know? ” Fangtom questioned the Hypnobrai, and Skales could already see the doubt spreading to even his own friend.

“He told me himself, under battle.” He started to explain, remembering back to the helplessness he felt as the fighting raged around him. “Pythor believesss that the Ninja will take the Fangbladesss to Torchfire Mountain, to destroy them in the volcano'sss flamesss.”

“Destroy them? Is that even possible?!” Skalidor remarked, looking to Acidicus for an answer. 

“I haven’t properly studied the blades mind you, but I would guess their so-called indestructibility still wouldn’t save them from the heat that is contained in that mountain. If you were to destroy them, it would be there.” The Venomari told them, and while he may have wished to abandon all hope, he couldn’t lie that what Skales said made sense. His words seemed to be enough to convince both Fangtom and Skalidor, who sighed with a strange mix of disappointment and relief.

“He made it clear he wanted usss to be ready to meet him asss sssoon asss possible. My guesss isss that he wantsss to get back to Oruoborosss once he hasss taken back the bladesss.” Skales continued, already starting to see Pythor’s plan unfold in his mind. All he would need to do was have a ride ready to pick him up and take him back to the city. Then the Devourer could be awakened, and Pythor’s plan would finally be fulfilled.

“If that hasss cleared it up for you, we should get to work, we can’t be late for when Pythor-”

Skales had started slithering away, expecting the others to follow. Instead, as he looked back, they remained motionless.

“What are you doing, there isss no time to waste!”

“Tell me, what makes you think this will work? We already lost the Fangblades, gotten beaten up by those lousy Skeletons, and now you’re saying that Pythor is somehow going to get them all back before they’re destroyed!” The Constrictai asked with disbelief, mirroring the other Generals. Skales looked at each of them, all with the same disillusioned expression on their face. He could barely believe what he was seeing, as a scowl formed and he held back the urge to hiss at them.

“Truly, was thisss all it took for you to give up!” He exclaimed, gaining back the interest of the others. “We are now closer to winning over the Sssurface Dwellersss than we have ever been! Closer than any Ssserpentine hasss ever been in our history! We were but momentsss away from taking over all of Ninjago, once and for all! And now that we have been delayed, you lay down your armsss and call it a day?! Where’sss your pride, where’sss your determination!”

The words were having a clear effect on them, most of all Skalidor who seemed ready to argue, until Acidicus came and placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him back so Skales could finish.

“None of you may have had much faith in Pythor, but look what we have gotten from following him!  If he can achieve thisss, then he will be able to bring back the Fangbladesss, and when he doesss, it isss our duty to assist him, ssso that we can finish what he started! If you have any honor, you will not abandon your King! If I can’t expect you to be there to help him, the least you can do isss make sure that the unity he fought ssso hard to achieve, won’t fall apart the moment he’sss gone!”

The Generals looked amongst each other, and despite Acidicus’s attempt to calm the Constrictai, it was clear he had his own thoughts to share. But before he had the chance, Fangtom moved forward and made his way to Skales’ side. There, he placed a reassuring hand on the Hypnobrai’s shoulder, who felt the relief flowing through his body.

“Thank you, Fangtom.”

“ Always ,-friend.” The Fangpyre said with a smile, before turning to the others.

“I don’t know about you, but I think Skales is right. It is our duty to serve our King, even at times like these. Less you forget the vows we made to Pythor as we bowed before him.” He said, which seemed to deflate whatever frustration Skalidor had wanted to let out. Acidicus and he looked at each other knowingly, before they moved up before Skales, where Fangtom slithered next to them.

“We’re at- your command .” The Fangpyre stated as the three bowed before Skales in unison. The gesture startled the Hypnobrai at first, but he was quickly filled with confidence and held his head up high. He couldn’t help but think he could get used to it.

“What do you want us to do?” Acidicus asked.

“You will know sssoon, but first-” Skales explained, before turning around to look at their scattered forces. “-I must face our warriorsss, and let them know all isss not lost.”

With that, Skales started moving up through the crowd, to a position where he could speak to them all at once. Following a few steps behind were the other Generals. There, they whispered to each other.

“We’re really doing this?” Skalidor asked apprehensively.

“ Skales, is right, we’ve come -this far,” Fangtom said, before sighing. “Might as well see it to its conclusion.”

Skales found a good place, a bit up from the spiral walkway. There he had a full view over the floor, as the Serpentine gathered around them, with the Generals at his back. To his astonishment, while there were Seprentine from all the tribes, it seemed that most of the Hypnobrai stayed behind. But he didn’t have much time to think over that, as he started speaking.

“My brothersss and sssistersss, I know thisss might look like defeat, but I assure you, it’sss not!” He exclaimed, gaining their attention.

“While we wait, Pythor isss in the processs of stealing back the Fangblades from the Ninja! He sssaid to me, that their destination would be Torchfire Mountain. If we are to have any hope of awakening the Great Devourer, we must meet him there and then travel to Ouroborosss together with the bladesss!”

There wasn’t any doubt that they took his words seriously, but doubtful voices could be heard whispering amongst each other. Skales took a deep breath before he continued to speak.

“I won’t lie to you, my fellow Ssserpentine. Thisss day we have sssuffered a defeat. A grave one. But listen to me when I sssay that we can ssstill win! Have we not united asss one, sssingle tribe?! Did we not manage to find all the fabled Fangbladesss?!” Skales asked out to the audience, who started nodding in agreement.

“We have achieved what was sssaid to have been impossible, not once, but twice over! Have we not proven that we cannot be ssstopped?! That the Ssserpentine race will never again be subjugated and beaten by the Sssurface Dwellersss! If we are to have any hope of victory, then ssstand with me! Ssstand with our King!” The Hypnobrai declared before silence swept over the crowd. But it quickly dissipated, as cheers and warcries filled the air, drowning out all other sound. Even Skales was surprised at the overwhelming support, but he quickly gathered himself.

“Good! But if we are to ssserve your King, we must gather our lost Ssserpentine brethren! Acidicusss, Fangtom, and Ssskalidor shall each pick a few warriorsss of they’re choosing, and go out into Ninjago and find the onesss who have fled. Bring them together and remind them of their duty! The rest will follow me to Torchfire Mountain, where we will await Pythor’sss next move and take him to Ouroboros! Once that isss done, the next time we meet, we ssshall have not only Pythor, but the very Devourer itself by our ssside! And then asss one, we ssshall march on Ninjago, and conquer all who dare oppose usss!”

The roars seared into the air, as the cheer continued seemingly without end. The Generals seemed comfortable with their mission and were already busy picking warriors to follow them. Skales himself wasn’t sure how much he could depend on them and thought it best to lead the main operation himself. He never doubted their skill, but their loyalty to Pythor was still as shaky as always. But if anything could finally win them over for good, then it would be the Great Devourer by Pythor’s side.

When the cheering crowd grew silent and instead focused on gathering their weapons, two familiar Hypnobrai marched over to Skales.

“Mezmo! Ssslithraa. I’m glad to sssee you didn’t run off with the othersss.”

“Hah! As if I would allow my honor to be tarnished by cowardice. It’s bad enough for my dignity to have lost my title to you.” Slithraa replied jokingly with a sly smile, seemingly only having fun at Skales’ expense. 

“You say that like I got something better to do than look after those dimwits down there,” Mezmo explained, pointing down to their fellow tribesmen. “No, I’d rather stay with you General, for now. Besides the grim look of things, you seem to believe we can salvage this mess and I wouldn’t want to miss all the interesting stuff.”

“Oh, we are far past belief. Trust me, Pythor will sssucceed. And I sssuggest we better be there when he doesss.” Skales said, confidently.

“If you say so. I’ll gather the men and get ready to march.” Mezmo stated.

“Good. Ssslithraa, sssecure whatever vehiclesss we have left and make sssure they come with usss.” The Hypnobrai ordered, and Slithraa replied with an affirmative nod. 

With that, the two walked away to perform their duties. But as they left, Skales noticed a pink figure hiding behind them, who stopped forward.

“Ssselma?” Skales asked, surprised.

“Hello again, sir. I’ve got to say, it was a great speech Skales-I MEAN, General!” She quickly corrected herself and bowed before him. 

Skales hadn’t considered the fact that she might have stayed behind and not abandoned them like the others, but seeing her he felt a strange sense of consolation.

“Itsss good to sssee you.” He mentioned without much thought, before remembering his place.

“*Ahem* What requiresss my attention?” 

She was at first shocked by his previous words but quickly composed herself.

“I merely wished to ask if there was anything I can do to be useful. I know you and Pythor have a plan and I want to help in any way that I can.” Selma explained, looking up at Skales with complete faith in her eyes.

He was about to tell her that she would follow him to Torchfire Mountain when something else came to his mind that quickly took over and spoke for him.

“If what you sssay is true, then I want you to go with the other Generalsss and help gather the Ssserpentine.” 

Selma bowed before she finally understood what he had said and stood up with a surprised look on her face.

“Wait, you want me to leave ?”

“Yesss, I…I think that would be for the best.” Skales tried to explain, still grappling with his sudden change in decision.

“But, you’re already sending the Generals. You know, THE Generals of the Serpentine? What good would I do?”

“I’m… I’ve already decided that I’m taking Ssslithraa and Mezmo with me to the volcano to meet Pythor. But that leavesss me with not many sssnakes that I can trust. I’m not underestimating the capabilitiesss of the Generalsss, but I’m not ssso sssure that their loyalty to Pythor isss asss unwavering asss they would have me believe. Now that I’m sssending them off, there’sss no telling what they might do if they decide to turn against him.”

“It still doesn’t explain why you’re sending me with them?” She asked with a hopeless tone, trying to find some reason in Skales’ words.

“Because I trust you.” He said with a firm voice, before going over and placing a hand on her shoulder, as her eyes lit up. “And I need sssomeone I can rely on to make sssure they do what they're sssupposed to do. We’re gonna need all the Ssserpetine with usss when the Devourer isss unleashed.” 

“I…I…” She muttered as her eyes fluttered around. But in the end, they landed back on Skales, and he could see the determination welling up inside her.  

“I won’t let you down!” She exclaimed, before giving him a proud salute. 

“I know…-uh, what I meant wasss, I wouldn’t expect anything else!” Skales quickly corrected himself, standing awkwardly for a moment as the two stared at each other.

“Dismissed.” He finally said, turning around to hide his embarrassed face. Which meant he didn’t see her quick smile, that disappeared as she bowed once more and walked away. 

Once she had left, he turned to see her disappear into the crowd, as the warriors split themself into those who left with the Generals and those who left with Skales. He wasn’t sure why he had instructed her to leave with the others. She wouldn’t have been a detriment to the mission. But for some reason, he felt better knowing she was away from the action. There was no telling what would happen. He had faith in Pythor, but taking on the Ninja by himself seemed unlikely, even for an Anacondrai. Even if they succeed, things could turn ugly. As he prepared to leave, he hoped Pythor would be okay. And while he couldn’t keep him away from the danger, he could certainly be there by his side and make sure no harm befalls him. With those thoughts, he announced that it was time to leave, and the Serpentine split up. 

The Torchfire Mountain was a lonely volcano seated by the Sea of Sand. The surrounding area consisted only of sand and pillars of rock around the volcano, that continued further south until they linked up with a mountain chain. There was no sign of civilization for miles, besides a long road that went past the volcano and stretched deep into the desert. The Serpentine were currently hiding behind one of the rock pillars, to not draw attention. Skales guessed the Ninja would arrive in their flying boat, and it wouldn’t be good if they spotted them.

So there they were, waiting for something to happen. Skales still felt great unease as he waited, and it was clear boredom was starting to take over his warriors. The only thing entertaining them was Skales running around, making sure everything was ready.

“Are the Rattecoptersss ready to fly at a moment'sss notice?!” Skales demanded to know, and he got the same answer as the last five times he asked.

“Yes…” 

The Hypnobrai had stopped replying as a formality after the first few times and instead wordlessly left the engineers to do their job. He was stuck in a cycle of worrying if Pythor would succeed, then reassuring himself he would, then thinking if something would go wrong from his end and making sure everything was ready. Then when he was finally sure that he wouldn’t fail him and nothing would go wrong, he would start to wonder if Pythor wouldn’t make it. And so it continued, as he only grew more weary with time. In the end, he started to speculate if he was actually worried that they wouldn’t succeed in awakening the Devourer, or if he was more worried about whether he would fail Pythor. Or rather, if he could make Pythor forgive him for messing up. He had tried his best to forget it, but the lingering thought that everything that had happened was his fault still haunted him. It was he who delayed their return to Orurboros and he who failed to stop the intruders from simply walking into their new lair. If he hadn’t been there in the first place, they would already have brought back the Devourer and their plans would have come true. This was his last chance to fix things with Pythor, and if not, then…

But he was quickly pushed out of his thoughts as a loud Fangpyre came tumbling toward him.

“Skales! Skales!” He shouted as he shoved his fellow Serpentine out of the way.

When he finally stood before the Hypnobrai, he took a few seconds to collect his breath, before speaking.

“I…I have something you might like to hear!” The Fangpyre expressed with great enthusiasm.

“...Ssspeak.” Skales apprehensively ordered though he was still intrigued.

Knowing he had managed to get Skales' attention, the Fangpyre calmed down and dusted himself off.

“Snappa, Fangpyre scout, at your service,” Snappa introduced himself, before gesturing to the Hypnobrai to follow him. He led the General near the edge of the rock pillar, with a view of the volcano and the road in front.

“See that?” He asked, excitingly.

“A road?” Skales replied, unimpressed.

“Not just any road! I was still a scout when I was stationed in Orouroboros. After a few, *ahem*, friendly clashes with my fellow scouts, it was decided I could repay for my actions by scouting the edges of our territory in the desert.” The Fangpyre explained, hoping that Skales wouldn’t ask into the trouble he got himself in. Luckily, it seemed that the Hypnobrai was either too interested or uninterested to ask further on the matter.

"Continue."

“So, of course, I did what I was told! But what I found, was a road that almost reached Ouroboros! I remember thinking something like that was important, so I investigated further. It was a very long road, and I do believe-” He continued, before pointing to the empty road. “- that , is the very same road!”

“And that mattersss, because?” 

“ Because , it's mostly unused, besides by some kind of vehicle made of a long string of buses, like those we used to transport Serpentine to Ouroboros, but stuck together!”

“ And ?” Skales asked, wondering what the point the Fangpyre was even trying to make. But then Snappa leaned close and whispered into his ear.

“ And, it goes fast. Very , fast.”

“Fast?” Muttered Skales, before finally realizing what the scout was proposing. He stared back at their parked Rattlecopters, with a contemplative look on his face.

“Faster than our other vehiclesss?”

“Much faster, I guarantee it! Luckily, it only seems to use its full speed at certain points, otherwise, it goes slower, just enough for us to catch up with it. And it should pass by very soon! If we capture it, we can transport not only Pythor and the Fangblades but all of us back to the Ouroboros!”

Skales listened closely and quickly realized the benefits of the scout’s plan.

“Mezmo! Ssslithraa!” The Hypnobrai yelled and not a few moments later, did the two appear.

“What is it?” Slithraa asked with a bored look.

“Thisss ssscout claimsss to know of a vehicle coming through thisss area that can transport usss all to Ouroboros, even faster than our other machinesss.” 

“Oh really?” Mezmo said, crossing his arms and staring daggers at the Fangpyre. “He said that, did he?”

“Do you doubt me?!” Exclaimed the scout, who seemed more than ready to start a brawl right there and then. It was Skales who stopped him, placing his staff in front of Snappa, blocking him from the sneering Mezmo.

“Well that depends, have you seen it?” The Hypnobrai asked with a mocking tone.

“Of course I have! I wouldn’t have dared mention it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes!” Snappa replied, before looking to Skales, with the two Hypnobrai following suit, waiting for their General’s response.

“I’m willing to have faith in the scout’sss wordsss. If what he saysss isss true, we would be foolsss not to take the chance!”

Just as he finished, a ruckus grew amongst the hiding Serpentine, which caught Skales’ attention. Slithraa was the first to point, having a clear view of the sky.

“There! It’s their ship!” He called out, with the other three looking up. Sure enough, flying through the sky was the red ship belonging to the Ninja. Even more, they noticed the long bus the scout told them about, parked next to the volcano. As soon as the ship arrived and stopped by the mountain’s top, the long bus took its leave and drove down the road, starting to quickly fade into the horizon.

“And there goes our supposed ‘ride’,” Mezmo commented with slouched shoulders.

Skales watched as the Ninja’s ship stopped at the top of the volcano, right over the smoldering lava, before looking at the disappearing vehicle.

“Ssseems we have a plan,” Skales muttered happily to himself, excited at the prospect of surprising Pythor with their new soon-to-be transport vehicle. If there was anything he believed would make the Anacondrai happy, then it would be a smoother ride to their destination.

“Alright, you two!” Skales declared, pointing at Mezmo and Slithraa. “You take our vehiclesss and go up the road! The ssscout will ssshow you where the vehicle will passs by and you will kindly ask it to ssstop. Make sssure it’sss emptied and ready for when I arrive with Pythor. I will take Rattlecopter and keep a lookout for when he makesss hisss move.” The Hypnobrai explained, before looking up to the volcano. He could only imagine what the Anacondrai was planning to do.

With that, almost all the Serpentine left with the scout and the two Hypnobrais, as they prepared to ambush the tour bus. Meanwhile, Skales jumped on a platform that was connected by rope to a Rattlecopter. As it took off, he held on to the rope as the platform was left hanging under the vehicle. Skales had instructed the pilot to circle the volcano, close to the ground so they wouldn’t be spotted. All that there was left to do then was wait.

Luckily, he would soon see signs that Pythor was successful in infiltrating their ship. At first, Skales saw the Ninja on the deck, though he didn’t dare try anything that would give away his position. Then the ship shook, and he saw someone fall overboard. He had hoped they would disappear into the volcano's flames, but in a flash, the Ninja managed to grab them. But to the Hypnobrai’s delight, it had left them hanging on the edge of a plank, extending out from the ship. Then, a familiar purple figure appeared on the deck. Skales could barely control his voice, as he ordered the pilot to go under the ship and prepare to catch Pythor. There he waited excitingly for his King to jump down, but it took a little longer than he expected. Finally, though, he could see Pythor jumping off and falling through the air.

The Rattlecopter turned sharply and made a course toward Pythor. It seemed to be a close call, but Pythor managed to land on the platform and then grab the rope.

“So long, suckers!” The Anacondrai yelled victoriously, followed by a sinister laugh, as the vehicle changed course toward Ouroboros.

“My…my King!” Skales exclaimed and nervously bowed his head.

“Just in the nick of time, number two. I could always rely on your impeccable sense of timing!” Pythor replied, shuffling with the blades in his arm, trying to get a better grip.

“Isss that the Fangbaldesss?!” Skales said, astonished.

“Of course they are! I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t get them!” Pythor stated with an irritated tone, as he turned his attention towards the horizon, as they started to fly over the desert.

Skales opened his mouth, but couldn’t get the words out. There was so much he wished to say, so much he wanted to apologize for. But he knew Pythor well enough to know, that such things usually only irritated the Aancondrai more than they helped. So wordlessly they continued to fly, as Skales tried to keep himself in control, even as the nervousness started to build up. Though he couldn’t help but let his eyes wander to check on Pythor’s mood every now and then. This helped him prepare for Anacondrai’s outburst, as he saw impatience growing on his face. Strangely enough, he could also see something the snake rarely displayed…panic.

“The City of Ouroboros is miles away, this Rattlercopter will never get us there in time!” Pythor exclaimed, his words flowing at an alarming rate. “They'll catch up to us-”

“Don't worry, sssir.” Skales interrupted him, his voice barely able to hide his pride, as they closed up on the ambush point. “We've already made preparationsss.”

“What preparations?” Pythor asked, confused. Though he quickly realized what was going on, as the tour bus came to view under them.

Just as Skales had hoped, the bus was surrounded by the Serpentine warriors led by Mezmo and Slithraa. He could see the Serpentine going in and taking out the humans, leaving them out front.

“I take it you're pleased ?” Skales, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he watched the gleeful expression on Pythor’s face.

“Very, very pleased, Skales.” The Anacondrai replied with a sweet tone and smile, as the Rattlecopter descended. As the platform started to reach the ground, the wind from the spinning blades pushed back the humans. They fell to the ground and coughed from the sand, blasted in their face, as the Serpentine watched and laughed.

The two stepped off and were welcomed by a few warriors and Memzo, standing with a smug look and hands on his hips.

“Glad to see you made it, your highness.” He said though one could question his sincerity.

“We’ll have the rest of the Surface Dwellers off in a moment.” Mezmo continued, before signaling the rest of the warriors to follow him, as he entered the bus.

Slithraa, who had stood at the front, making sure the bus wouldn’t try to leave, also entered. But not before looking at Skales and receiving an impressed nod from the General. In return, he bowed with a look of contentment.

Soon enough, as the last humans were thrown out, Skales and Pythor boarded the bus with the rest of the Serpentine. They made their way to the front, where they passed Mezmo in the process of eating a fully-cocked chicken.

“Where did you-...never mind! Where’sss Ssslithraa?”

“Oh, he *munching* decided to go to the back, and make sure everyone behaves.”

“Typical. He alwaysss wasss one for orderly conduct, no matter the occasion,” Skales stated with a solemn smile.

“He sure was,” Mezmo replied, as Skales left the Hypnobrai to enjoy his food, and joined Pythor by his side. 

At the front of the bus, they took their place by the steering wheel, where a terrified chauffeur fumbled with the controls, as he started the engine. 

“Next stop, Ouroboros!” Pythor declared, causing cheer to abrupt in the cabin, as the bus started to move.

Once the cheering had gone down, Skales managed to gather the courage to speak with Pythor.

“Ssso…thisss isss it then.”

“What are you on about? This is but the beginning! Soon I will have secured my new and total rule over Ninjago, and vengeance shall be ours!” 

“Um, don’t you mean, our rule?” Skales asked.

“Whatever!” The Anacondrai spit back, before admiring the Fangblades in his hands.

“After so long, I will achieve it. My ultimate goal. The reason I, alone , remained.” He muttered with a haunting, almost deranged tone.

“And to think, I would already have done it, if it wasn’t for one detrimental fool!” Pythor continued as he stared at the blades, his tone jolly and cheerful. It even took Skales a moment to realize what had just been said. But by then, Pythor had already changed demeanor and was looking at Skales with a judgemental stare.

“I believe you know who I am referring to.” The Anacondrai said, his voice dry and cold.

“I…I am sssorry…” Skales managed to mutter, his voice weak and scared.

“Sorry?! Sorry isn’t going to change the fact, that because of you, we nearly lost the Fangblades forever!” Pythor seethed, his eyes staring daggers into Skales’, who cowered beneath the Anacondrai’s glare.

“I was willing to eventually forgive you for nearly costing me the Fangblade back at the Fire Temple, but this, this crossed a line, Skales !” He continued, his voice only rising in volume. “And to think, after all this time of loyal service to me, all the moments we shared, and things we’ve done together, that you would end up being the greatest hindrance to my plans! I would have expected that of any of those other fools, but you ?!”

It was clear that he wanted to continue his tirade. But right before, he noticed the staring looks of confusion from the other Serpentine behind them. For once, he was at a loss of words, as he muttered something incoherently while taking in the full scale of his impromptu audience.

“B-but that is all in the past! We have the Fangblades right now, so it was all jolly well in the end! No reason to get hanged up on the past, right chum?” Pythor asked with a forced smile, trying to signal for Skales to play along. 

But the Hypnobrai was well aware of Pythor’s disappointment, which ate away at him like fire does timber. If it wasn’t for the others, and especially Pythors’s presence, he might have just let it break him down, right there and then. But he was by Pythor’s side, and no matter how much the Anacondrai’s words hurt him, he wouldn't allow himself to show weakness. 

He still didn’t answer Pythor, but he lifted his head, determined. The Anacondrai didn’t say anything, but for a moment he let himself give Skales an interested glance. Though the Hypnobrai didn't notice. They then both started staring ahead, trying to avoid any more conversation.

“Is this some kind of special tour?” The driver asked, after having managed to gather his courage, perhaps thinking that the awkward tension in the air would allow him some questions. He was wrong, naturally.

“Oh, shut up and drive!” Pythor replied with an exasperated voice, and so the driver went back to steering the bus, frozen with fear.

But his question and Pythor’s reply had managed to make Skales move his head, which was all it took for him to notice something in the rearview camera.

“Sir, the ninja are on our tail!” He exclaimed as he saw their colored vehicles closing in. “They'll catch up with us in no time!” 

“Ninja?!” Pythor repeated, at first shocked, but then hit with an idea. He grabbed the bus’ microphone, so his voice could be heard across all the cabins. “Good afternoon, my cold-blooded minions. If you look off to your left and behind you, you'll find… ninja !  So annoying. So man your stations, chaps! We've got guests. Let's make sure we give them the ride of a lifetime!”

The Fangpyres quickly went to work and transformed the bus into a moving fortress, that could withstand an attack from the Ninja. But as the Serpentine prepared for battle, Skales could feel his heart flutter. He hadn’t prepared for the fact that the Ninja would catch up with them. If they somehow stopped them, they would never manage to reach Ouroboros. And it would be his fault again. 

Skales knew they were reaching the final moments of their mission. There wasn’t any time left, they would either awaken the Devourer today or never. He couldn’t let things end with Pythor as they were now, whether they succeeded or not. He needed to know that Pythor knew how much he believed in him, how he wouldn’t back down, no matter what.

“Pythor, there isss sssomething I must tell you,” Skales said, his voice slowly filling with confidence, as he realized that there wouldn’t be a better time than now.

“A little busy now, Skales, can it wait?!” Pythor replied back, not expecting any resistance. But unfortunately for him, the Hypnobrai wasn’t going to stop.

“I know that I have failed you, not once, but twice already. Even though I declared myself your loyal ssservant.”

“Huh?” Pythor muttered, caught off-guard by Skales’ sudden speech.

“But even now, while I know you’re disappointed in me, I ssstill won’t give up.”

“...What are you blabbering on about?!” 

“I ssserve you, Pythor, and asss long asss I breathe, I will continue to ssserve your vision. Ssso that I sssomeday can repay back for all you have given me.” Skales continued, before laying his hand on Pythor’s. “And for all we have had together.”

“Um…m-my dear Skales, c-can this wait until AFTER we awaken the Devourer?” Pythor stated, giving nervous glances to the Serpentine behind them, who were looking to each other for answers on what exactly was going on.

“I knew from the day I first met you, that you were different. That you would do great thingsss, and that it would be my honor to help you achieve them.”

“Oh, that’s…so sweet of you!” The Anacondrai said loudly and superficially, followed by an awkward chuckle, as he felt the need to say something now that everyone was listening. He then leaned down to Skales’ ear.

“The plebs are watching! Remember that whole ‘keeping things just between us’ matter we discussed? Does that ring any bells?!” Pythor said, before not so subtly nodding over to the watching audience. But Skales was so lost in his confession, that he didn’t care. He wanted to get things off his chest and wasn’t going to stop, just because other people were listening. Even if it was against Pythor’s wishes.

“But now, that I have ssstood in your way, know that I regret it with all I have, and if I could take it back, I would in an instant! All that I ask, isss that you will keep yourself open to me, and give me the chance to redeem myself. All I want isss your approval, and don’t underestimate what I will do to get it back! I will drag the Ninja down to the very Underworld if you ask me to!” 

Skales looked to Pythor, but the Anacondrai was too stunned to reply. He continued to switch from looking at the Hypnobrai to staring at the road leading to Oruorbors, not sure which one to focus on. And while stuck in his indecisiveness, something started clawing its way through Skales’ chest and up through his mouth. Words he had never dreamed would see the light of day, and ones he would never have imagined to say at such a time. But as they started to form on his tongue, he couldn’t force himself to stop. He slithered almost right up to Pythor, forcing the Anacondrai to look down at him, as their chests almost brushed up against each other.

“Cause I…Cause I…-”

“Yes yes, that’s very good, but how about we keep our eyes on the road, hm?! Road safety and all that jazz.” Pythor interrupted him, and with a forceful hand, pushed Skales away and back in his place.

Skales could barely comprehend what was going on and was in no state to object. Meanwhile, Pythor glanced back and waited for the other Serpentine to stop focusing on them, as they instead started whispering amongst themselves. He then looked back at the road and shook his head.

“What is it with you and you’re flapping gob today?! Saying all that hogwash in front of the others!” Pythor muttered with an irritated tone, though he seemed to quickly calm down. “*Sigh* I swear, you’re gonna be the end of me, number two.” He said quietly, so only Skales could hear him.

The Hypnobrai could barely understand what had come over him and was worried he had said something irreversible. But then, he felt something lightly wrapping itself around the end of his tail. He looked back and could see Pythor’s tail intertwined with his. When he stared at the Anacondrai, he still didn’t look back at him. But Skales believed he could sense a change in Pythor. He could only hope that it meant he still had a chance to make things right.

An opportunity would certainly present itself, as their first line of defense, the tail end of their moving fortress, was caught off. Which meant the Ninja would be able to board the bus.

Tensions at the front were beginning to run high, as the fear of defeat was looming over them. In the end, Skales was the first to spill out his worries.

“We're running out of time. If the ninja stop us from getting to the City of Ouroboros, we may never awaken the Great Devourer.” He vented, starting to fear that the worst might happen.

“Don't lecture me!” Pythor fired back, his frustration beginning to crack his confident facade. 

“Faster!” The Anacondrai yelled at the frightened driver.

“I can't. If we drive any faster, the engine could explode!” 

“Fine, then I'll do it,” Pythor answered back with a cold tone. “Get out!”

“Now?” The driver asked meekly.

“ Now .”

It took him a moment, but the prospect of Pythor’s wrath was more than enough motivation to make him jump out.

Once empty, Pythor took over the driver's seat.

“Don't let them reach the front!” Pythor ordered, and Skales was quick to answer.

“I'll personally sssee to it myself!” 

Even if Pythor didn’t mean for him specifically to deal with it, he didn’t try to stop him, as Skales started to slither down the cart. But just as he was nearing the halfway point, the Hypnopbrai stopped and turned around.

“I won’t let you down. Not thisss time.” 

Pythor looked back at him, with a surprised look on his face. It was clear he had something to say, but he couldn't help but look at the witnesses to their conversation. In the end, he relented and managed to say something he figured wouldn’t be too revealing.

“I’ll…I’ll hold you to that!” The Anacondrai said as he looked at the Hypnobrai with an unsure expression. Skales wasn’t sure if those words meant anything, but he still took them to heart. He saluted his King before leaving, feeling the bus starting to shake as Pythor stepped on the accelerator.

Skales went down the cabins, as news started to spread that the Ninja had managed to land on the bus. He ordered the Serpentine to battle, as he himself prepared an ambush for the Ninja. It took some time, all the while he could hear the fighting up on the roofs. But finally, the Ninja in black stepped into the cabin, finding it empty. Skales could see the confusion on his face, which quickly turned to realization, as he turned around to see a group of Serpentine behind him. Skales then stepped into the middle, slowly making his way toward the Ninja.

“End of the line, loser.” The Hypnobrai mockingly said, followed by the leering laughs from the other Serpentine. But unfortunately, he would find the Ninja in no way deterred.

“Watch out!” He said, before spinning his scythe and lifting it into the air. Skales ended up cowering back, unsure what to expect from his Golden Weapon. He certainly didn’t think that the Ninja would create a vehicle, that crushed the seats as it filled the cabin. Skales didn’t even have time to react before he heard the ticking of a weapon loading.

“No. No, no, please!” He begged as he realized he was going to be defeated and fail Pythor. Desperately, he looked for an escape but found none.

In the end, he couldn’t even protect himself, as the vehicle fired a missile against him. Once it exploded, it blew up the cabin and sent Skales flying out. He had a single moment in the air before he felt his head hit the ground, followed by the rest of his body. He tumbled across the road, losing the grip of his staff as he eventually landed on his back. He tried to will himself back up immediately after, but his body wouldn’t obey, and instead, he went into unconsciousness.

When he woke back up, he was met with a red sky, as dusk had set in. It gave him some small relief that he hadn’t been out for too long. But as he raised himself off the road, his mind was overwhelmed with memories as he started to remember what had happened. As the terrifying realization kicked in, he hurried over to his staff. Once back in his hands, he stared along the road. To his horror, the bus was nowhere to be seen, not even at the edge of the horizon.

“No…” Skales muttered, slowly shaking his head as he understood what he had done. He had failed Pythor. He hadn’t managed to stop the Ninja, and now there was no telling if they would reach Ouroboros.

“No, no, no no no no no!” He kept repeating, as he started to slither across the scorching asphalt. 

He couldn’t calm down. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t stop. Even as useless as it seemed, he kept going down the road as fast as he could, without even a trace of hope he would catch up with Pythor. And yet he couldn’t think of anything but making his way to him. 

Skales continued as if he was mad, with time flying by and the sky starting to darken. He had no idea for how long he ran, and he gave no attention to his exhausted body. As long as he couldn’t see the bus, he had reason to continue. It was only once nightfall came, and the road reached its end, that he stopped up. His beating heart was given a small amount of relief, when he saw the tire tracks in the sand, continuing along the desert, toward Ouroboros.

“They…they might have made it!” He exclaimed, before getting ready to continue the final stretch.

But then, something stopped him. As his tail touched the sand, he could feel a slight tremor underneath him. It only surprised him initially, but as he watched the sand shift around him and the sky being covered by a storm, he realized something was going on. Something big. He kept on looking, feeling a looming sense of dread he couldn’t quite pinpoint on anything. Then, one tremor stood out, causing his body to shake, as if something had moved out from the earth itself. He looked to the horizon, and there in the direction of Oruobrors, he saw it. It seemed like a tower at first, but as the lightning flashed across the heavens, it illuminated the gigantic snake, as it wriggled its way up to the sky. There was no question of what it was. Skales knew it immediately.

“The…the Devourer! They did! Pythor did!” Skales yelled, and as joy and reassurance filled his heart, he jumped around and cheered.

“It'sss finally here! Our revenge, our rule over the sssurface, it will finally all be oursss! It’s here, the Great, the Great…Great…” His voice trailed off, as he watched the giant serpent continuing to rise. “Great…” He mumbled as he realized the sheer scale of what had been unleashed. 

Skales had expected something big, something majestic. But it wasn’t that. It was gigantic, well beyond any structure he had ever seen. Even the buildings in Ninjago City that reached the sky paled in comparison. No, he was so far away and yet he could see it as clearly as a mountain. And once it had reached its final height, Skales didn’t feel relief. He didn’t feel pride or joy. No, he felt something in his core. A primal fear, the likes he had never before experienced, causing his scales to shiver and his eyes to blink as though what he was seeing wasn’t real, that it couldn’t be real. But it was there, and it was more terrifying than anything Skales had ever dared imagine. 

He wasn’t sure when the thought came, but once it did, he had no objections. Without a single hint of hesitance, he turned around and started to flee.

Chapter Text

“I’m sssuch an fool! Even Ssskalidor sssaw it coming! How come I’ve been ssso blind!” Skales cried out into the uncaring air, as the winds sat still between the fog-filled woods.

He had been wandering for hours, slithering over the sunburned sands of the Sea of Sand. Skales had barely been able to feel his tail, once he finally reached the Forest of Tranquility. He had spent the entire journey yelling at himself, bickering over his own stupidity and Pythor’s.

“Of course Pythor wasss insane, of course he wasss! It wasss ssso obviousss!” 

His angry outbursts only paused for a moment, when he saw a stone on the ground and went to kick it. Only to realize he didn’t have feet anymore. Or legs.

“AHHH!!!” He screamed, before doing the closest thing to a stomp he could do.

“All those yearsss of loyal ssservitude to Ssslithraa, besting him and taking control over my tribe, and WHAT DO I HAVE TO SSSHOW FOR IT! THISSS?!” Skales exclaimed, looking back at the tired tail he dragged across the wet, dirt floor. “I can’t run, I can’t kick, I CAN’T SSSIT PROPERLY IN CHAIRSSS ANYMORE!”

There was something cathartic for the Hypnobrai about the whole thing, being able to use the situation to finally vent all of his frustration. It was the only upside to the whole thing. 

“Unite the tribesss? That will never work, I sssaid, and then it worked. Finding Ouroborosss? IMPOSSIBLE, I sssaid. And then we find it under a mountain of sssand, because of course we did! Awakening the Great Devourer to destroy the sssurface-dwellers and taking control over Ninjago? Yesss, excellent idea Pythor, thisss will sssurely be a great plan! Of all the absurd thingsss that worked, it only makesss sssense the one I did sssupport didn’t!”

Seemingly out of energy or air, he finally decided to quiet down, taking a moment to collect himself. He looked around and found no birds or wildlife between the trees. Neither was there wind or sound, only a light fog that covered the ground. An uncomfortable silence hung thick over the entire forest as if something had disturbed the peace of the world. And he knew that to be true.

The image still sat clear in his mind, like the last thing seen before waking from a nightmare. The Devourer, in all its awe and terror, had been awakened, and he saw it firsthand. Only to run, overcome with an unnatural fear that shook him to his core. Even if he had steadied his nerve, the only logical action to take in the face of such horror was running. And so he ran until he could only slither forward. He wasn’t sure why he had picked this place. All he knew was that the Fangpyre Tomb was nearby, and that was all that mattered. For whatever reason, he needed to see Fangtom. An encounter that only worried him further.

“He kept telling me, over and over, that there wasss sssomething off with Pythor. That I ssshouldn’t trust him. Argh, why did you have to be right?!” He muttered, with his friend in mind. Unless he wanted to appear a complete fool, he would need to defend himself. Or else endure the ridicule for the rest of his life. He didn’t care too much about the opinions of the other generals, but he wasn’t ready to lose Fangtom’s respect. But at least he would not be mocked alone.

“If I’m lucky, they will focusss their anger on him and leave me out of it.”

Just thinking about him was enough to make the Hypnobrai shudder with rage. He couldn’t even imagine what he was going to say to him. All those promises, all the trials they had passed together. All to finally achieve their goal. And to show for it, they had a gigantic monster no one could possibly control.

“Maybe he could talk hisss way out of it? He could probably try and pin it on me.” Skales admitted with a bitter chuckle. “Oh, what are we gonna do, Pythor? I thought getting back to your good gracesss wasss the most important thing I needed to do. And now we have an eldritch sssnake to deal with.”

His one-sided ramblings would soon come to an end, as he finally noticed movement nearby. Sticking to the trees, he used them as cover as he moved closer. Peeking his head past a tree trunk, he finally saw the source of the movement. Serpentine, walking in a line, their arms occupied with bags and supplies. Seeing his brethren was almost enough to make him jump out of hiding. But then he remembered the predicament he sat in, and thought better of it. More importantly, he started to wonder where they were all going. His gaze followed them down the path when he realized their destination.

“The Fangpyre Tomb.” He whispered and started moving alongside the Serpentine. Making sure to keep out of sight.

As expected, they led him right to the Cemetery of Souls, filled with gravestones circling a hatch in the middle, leading to the Fangpyre tomb. The Serpentine were all busy jumping back down into the tomb, the sight making Skales whince.

“Going back to our prisonsss can’t be our only option.”

Taking a chance, he moved closer, and once in front of the cemetery, he stepped out into the light. Once the others laid their eyes on him, they immediately started whispering to each other. Skales wanted to keep going, his head held high to not seem bothered by their mumbling. But he didn’t get far before a familiar voice shouted at him.

“Skales! Get- over here, now !” Fangtom ordered, standing by the entrance to the tomb. Judging by his tone, Skales guessed it wasn’t going to be a happy reunion.

“Fangtom! My friend, I’m glad to sssee you well!” The Hypnobrai exclaimed once he reached the Fangpyre, holding his arms open. But the invitation was denied with a scowl.

“ Where have you been?! Our entire operation is -falling apart, and you’re nowhere to be found!”

“I wasss busy, looking for…uh…other Ssserpetine. Our ride to Ouroborosss wasss attacked by the Ninja, and I wasss left behind. I had a feeling I would find you here, ssso I’ve come asss fast asss possible.”

Fangtom only shook his heads in response, and pulled Skales to the side, so they could talk alone.

“Do you know- what's happening ?” The Fangpyre hissed.

“...The Great Devourer wasss awakened.”

“ So you -do know!” Fangtom screeched, pointing with his staff accusingly. “The news spread like wildfire, our scouts yammering on about a monster the size of a mountain rampaging through Ninjago. Soon enough we had- enough terrified Serpentine, that everyone agreed to go back to the tombs .”

“Isss that really necessary ?”

“ If you’ve got a better idea, then I would sure like to hear -what it is! But until then, the only thing we can do is hide and hope we can evade its path of destruction.”

When Skales came up empty, Fangtom could only scoff.

“ No bright ideas? Or maybe that was Pythor’s responsibility?” He said, earning a sour glare from Skales, though it only lasted a moment.

“Ssso what’s the plan then? Go back to our tombsss and hide away until the Devourer ssstarvesss?”

“If the legends are true, then- it will only starve once there's nothing left of the world for it to eat. But until then, yes, we use the tombs. With them all -connected to our lair, we at least won’t be separated.”

“Oh, then that just makesss it alright, doesn't it!” Skales exclaimed, already feeling his breath becoming heavy just by thinking of the tombs.

“Stop complaining and help me- make sure everyone gets in, ” Fangtom replied, his anger overshadowed by the worry lining his words.

He didn’t want to admit it, but Skales too was starting to get tense. While before the outside had brought him feelings of freedom and relief, now knowing the Devourer was around caused him to jitter and turn at very sound. Even as the thought of the tombs brought him dismay, he started to feel a longing for the cave walls, floor, and ceiling, and the security it gave them in retrospect. Perhaps it was that same feeling that was bringing the Serpentine to the tomb, and him too.

There was at least not much work to be done. The Serpentine came by themself, carrying whatever they wanted to take with them. All the two Generals could do was oversee, and make sure no one was rushing and pushing each other to the side. As time passed, fewer and fewer groups came, and Skales could see it weigh on Fangtom’s mind.

“ There’s far too few Serpentine, that can’t be them all .” He stated, with frustration dancing on his tongue.

“Maybe they went to the other tombsss?” Skales said, trying to comfort him.

“ Perhaps, maybe the other Generals -are doing the same, leading them to safety. Or maybe not, and we got the rest of our race out in the open, waiting to become snacks for that giant snake.”

Skales didn’t have time to speak, before Fangtom let out a guttural groan, turning to the Hypnobrai with a sudden shift.

“Why did we listen to Pythor,- unleashing the Great Devourer was a horrible idea !” He complained, his eyes suddenly widening with anger.

“It's all your fault!” He proclaimed, thrusting his staff toward Skales.

“How wasss I sssupposed to know he wasss mad?!” Skales said, trying to defend himself.

“You were his right-hand man! You should've known better.” Fangtom continued, moving closer. The Hypnobrai was about to speak when he heard something rumbling in the distance.

“The Devourer will eat us all!” The Fangpyre finished with seething anger and hopelessness, only a few inches from Skales’ face. But just as he finished, the rumbling became louder in only a matter of seconds. The two heard screaming from the other Seprentine, bundled with the noise of falling trees. The ground started to shake, so dust flew into the air. Their eyes followed the sound, catching a glimpse of a massive cloud of dirt and debris moving between the trees. It was making its way in a circle around the tomb. They stared at the massive moving object, shaking with horror as the others jumped into the tomb, finally only leaving the two Generals. Realizing the Devourer was close, they rushed for the entrance, pushing and shoving each other.

“Out of my way, coward!” Skales screamed, before reaching the tomb and jumping down.

“ You're the coward! ” Fangtom replied as he went in, with another Fangpyre thinking quickly and closing the hatch behind them.

Under the hatch, Fangtom had landed on Skales. Untangling themselves, they stood in silence, waiting for the rumbling to dissipate. Once it was gone, and thereby the Devourer too, Fangtom and Skales breathed with relief. But once things had calmed down, it only took the two looking at each other, for the argument to pick up again.

“Who are you calling a coward?! I’m not the one who decided to flee to our tombsss at the first sssight of trouble!”

“ Of course, because it was just a -coincidence you came here, ‘looking for Serpentine’ as you put it.”

Skales wanted to reply, but once again found himself stumped.

“See, you're no better! You better hope- Pythor ran and hid as well, or else you’re setting a bad example .”

“Trust me, Pythor made sssure to flee. He wouldn’t just let himself be eaten by the Devourer, no matter how delusional he may be! And when we do meet, he’ll have me to answer to!”

“ Will he know ?” Fangtom asked, clearly skeptical.

“Isn’t it obvious! Hisss dreams of grandeur have caused usss to wake a monster. And worse of all, he misled usss to do it, promising power and rule over the sssurface.”

“ That we -agree on. Though he misled some more than others.” The Fangpyre stated with a judgeful voice.

“Don’t forget, we all ssswore allegiance to him and played our part in hisss plan,” Skales explained with a glare.

It was clear Fangtom had something he wanted to say, but it was his turn to stay quiet, to Skales’ amusement.

“But we must remember, the blame liesss on Pythor. I can’t wait to sssee how he’sss gonna make up for hisss mistake.”

“If the Serpentine- will allow him to .” He commented with an ominous tone. When Skales looked at him with confusion, Fangtom rolled all of his four eyes.

“ You don’t actually believe that the others will still serve him, after -the mess he has put us in.”

“W-Well, I would certainly expect sssome pushback.” Mumbled Skales. “But he’sss still our King! And asss I sssaid, we ssswore our loyalty to him. Like it or not, he’sss ssstill in charge.”

“Even if he’s caused the- end of Ninjago ?”

“ Even then! And hisss punishment will be how to ssstop it! Or at least find a way for usss Ssserpentine to sssurvive. It'sss Pythor we’re talking about, after all. He’ll figure sssomething out.”

Fangtom didn’t give him an answer, leaving Skales to consider the implications. For all his angry thoughts, it still hadn't crossed his mind that Pyhtor could be removed from power for his mistake. The thought wasn’t entirely unpleasant, he would certainly like to see Pythor’s face once his metaphorical crown was taken from him. And yet the thought still stirred anxiety in his stomach. For if Pythor was no longer in charge, what would be of him? And perhaps most concerning, what would be Pythor’s fate? If he didn’t rule, there would be nothing to stop the others from punishing him however they liked. It made Skales shiver, and he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Once they had checked everyone was well, they started their journey down the tunnel networking, hoping to meet other Serpentine on their way. Even underground, they could hear the Devourer moving up on the surface, making the ceiling shake. Never before would Skales have believed he would cherish the unmoving rock that had trapped him and his kind for so long. And he would guess the feeling was mutual. But even then, the scared whispers amongst the others continued, following them like a looming shadow. They were only silenced when they heard others nearby. Hoping for the best, they followed the noises through a web of passages leading to a series of brown caverns, interlocked with their handmade tunnels. There, in a place where small rays of sunlight reached down and lit up the cave, they finally found other Serpentine.

“Fangtom! Skales!” Acidicus cried out, noticing the two before they noticed him.

“Acidicus! Good to see you made it.” Fangtom said as the Generals moved closer to meet him.

“Barely! The Devourer is as fast as the legends said! Me and my fellow Serpentine warriors barely managed to make it to the swamp, before it trampled us. And its size, the stories only scratched its sheer magnitude!” The Venomari rambled on, causing a few Serpentine in earshot to shriek in terror.

“M-Maybe it would be best to leave the admiration for after we’ve dealt with it.” Skales hurried to say, not wanting to spark any more panic. However, his words did little but earn him a glare from Acidicus.

“Wasn’t Pythor supposed to deal with it? We’ve all seen how that’s turned out!”

“Trust me, I’m asss angry with Pythor asss you are. But thisss isss not a time to sssquabble-” Skales explained, before feeling Fangtom stare into his neck “-too much. We have to ssstick together.”

Skales’ little speech was cut short, as murmurings spread throughout the cavern. The three of them looked toward the noise, finding a parade of Serpentine entering, being led by no other than the Constrictai General.

“Skalidor!” Acidicus happily yelled, hurrying over to his friend. “I was worried you wouldn’t make it! Did you see it? The Devourer! It was massive! Oh, we’re gonna have to retell all the legends, rewrite all the stories, redraw the scriptures-”

“Yeah yeah, I’m fine! Can’t we discuss this when we’re not in danger of being eaten?”

“I’m happy to hear we’re of the sssame mind,” Skales said as he and Fangtom slithered up to them. Once again, his interjection did little to help the mood, as Skalidor with Acidicus in tow scowled at him.

“That’ll certainly be a first! Which reminds me,” The Constrictai said, before moving closer, looming over the Hypnobrai. “Can you explain why there's a snake the size of a mountain out there, trying to eat both surface-dweller and Serpentine alike?! Didn’t you go with Pythor to awaken the Devourer? Why isn’t it under our control? What did Pythor do wrong?!”

“I…I wish I could sssay, but while we managed to take the Fangbladesss back, the Ninja attacked usss on the way to Ourobrosss. I wasss put out of the fight and had to hurry back. That’sss when I sssaw… it .” Skales explained the image of the Devourer sending a shiver through his tail.

“I only witnessed it after it wasss awakened, I have no idea what happened before that. But trust me, my fellow Generalsss, I ssshall make sssure that Pythor will be made to fix thisss messs!”

“....What?” Skalidor asked, genuinely confused, which Skales took as disbelief.

“Yesss, I know it will come asss a ssshock, but even I can’t deny that Pythor hasss made a mistake. A mistake, with consequencesss we are already sssuffering under. Asss our rightful King, it isss hisss responsibility to lead usss out of thisss sssituation and make up for the trust hess hasss broken.” He continued to explain, hoping to dodge around the fact that many would see Pythor punished. But as long as he could remind them that Pythor was still their King, just long enough for that arrogant Anacondrai to return, then Pythor should be able to weasel his way out of it himself.

Both Fangtom and Acidicus reluctantly considered his words, and while they most definitely had something to say, they decided it could wait for Pythor. But to Skales’ surprise, Skalidor didn’t protest. Instead, he stared blankly at the Hypnobrai, as if he had been sputtering nonsense. When Skales stared at him, bewildered, Skalidor finally spoke.

“Pythor is dead.”

“....”

“You…you’re- certain of this?! ” Fangtom asked, with equal parts worry and relief.

“Some of the Serpentine with me were scouts, who were returning from Ouroboros. They were close enough to see the Devourer awaken, and then Pythor subsequently getting eaten together with that meddlesome Wu.”

“So, it's at least not all bad news,” Acidicus mentioned, shrugging his shoulders.

“....”

“Huh, was there any bad news?” Skalidor joked, before laughing to himself.

“ This is serious! Pythor was our King, even if we -didn’t like it. His loss will be felt.” Fangtom warned.

“....”

“He has a point.” The Venonmari piped up. “Even if the others want his head for unleashing the Devourer, it won’t change that we have lost our leader. And in a time of crisis, no less.” 

“Good riddance I say! We were in need of a change of management anyway. And it seems our dear King was kind enough to take care of that himself.”

“....”

“Skales?” Fangtom asked, the silent Hypnobrai.

Skales stood still like a corpse, staring blindly ahead at nothing but the empty air.

“Are you alright?” The Fangpyre continued, his worry only growing. But Skales didn’t answer and instead turned away from the group. Taking his glum, solemn demeanor with him, he left without a word, the three of them following with their confused looks. Unbothered, he slithered over to an empty tunnel and disappeared out of view. Once gone Fangtom looked back at Skalidor and Acidicus, the former scoffing uncaringly, and the latter shaking his head.

“We’ve not even mourned- his passing, and you’re already making jokes. ” Fangtom hissed through closed fangs with reluctant constraint. Stuck between knowing how much Skales might be affected by Pythor’s death, and understanding how he couldn’t cause any rifts between the Generals at such a critical time. 

“Come on, as if I’m not saying what you’ve all been thinking! And who’s going to care, now we have the Devourer to contend with.” Skalidor defended himself, before looking to the Venomari.

“I don’t see how this ‘crisis’ can be made any worse.” He said, referencing his companion's earlier words.

“ Perhaps by losing the only point that unified us. Without him, we’re -aimless and worse of all, in no position to deal with the panic that's slowly consuming us.” Fangtom reminded him. And those words were enough to cause silence between them as the severity of the situation sat in. They all knew if nothing was done soon, then either it would be every snake for himself, or else they would all go mad with fear.

“Well, then it sounds like we need a new leader,” Acidicus said, breaking the silence and earning astounded expressions from the other two.

“In cases of emergency, specifically relating to the loss of a General, it is the duty of the Second-in-Command to take the mantle of leadership.” He explained, calling back to old Serpentine texts that described similar situations as theirs.

“And that just happens to mean that he gets in charge.” The Constrictai puffed, followed by a rough sigh and crossing his arms.

“We’ve discussed this already. If you still oppose, then you’re welcome to- take the responsibility yourself, or would you rather we scatter like rats back to our separate ways?! ”

“Calm down, you two-headed nuisance! Don’t tell me what I’ve agreed to! But fine, I won’t say anything. It will at least be fun to see how that self-satisfied snake deals with responsibility, now he doesn't have to follow Pythor’s every whim.” 

But while the Generals were discussing the future of the Serpentine, Skales was stuck in a dark hole. He made his way through the darkened tunnel, the noise from the main cavern becoming distant, leaving him with only his own thoughts. He tried to fight through it, but in the end, he had to push his body against a wall to keep himself from falling. Heaving like he was drowning, and his sight going dark, he felt like his world was coming apart. And in some way, it had.

“It…it can’t be.” He repeated, over and over again. Hoping it would become truer with each utterance. In the end, though, he couldn’t deny reality.

“He’sss…he’sss-” Skales muttered, before feeling like throwing up.

Suddenly, with a primal scream, he was overtaken with anger, that managed to overwhelm his sorrow. He slammed his fists on the wall, letting his staff fall to the floor, and pressed his head against the rock.

“PYTHOR! You mad, mad fool! Look what you’ve done!” He screamed, hammering at the tunnel, ignoring the pain seeping through his hands.

“You have doomed usss, doomed usss all! You promised usss, you promised me , that we would control it! That we could take over Ninjago! But instead, you unleashed a monster, you ambitiousss idiot!”

Skales felt tears clawing at his eyes, but he kept them down. He wasn’t worthy of them.

“Was it liesss?” He asked when the fury weakened, leaving him with nothing but confusion. “Were you just ssspitting liesss the whole time, making thingsss up asss you went?! Did you risk my and the othersss' livesss for nothing but a pipe dream?!”

He couldn’t help but think back to the volcano, where Pythor scolded him for saving his life, and for losing the Fangblade. All that anger, all that blame and resentment, for nothing but a blind hope.

“And here we are. Left to deal with your messs! Worse yet, you left me to deal with it! After all I’ve done for you, all we had together! You left…you left… me ...”

The sobs that left his mouth were as ugly as he had anticipated. The tears were fighting to get out, but he wouldn’t let them. He didn’t want to. He didn’t want to cry, not for him. Not after this. Pythor wouldn’t have wanted him to, either.  He knew what that slick Anacondrai would have said, how his sweet words would have filled him with determination while leaving him a shambling mess at the same time. But he wasn’t there anymore, to whisper in his ears. There was only him, alone once more. He could give in and become the crying mess he was scared to be, and the one that Pythor would look on in disgust. Or he could fight through it, and reach the other end. But there was no light to see, at the end of the tunnel. And still, he didn’t wish to give up. Perhaps if only to spite Pythor, he would continue on. Yet, there was no longer any purpose for him to follow. No plan, no direction. No one to look to. No one.

“Skales.” A rough voice said, causing Skales to shriek.

The Hypnobrai turned, to be faced by Mezmo, who stared at him with surprised eyes.

“Don’t remember you being so jumpy.”

“Oh! I-Itsss nothing, I just-just, um…” He rambled on incoherently, trying to get a grip on his emotions. “I-I wasn’t expecting to sssee you, that’sss all!”

“Yeah, me too. I thought you would have been gulped up like that idiot, Pythor.” The Hypnobrai said, followed by a mocking chuckle.

Skales’ eyes narrowed on the Serpentine, and slowly he reached down for his staff. His hand tightened around the shaft, as hard as he forced his mouth closed. He worried if he let his tongue slip, he would lose his temper.

“ What do you want? ” Skales finally asked, his words seething like venom, though Mezmo acted like he didn’t notice.

“I was just waiting to hear what our General wants us to do.”

“Do? What'sss there to do?!”

“Well first off, trying to get the tribe together would be a good start.” He replied, with a harsh undertone to his voice

“What, they aren’t here?”

“Not all of them. Me, Slithraa, and some others managed to get back. A few came with the other Generals, but several are still unaccounted for. Which means they most likely are still above-ground.”

A rock hit a pit in Skales’ stomach upon hearing that.

“There’sss…there’sss ssstill sssome above? But, the Devourer-” He suddenly stopped in his tracks, as he remembered someone specific.

“Ssselma? Did ssshe manage to make it here?”

“Who? Oh, her. Yeah, haven’t seen her. Which should otherwise have been easy, right?” Mezmo remarked with a sly smile.

The Hypnobrai General almost felt like laughing. Of course, she’s gone too. He couldn’t quite place where his care had come from, but it felt meaningless to wonder. She was probably gone or would be soon if the shaking above was anything to go by.

“So, are you gonna do something? We’ve got a lot of trouble on our hands, and we need a strong, proper Hypnobrai General more than ever.”

“And what exactly do you want me to do?!” Skales asked in an outburst, before turning to leave. He couldn’t bother to deal with this, not now.

“What do you think- lead us! Several of our tribe members are left on the surface, meanwhile, we’re hiding here like cowards!” Mezmo shouted at him, following behind Skales as he slithered onward. 

Perhaps it was hearing about Pythor’s death, the disappearance of their Serpentine brethren, or maybe just the general powerlessness of the situation. But hearing his own words being talked back to him, made him groan like a rusty gear.

“Are you hearing yourself?! The Devourer isss out there! The sssnake of legend, who isss going to devour all of Ninjago! What can I do? What can we do?! I can’t lead usss out of thisss. Our King isss dead, and the hope of sssurvival we have are these sssuffocating wallsss!”

Skales had stopped and turned to face his subordinate, who now looked at him in bewilderment.

“If you want to do sssomething, then fine, do it! Sssee if it makesss a difference.” He finished, before finally leaving, with Mezmo staring into his neck. Where before there was bewilderment, there came disgust, and then disappointment. Scoffing and shaking his head, he walked away, stumbling into Slithraa who had been looking for him.

“There you are. Did you talk to Skales?” He asked, slightly wary. The apathetic Mezmo barely glanced at him, as he answered.

“Sure did.”

“And? What did our General have to say?”

“Our General? Ha!” Mezmo laughed, walking past his former leader. “He’s no General, not anymore. He’s lost his fangs, or his courage, or whatever it is, but I wouldn’t expect much from him anymore.”

Slithraa stood for a moment and sighed. While before he had hoped it, now it came as dreadful news.

“I feared this would be the outcome.”

Walking through the cavern, Skales looked around observingly. He hadn’t noticed it before, but considering all the Generals had come back, they were still short of many Serpentine.  All who most likely were at the mercy of the Devourer. He guessed Fangtom had been right to worry

“Hey, Skales,” Fangtom called out as if summoned, causing Skales to wince. He still wasn’t in the mood to talk.

“You hurried off before. I’m wondering -if it has something to do with, well…Pythor’s sudden passing .” He stated, trying to sound as unprovoking as possible.

“Why?” Skales asked back coldly.

“ Well, I remember you two being -close, so I could imagine that his loss would hit you hard-”

“It didn’t.” Skales lied, trying to avoid eye contact with his friend, instead glancing around.

“...Are you sure?” Fangtom asked, as someone who could spot Skales lying a mile away. “I have my own judgments when it comes to Pythor, but- I understand that he was quite fond of you, and…and that you were of him .”

When no answer came, Fangtom moved closer, hoping to reach his longtime friend.

“ I know you -wouldn’t show it in front of the others, but you can confide in me, if there’s-”

“Do you sssee thisss?” Skales said and pointed to the Serpentine filled cavern, dodging the subject. “There’sss far too few of usss here. Thisss can’t possibly be all of the Ssserpentine, just asss you said. The rest are left above, defenselesss when compared to that world-devouring monster.” 

“Yes, we are missing quite a few of our numbers.” The Fangpyre agreed, disheartened once realizing that Skales wouldn’t let him in. 

“They’re doomed, aren’t they? And ssso are we.” Skales explained, his voice hollow and his eyes empty.

“Not necessarily. We can- still make it out of this. Me and the others had been discussing, and if you would be willing to -”

“What isss there to discusss?!” Skales suddenly yelled, earning curious glances from all around. “It’sss over, we can’t rebuild with only usss! Even if Pythor wasss here, there’sss nothing we can do!”

He wanted to continue, to let out some more steam. But a quick look around revealed he had become the center of attention. He could barely stand having Fangtom’s eyes on him, even less the others.

“Isss there sssomething you want to tell me?!” He yelled out, a few quickly looking away. Most kept looking, their eyes shining with disdain. 

Skales hissed, and before Fangtom could speak, Skales was already done with their conversation.

“I don’t want to hear it. It'sss over, can’t you sssee? Just…leave me alone.” Skales said, his voice lowering to a whisper at the last word before he slithered away. He could hear Fangtom mutter something behind him, but soon the Fangpyre was gone, and he was alone. Feeling lightheaded, he went to the nearest wall, laid his staff down, and sat. Leaning his head back into the uncomfortable rock, he let his eyes close. Sleep didn’t come, his mind too jumbled up with emotions and thoughts to let him rest. Instead, he could let the world around him fade away. Giving him peace, and letting him forget those awful shakes the Devourer left in its wake, that made dust fall from the ceiling. Only its quiet vibrations were left, as Skales waited for something, anything to happen. He was too tired to do anything himself. The only thing left was for time to pass on its own.

Is this how we end? Scared, pitiful, lying in wait for our doom? I guess the world beneath the surface will finally become our tomb, then. He thought to himself, after having been sitting on the ground for an unknown time.

The Hypnobrai felt nothing short of defeat, as he pondered the inevitable coming of their end. All that work, all those plans, gone in a moment. With Pythor gone, it seemed hopeless to try anything else. He had hatched all his hopes and desires on the Anacondrai. He wondered if he could even continue without him.

That feeling only became stronger, as he felt his connection to the world around him disappear. Even the vibrations from the Devourer's quakes were gone, and suddenly like a flash, it occurred that he could be gone as well at any moment. Even drowning in hopelessness, he couldn’t contend with that fact. He had done so much, worked so hard, even before Pythor came along. Would he have wanted him to just fade away, feeble and meaningless? The weight of Pythor’s disappointment extended even beyond the grave, and he slammed his fist on the ground in frustration. But something strange was there.

Nothing. No feeling beyond the hard rock reached his hand. 

No shakes. 

He opened his eyes, and realized dust no longer fell, and neither could he hear the rumbling above. Looking around, he saw that everyone else had realized the same. Slowly he stood up, taking his staff with him. Like in a daze, he wandered the cave, taking in the utter silence. In the end, he wandered upon the other Generals, who stood together. They glanced at each other and the ceiling, unsure of what was happening. Skales joined them, and they waited for something. Then it came trickling down, like rain. Thousands of voices crying out, not in terror, but in joy.

“Is that…cheering?” Skalidor asked, dumbfounded, looking to Fangtom for confirmation.

“The Great Devourer must have been destroyed!” The Fangpyre stated with relief and determination. Skales couldn’t believe it, but with the shaking gone and now the cheering, nothing else made sense. Taken aback, the Hypnobrai realized not everything was lost. They wouldn’t be eaten, the surface would not be devoured, and all their kin above would be fine. The Serpentine would live on. They could rebuilt.

“Sssomeone hasss to lead now.” He said instinctually, as if it was the only path forward. Then it hit him, he was the Second-in-Command. Pythor’s right-hand man. If anyone could continue his legacy, then it would be him. His breathing intensified, as he understood he could still make Pythor proud. He could make his death have meaning.

Don’t worry Pythor, I’ll take care of it. I will bend the surface-dwellers to our will, as you would have wished. We will have our vengeance. I…I will make it up. For not being there.

Holding back a tear, he stood up straight with renewed vigor and looked to his fellow Generals. He expected his proposition would be met with resistance, most of all from Skalidor. He could not even be sure that Fangtom would support him. But as their gazes met his, he had a strange feeling that it would work out. In fact, they seemed to look at him as if he had already been crowned.

Chapter Text

“Are you almost -ready ?” Fangtom asked Skales, who was busy cleaning his scales of sand in front of a mirror.

“In a moment!” The Hypnobrai replied, not enjoying being hurried along.

After the shaking had stopped and they heard cheering from above, the Serpentine were in agreement that the Devourer was defeated. Coming back above, they were proven right. After managing to find some Serpentine who had been hiding in Ninjago City, they were told of how the events had gone down. As far as it is known, the Devourer attacked the city before being harassed by the Ninja. They somehow got it stuck around a building, where Garmadon had plummeted down from the top and destroyed it, dying in the process.

Skales didn’t know what was worse. The Ninja being brave enough to take on the Devourer while they hid, or that it was one of their mortal enemies that struck the killing blow. But while the resentment and shame were fresh, it was at least convenient that the matter regarding the Devourer had been taken care of by itself. As a bonus, Garmadon’s death was a good start on the vengeance Skales had planned to enact. For he knew the Ninja had something to do with Pythor’s death. He was sure of it, considering their ability to always get in the way. And once he was in power, it would only be a matter of time before he would finish what Pythor had started.

But first, he still needed to be recognized by the Serpentine as their leader. The Generals, surprisingly, stood by his side, leaving only the others to be persuaded. Already, they had lost a good number just by leaving the tombs and moving across Ninjago. Disheartened, Serpentine were leaving left and right, hoping to find their fortune elsewhere. The respect for the Generals was not what it used to be, ever since Pythor’s crowning as King. It was only by a miracle that they had herded a force of warriors to the Sea of Sand. Even more so since they learned of Ouroboros’ devastation following the Devourer’s awakening. 

In the end, they came upon the remains of the Ninja’s flying ship, close to a cave below a large rock. There they stopped, and Skales decided there was no reason to delay his bid for kingship further. Using the remains of the ship as a quiet place to prepare, he had been busy cleaning his scales when Fangtom had come in.

“ Why are you always so focused on -cleanliness? It's a desert, there’s going to be sand!”

“That’sss no excuse for not being presentable!” Skales fired back before focusing on the cracked mirror, splitting his visage in two. He wouldn’t tell his friend, but it was something he borrowed from Pythor. The memory of the second time they met, where they gathered the Serpentine under Ninjago City, had suddenly become fresh in his mind. Especially the part where Pythor was grooming himself before the show. It had seemed awfully vain at the time, but he couldn’t help but mimic it. He was in a similar situation, after all.

“You better hurry. The others have started complaining, and I’m not sure- how long Acidicus and Skalidor can keep them in one place. ” The Fangpyre explained, glancing out to the rock, where angry mutterings could be heard.

“Ugh, incredible how little loyalty meansss nowadaysss.” Skales snarked, shaking his head.

“ I’m sure Slithraa would -agree.” Fangtom was quick to comment.

“That wasss different!” The Hypnobrai said, before staring thoughtfully at the mirror. “To think, thisss whole messs started with that. It seemsss ssso far away now.”

“That annoying child sure started a lot of trouble. I don’t know who to- thank for our current circumstance, him or Pythor .”

“We can THANK Pythor for bringing usss together, and we can THANK that insolent boy for being ssstupid enough to think he could command usss. There, I sssolved your conundrum.” Skales hissed, and Fangtom could only make a weary sigh.

“ I thought we talked about this, you CAN’T speak well -of Pythor! It was annoying, if tolerable, when he was in charge, but now it will be a death sentence. The Serpentine- haven’t forgotten nor forgiven who awakened the Devourer. You’re lucky that they haven’t turned on you just for being his right-hand man, so please, keep -thoughts like that to yourself.” He explained, with much less restraint than he had done in the past.

“Trust me, I have gotten the memo,” Skales replied with a frustrated twitch. “I’ll sssay whatever they want me to sssay, if it will put me in charge.”

“Glad to hear your enthusiasm. I’m sure- Skalidor will appreciate a jab or two in Pythor’s direction .”

“I'm sssure he will. It isn’t a sssecret that he’sss never been fond of our Anacondrai leader. Actually, none of you have been. I understand if you've been relishing the idea of replacing Pythor.” He said, though he cut his line of thinking short. Whatever treason they were implicated in was of no worth, not as long as they stood by him now.

Meanwhile, Fangtom stared at Skales with a conflicted expression. He didn’t want to twist the knife further, regarding Pythor’s death. But he knew Skales had to move on, and quickly, if he wanted to become leader of the Serpentine. And if that meant toughening up his view of Pythor, then so be it.

“What can we say. Not everyone was as happy -to drop their staffs in worship of a random snake, whose only qualification was being Anacondrai.”

“Perhapsss. Ssstill, you can’t deny he had a certain flair around him. He had all of the Ssserpentine around hisss finger the moment he first ssspoke to them.” Skales continued with an amused tone.

“ Guess that's -true.” Fangtom relented.

“Then again,” The Hypnobrai said, studying his expression in the broken glass. “If he could talk them into ssserving him, then I can asss well.”

“After all-” He exclaimed with unbridled optimism, having finished preparing himself. “-how hard could it be?”

A little harder than he had expected. He could already feel it as he slithered past the crowd and toward the front, with Fangtom in tow. Their angry stares drilled into him like arrows, and their seething comments hit like rocks. Most were about Pythor, but a few were personally meant for him. Each time, he wanted to turn around and confront them, but he knew it would be an early end to his reign. So, he tried to hold out just long enough to finish his speech.

The other two Generals, Skalidor and Acidicus, waited for him at the podium. The Venomari studied the crowd with little optimism. Skalidor, on the other hand, was sorely focused on Skales. The Hypnobrai could practically taste his grin as he came closer.

“Seems the main event has decided to show up.” He laughed, and Skales wondered if it was worth suffering his mocking attitude just to keep his support. 

“The crowd is ready for you,” Acidicus said, gesturing to a rock he could use to stand on.

Just as Skales was about to slither up, Fangtom grabbed him and pulled him close.

“Remember, this is all Pythor’s fault! They believe it, and you need- to convince them you do too .” He whispered. “ Otherwise, you can -kiss the title of King goodbye.”

“Oh, I’ll convince them,” Skales stated, pulling his arm free. 

“I’ll convince thisss lousy lot.” He whispered to himself.

He got up on the podium and looked around at the crowd. Their numbers were almost laughable. While the only ones left were hardened warriors, it seemed less to do with loyalty and more because they had nothing else to do. In fact, Skales could already feel their distrust as soon as he stepped up. They were just as done with him as he was with them.  All the work he had done to get them on Pythor’s side, and they already looked ready for mutiny. He felt nothing short of disgust looking at them. If it were Pythor before them, he knew they would have groveled like good soldiers. But as soon as he’s gone, they suddenly act like they wouldn’t follow any snake if they’re words were sweet enough. And by the Devourer, would he make them so sweet they wouldn’t dare to resist.

“My fellow warriorsss, we have sssuffered a terrible blow.” He started out, and finally, their annoying mumbling came to an end.

“But do not worry, for thisss isss not the end. Far from it! We ssshall sssoon begin anew, ssstronger, and sssmarter than before! We may have been tricked by the…” His words thinned out as he took a breath and prepared himself.

“...cruel despot , Pythor. Thanksss to him, we were almost destroyed by the Devourer! But fate hasss decided that our end isss not now, for the Devourer wasss defeated!”

“Yeah, and we all know by whom!” A Serpentine called out, emboldening a few others.

“How come you hid away and left our fate in the hands of the Surface-dwellers?!”

“Where were you when the Devourer almost ate us all?!”’

Their barrage of shouts continued, and Skales could see the wary expressions on his fellow Generals.

“We did not hide!” He lied, trying to take control of the situation. “We…merely regrouped, hoping to plan our next ssstep in dealing with the threat! It wasss only by coincidence that the Ninjasss defeated it before usss!”

Either believing him or just dumbfounded over his explanation, silence descended upon the crowd. Something that only confirmed Skales’ suspicion that they were mindless brutes. It was no wonder Pythor got in charge so fast, he couldn’t help but think.

“But with the Devourer gone, we now have to contend with the Sssurface-dwellersss once more. We have been ssspread apart, and it'sss only a matter of time before they will use it asss a chance to imprison usss once more.”

His words spread worry amongst the Serpentine, but it seemed to make little dent in their frustration.

“And yet, I, Ssskales, wish not to give them the opportunity! Under my rule, we will grow ssstrong again and build an empire rivaling what even the mad fool Pythor could imagine!”

With that, his declaration had been made. He was a little disappointed to see the sheer surprise on their faces, but at least they weren’t shouting him down. He wondered if it was his mention of Pythor that was gaining their admiration. Even as it made him sick, downplaying Pythor’s achievements. It made his blood boil seeing them do the same. 

“Yesss, with Pythor gone, we have cut off a broken tail weighing usss down!” Skales continued, mostly to his own grim amusement.

To his horror, though, they started nodding. 

“We were lucky the Devourer took care of him!” A zealous Venomari shouted, earning agreement with his fellow warriors.

He could scarcely believe it, how little respect they showed. It was with a tight expression that he continued, hoping to end this farce sooner rather than later.

“Ssserpentine, we've been exiled for the last time! Fear not, I will lead you.” He proclaimed, and just as he was expecting no pushback, a familiar voice spoke up.

“Lead us? To where?!”

Skales looked out into the crowd, and sure enough, near the middle left side stood Mezmo. He could barely comprehend what was going on before the old Hypnobrai continued.

“The City of Ouroboros has been destroyed! We have no home.”

He could scarcely believe the audacity he was seeing. There he was, General of the Hypnobrai, trying to become King. And yet the old fool decides to speak against him. He could have predicted Slithraa making such a stunt, but not Mezmo. If another Serpentine hadn’t piped up, there might have been time for the betrayal to become visible on his face.

“You want to lead us so badly, why should we trust you?” A Fangpyre said, with Skales shaking with anger. They had blindly followed Pythor when it suited them, but suddenly they cared about trust. Even when all he had to do was speak a few bad words about Pythor, and then they would all follow suit like hopeless slaves. They wanted him to speak against Pythor? Then fine, he would do so and more.

His tail had started to twist in frustration, and in the corner of his eye, he could see Fangtom shuffling nervously. As if the Fangpyre could guess that Skales was about to say something he shouldn’t.

“Because I wasss the one who told you in the first place not to awaken the Devourer!” He proclaimed boldly, even as his words were utter lies. His words did little to ease the tension, as the Serpentine merely stood confused, wondering if he really was stupid enough to say that. Meanwhile, Fangtom stood by his side and quietly slapped his head into his hand, too embarrassed to look back at the crowd. But Skales kept speaking, even as he was assaulted by a litany of resentful glares.

“But no, you listened to Pythor!” 

He was just about to speak further when another voice cut through the crowd.

“You want a home?” The voice said, and in unison, the crowd turned around. Skales could barely believe his eyes when he saw the four-armed monster standing there.

“I'll give you a home!” He stated, with a wicked smile.

“Lord Garmadon?!” Skales called out, equal parts irked and astounded. A part of him should have seen it becoming, knowing that he managed to escape even the Underworld. But even if he expected him to survive defeating the Devourer, he was amazed that Garmadon dared show his face. But the surprise quickly gave way to worry, as he realized what he was holding in his four arms.

“Forgive me, I haven't been myself lately.” Garmadon calmly explained, his voice soft and dark like a shadow. 

“But now that I have the Golden Weapons-” He continued, lifting the four Golden Weapons as if they were mere tools and not instruments of creation itself. “-it's time that I got back to my roots.”

With that, he stepped forward, causing the back of the crowd to quickly back away. But even if they were worried, it was clear that his words had sparked their interest.

“If I'm going to rule Ninjago, I know I can't do it all by myself.” He stated, earning a few muttered agreements from the Serpentine. “The Skeletons served their purpose, but I've always been partial to snakes.”

Skales only realized that their worry had completely dissipated when it was too late. 

“If you want someone to follow, follow me!” 

Garmadon turned around, expecting the Serpentine to follow. Something he was right to believe, as the Serpentine started to cheer, and were about to go at any moment.

“You are to follow me, not him!” Skales cried out, but Garmadon's rallying cry already had its effect. The Serpentine warriors looked at one another, and in full agreement, turned their backs on Skales and the Generals. With Mezmo, of course, being the first to go. 

As they walked out of the cave, he could only stare blankly, dumbfounded at what had happened. Even Skalidor had started to look around nervously, clearly not expecting his own tribe to desert him so quickly. Only Acidicus didn’t seem to be in disbelief, rather focused on studying the Golden Weapons from afar.

Once outside, Garmadon stopped and turned to face his new following of snakes.

“You want a home, I give you a home!” He declared, and immediately, the ruins of the Ninja's ship flew into the air in a whirlwind of sand. As if its destruction was being reversed, the pieces flew around, the ship being assembled anew. Once the sand disappeared, the rubble was gone as well, and only the rebuilt ship remained, now in a coat of black instead of red.

“The power of the weapons…” Skales could hear Mezmo mutter from the front, his voice filled with awe and the sheer power he was witnessing.

“I give you, the Black Bounty!” Garmadon continued, and as the ship landed, the Serpentine started to cheer. 

At that point, Skales had enough. He had already degraded Pythor's name just to earn their favor, and now a few magic tricks could make them turn their backs on him? He wouldn’t let it stand. So just as it seemed they were about to step aboard, the Hypnobrai called out to them.

“Imbecilesss!” He yelled and quickly slithered over to them, with the other Generals coming up behind him, secretly hoping Skales could get the situation under control.

“Do you not remember he wasss just helping the Ninja?!” Skales said in exasperation, his voice barely able to hide the frustration he was feeling. “Now you blindly follow him because of hisss wizardry?! He'sss not even a Ssserpentine. Rule with me, and we rule asss brothersss!”

“Rule with me…” Garmadon said once he finished, making the entire crowd turn their heads toward him. 

“...or else.” He finished with a vicious smile, pointing the Fire Sword threateningly at Mezmo. The Hypnobrai was quick to fall in line, nodding enthusiastically.

Having come to a decision, the Serpentine ran with a rush of energy to the ship. They jumped aboard and quickly manned the ship. All the while, the Generals stared helplessly, having lost control over their warriors. It hit like shards as Skales watched members of his tribe he knew personally, leaving him behind without a second thought. For some reason, it hurt him even more as he watched Slithraa walk up onto the ship. The old Hypnobrai had at least given him a glance of uncertain emotion before disappearing among the crowd. Mezmo didn’t even think to acknowledge him. Desperation started to kick in as Skales understood he no longer had any comrades left. Mezmo had stood by him, seemingly loyal. Slithraa had at least kept quiet, leaving Skales to rule the Hypnobrai without objections. And Selma, while only having known her a little, had given him much more support than most in hindsight. Yet, all were now gone, along with the rest of his tribe.

And as if to rub in Skales’ total lack of authority, once the ship started to take off, the Serpentine yelled ‘All hail Lord Garmadon!’.

As it disappeared into the horizon, Skales could no longer contain himself. In a fit of almost childish fury, he jumped up and down, slamming his staff into the ground.

“Ugh, darn!”

The others merely stared up at the ship, seething with rage once it was gone. But after that, there wasn’t much they could do but look at each other as they took in the situation.

“That could have gone…better,” Acidicus commented.

“I won’t lie, Pythor made this seem- much easier than it was .”

“I DON’T-” Skales suddenly said, causing them to turn their attention to the defeated Hypnobrai. “-wanna hear, another word about Pythor!”

Skales was already reeling at the realization that he had failed at the very first accomplishment Pythor had achieved. He didn’t need to be reminded of his shortcomings when he could already feel Pythor judging him from the beyond.

With that outburst, the four fell into an awkward silence. For a while, the only sound was the whistling of the wind, as it carried grains of sand across the dunes. 

“So what now?” Skalidor finally asked, though his question only earned him a few unsure looks. 

“ Maybe our leader -has some idea?” Fangtom asked.

Skales froze as he tried to come up with something. 

“We, uh…we need to…recuperate from thisss defeat!”

“How do we do that, exactly?” Aciducs commented.

“Well, first, we need to find sssomewhere to ssstay. As lovely asss the desert isss, we’re easy pickings if the Ninja come looking for usss.”

“So we need to find a place where they won’t be looking for us!” The Constrictai mentioned.

“Yes, what about the tombs?” Acidicus said, before receiving a slap from Fangtom’s staff. “HEY!”

“Idiot, that's the first place they would come looking for us!” He explained. “No, it has- to be somewhere new, a place they wouldn’t think of to look .”

“That'sss right, but it may not need to be a new hiding ssspot.” The Hypnobrai said, an idea forming in pace with his word.

The three Generals looked to Skales, who stood with a thoughtful look, in a manner eerily similar to Pythor's.

“Remember the first time we all met? Where Pythor brought usss to Ninjago City? We could hide out there.”

“In Ninjago City? Are you crazy?! I have it on good authority that my scouts, well, before they abandoned me, discovered that the Ninjas have made the city their home. If we go there, they’ll definitely find us, just like last time!”

“Last time Pythor brought all the Ssserpentine to the city! That’sss why they found usss. Now that it'sss only the four of usss, we’ll be sssure not to be discovered. And besidesss, there’sss plenty of outskirts around where we would be far enough away to not be bothered or noticed, and close enough ssso that we’ll be missed, if the Ninja go looking around Ninjago for usss.”

The Generals looked to each other. If any of them had a better idea, then they didn’t share it.

“I guess it doesn’t sound too idiotic.” Skalidor scoffed, crossing his arms and staring off to the horizon, where his warriors had flown off.

“It's better than following behind Garmadon like those traitors did.” He continued with a growl.

“Yes, but where will we hide in Ninjago City? The place is massive, so there are boundless possibilities.” The Venomari said.

“ Well, when we came there with Pythor, we hid -in the subway systems,” Fangtom commented, glancing over to Skales for confirmation. No matter how much the Hypnobrai hated the idea, he couldn’t claim to know a better place. He sighed and looked up into the sky, the same way Skalidor had done. And while he was angry at them, he also felt a strong urge to bring them back. The experience had soured his expectation of leadership, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still his responsibility. He’ll have them back, no matter the cost. Just as Pythor would have wanted.

“Guesss we’ll be going underground once again.”

Chapter Text

Skales stood on the tracks at the abandoned subway and stared thoughtfully into a puddle on the floor. Every few seconds, a drop of water would fall from the ceiling, the sound echoing throughout the tunnel. It was tedious to listen to, and about as interesting as watching paint dry. And yet he much preferred it to acknowledging his gloomy surroundings, and listening to the whining of his fellow Generals.

“Those backstabbing, good-for-nothing, slimy, irredeemable-” The Constrictai shouted to no one but himself, until someone interrupted him.

“Snakes?” Fangtom said with a weary tone, finally finishing Skalidor’s long-winded rant. 

“Do you really need to continue promoting that awful stereotype, Fangtom? It was already bad enough before the war, I dare not think how snakes are regarded since our decades-long absence!” Acidicus snapped at the Fangpyre.

“It is a connotation! I thought out of everyone here, you would- appreciate some proper figurative language .”

“Not if it demeans the image of our people!”

“Oh, what people, exactly ?!” Yelled Skalidor, having used the small amount of time to build up his temper once again. “The ones that are long dead, or the ones that left their leaders behind like they were the runts in the litter! Those ungrateful, slacking, TURNSCALE-”

“ Oh look what you did, you got him going again !” Complained Fangtom.

“That wasn’t my fault! A-and you started it!”

“-TERRIBLE, IDIOTIC, SPINELESS DESERTERS-”

“ Wow, how -mature,” uttered the Fangpyre sarcastically. “Besides, I understand why Skalidor’s angry. You, I don't understand. Why aren't you more angry that- we’ve been betrayed ?”

“Of course I’m angry! But personally, I’m more frustrated that we didn’t get a closer look at Garmadon’s staff. Or even the original Weapons of Creation, for that matter! Our scriptures could use the illustrations-”

“ ARE THOSE DUSTY OLD PAPERS ALL YOU -CARE ABOUT?!” Fangtom stated, taking his turn to yell. “WE’VE BEEN LEFT TO ROT BY OUR COMRADES, AND YOU’RE ANGRY YOU DIDN’T GET THE CHANCE TO PAINT DRAWINGS?!”

“-HORRIBLE, MINDLESS, USELESS-”

“SHOW SOME RESPECT, IT'S OUR HISTORY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! WOULD YOU RATHER WE LIVE WITH DOCUMENTS WRITTEN BY THOSE LYING SURFACE-DWELLERS?!”

“MAYBE I’LL RATHER HAVE WE FOCUS ON ENSLAVING THOSE- DECEITFUL HUMANS THAN WORRYING ABOUT THE ACCURACY OF OUR DRAWINGS !”

“-NUMB-SKULLS, UNFORGIVABLE, TRAITOROUS-”

“Would you three please, BY THE DEVOURER, SSSHUT UP!” Skales yelled as he turned to face them, his voice echoing down the entire length of the abandoned train tunnel.

The three Generals became quiet and stared at Skales from the subway platform, like children about to be punished. The Hypnobrai’s fangs were showing, and he heaved with built-up frustration that only gradually went away as silence descended on the subway. Once calmed enough to act, he gave them a sharp look that almost put them at attention.

“I can sssee why your tribesmen abandoned you, considering you’re already arguing like children!” He scolded them, and it was only Skalidor who was brave enough to speak up against the annoyed Skales.

“You say that, but the Hypnobrai left you as well! How are you any better?!”

“They didn’t leave me, they were misled! You sssaw it yourselvesss, how Mezmo questioned me and made them turn their backsss on usss! Oh, I’m an idiot for not ssseeing hisss lack of loyalty till now.” Skales explained, hitting himself in the head over Mezmo. He promised himself he would show that snake what happens to traitors. 

“ I think we all -overestimated the loyalty the Serpentine had to their leaders,” Fangtom interjected, having cooled off from his dispute with Acidicus. 

“Already before the Devourer, we had lost quite a few of our people to disloyalty. I expected our warriors to have been disheartened after- that catastrophe, but it seemed I should have prepared for their inevitable betrayal .” He explained through grinding fangs. 

“And who do we have to thank for that?!” Skalidor piped up, and Skales could already feel a vein starting to burst. “Those sorry excuses for warriors were only put in check when they thought they followed the most powerful around! But then Pythor had to come and prove himself the biggest snake. Of course, they would leave once that mad fool was gone!”

“There is some truth to his words. Though divided, the system of tribes made sure the Serpentine were kept in relative unity with their kinsmen. Now, though, once Pythor declared himself King, our old structure has quickly disappeared and with it, unity within the tribes.” The Venomari explained.

“Must everything be Pythor’sss fault?!” Skales asked them with a hiss. Now that the crowd was gone, he felt no need to rub dirt in Pythor’s image. And he was especially too tired with the other Generals to consider their opinions on the Anacondrai.

“For a dead Ssserpentine, you sssure have a way to use him to explain your own current failingsss.” He said, turning around to the gloom in the dark.

There was a short silence as Skales slithered back to his puddle and rubbed his aching head. Meanwhile, it seemed the other hesitated to speak. The Hypnobrai hoped that meant he could get a pause from their voices, but unfortunately, his rest would be short-lived.

“You only say that because you were his right-hand man,” Skalidor stated, with surprising restraint, as he kept himself from yelling.

“That certainly seems to be the case with most things regarding our old leader.” Acidicus continued, following the Constrictai’s lead.

“ We have already been over this ;-we must let this matter rest if we are to continue our plans,” Fangtom said, pointing his staff at the two, hoping to remind them of their promises. But in response, they rolled their eyes with disinterest. Until Skalidor’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“ OR -” He started saying, and Fangtom could already tell this line of discussion wouldn’t end well. “-maybe there is some other reason?”

Skales didn’t think much of it until he heard an all too familiar mocking chuckle coming from the General.

“After all, everyone has wondered what goes on behind Pythor’s door.”

The Hypnobrai’s head shot up, and his spine straightened with tension.

“Especially when it comes to a certain Hypnobrai, he seems a little too preoccupied with. Who happens to come visit him during the night, and only comes out once the sun is up.”

Fangtom had started to stare daggers at the chuckling Constrictai, with an expression that screamed of imminent murder. Meanwhile, Acidicus glanced nervously from one to the other, hoping that, whatever the fallout, he wouldn’t get too much of the blame.

“M-maybe we should all take a DEEP breath, and-”

“You better watch your tongue!” The Fangpyre hissed as he closed the gap between him and Skalidor.

“Why? I’m just saying what we are all thinking.” He replied with a knowing smile, enjoying the angry look on Fangtom’s faces.

The two continued to bark at each other, as Skales stood and tried to control his breathing. With Pythor gone, he had hoped he wouldn’t need to worry about mentions of their relationship. But it seemed to be a fool's hope. He clenched the staff in his hands as he tried to think of ways to wriggle his way out of the situation. Perhaps he could just deny the accusations as usual, and hope it would stick. And yet, that’s what he has been doing since the start, and that has worked as well as putting a band-aid on a crack in the earth. In truth, he had started to get tired of always evading the questions, making up lies on the spot. He was supposed to be the proud leader of a Serpentine tribe, not a coward too afraid of confronting those who would belittle his choices. 

It was with a heavy heart that he had to conclude that, as with most things, it had been Pythor. It was Pythor who made it clear that they should keep their relationship a secret. It was he who wouldn’t dare to show affection out in the open. He was the reason that Skales had kept the truth hidden for so long. 

His brow furrowed as Fangtom kept arguing with the amused Skalidor, all while Acidicus tried to keep him from jumping at the other’s throat. A confrontation seemed inevitable until a voice cut through their noise.

“And ssso?!” Skales almost yelled, only making a glance back at the others. Meanwhile, their fighting stopped, and all three exchanged looks of confusion.

“Uhh, what was that?” Skalidor asked, genuinely unsure of what he had heard.

“I said, ssso what?” The Hypnobrai continued, now facing the three of them head-on. “What if Pythor and I had sssomething together? What would you do about it, huh?!”

The three stared blankly, with all amusement having left Skalidor’s face, as he had never planned to be openly confronted by Skales.

“W-well, I wouldn’t, DO anything, I was just *cough*, making…jokes.” 

“Jokesss isss it?” Skales repeated mockingly. He shook his head like a disappointed parent, suddenly filled with newfound vigor and courage. Pythor may be gone, but that also meant he wouldn’t need to hide it anymore. After all, he wanted to be the new King of the Serpentine. And for that, he couldn’t let himself be toppled by others' rude suggestions and his own embarrassment. If he has learned one thing from Pythor, then it is that presentation is everything. And while for Pythor, that meant keeping a clean image of competence and detachment, Skales felt that assuredness fitted him better. They thought just because Pythor was gone, they could say whatever they wanted? Well, he would show them.

“I’ll tell you a joke! Having to listen to you making oh-ssso-hilariousss commentsss, like you're the first snake to suggest a relationship between Pythor and me. Guesss what, rock-head, I won’t have it any longer! You want to know what happensss behind Pythor’sss? Well, I’ll give it to you!”

Even as Fangtom was going into a panic, mouthing to Skales to stop talking, the Hypnobrai couldn’t. A sudden rush of adrenaline had taken over him, and he felt invincible. This was his moment, and he was going to own it.

“Me and Pythor were together!” He exclaimed, as if prepared to be thrown down into a pit of lions for his words. “There, I sssaid it! Ssso if you have anything you want to add, I’m right here!”

Skales was almost huffing with excitement as he awaited their reaction. In the best-case scenario, he would only need to discipline one of them, and then the other two would fall in line. He hoped it would be Skalidor.

But as he stood and awaited their barrage of insults, it slowly dawned on him that nothing was happening. He looked at each of them and realized that it wasn’t shock that colored their expressions, but discomfort. Fangtom was the first to react, as he slammed one of his heads into his hand. Acidicus was second, looking around awkwardly, not wanting to be the first to break the silence. Last was Skalidor, who sighed loudly with irritation.

“Wow, thanks, Skales. You took all the fun out of this.”

“You’re not… appalled? Disgusted? Not even sssurprised?” Skales asked them, growing more desperate for some kind of tangible response.

“Surprised? HA, that's a good one!” Grinned the Constrictai, hitting Acidicus with his elbow.

“W-what, does this mean you all knew?!” 

The uncomfortableness returned as they looked around randomly, trying to avoid Skales’ gaze.

“Well, this is awkward,” Acidicus commented, before looking pleadingly at Fangtom to speak for them. A task he accepted with annoyance.

“We all had our suspicions, but honestly, as- time went on, it just became more and more obvious .”

“I swear, Pythor wasn’t even trying to hide it. He would barely give a glance our way or give us the time of day. But whenever you came, and he thought no one was looking, he would start eyeing you up like you were the hottest piece of-”

“I-I don’t think we need to get into specifics!” Acidicus quickly stammered out, managing to interrupt Skalidor.

“I don’t believe thisss.” Muttered Skales in disbelief. “Ssso thisss means you DON’T have a problem with me and Pythor…you know?”

“ A bit late for that, my friend, considering we’ve already put all our faith in you taking -over the Serpentine. And considering all the problems with the Ninja, Pythor, the Devourer, the proclivities of one General falls pretty low on the list of things to care about.”

“I myself feel vindicated knowing there is an explanation for why you were treated so well by Pythor. After all, there were no good reasons for putting you on a pedestal like you were better than any of us. If he didn’t play favorites, I’m sure one of us, especially me, would have been better suited for the job of Second-in-Command!” Skalidor explained, not trying to hide his dissatisfaction at all.

“...Why are you even here again?”

“BECAUSE-”

“-Because he didn’t want to deal with being the leader, and wanted someone else to take the responsibility,” Acidicus said, once more speaking over the Constrictai, who started angrily berating the Venomari.

Meanwhile, Skales sank into himself as he considered the absurdity of the situation. All along, he had thought that this confession would rock his world. And yet here he was, and it was little more than a pebble. He would laugh if it didn’t feel like it robbed him of a sense of agency. Skales couldn’t wait to see how Pythor would react. Would he laugh at Skales making a fool of himself, or laugh at the fact that they never really needed to hide their relationship?

He was almost about to chuckle at the thought when reality hit him like a ton of bricks. He forgot Pythor was gone. Gone. He sank deeper, the outside world becoming blurry as his chest tightened. He kept avoiding trying to think about Pythor. Each time he did, it felt like being crushed by a landslide. It seemed ridiculous that he couldn't get over himself. Skales was going to be King of the Serpentine, so he couldn’t spend his time wallowing over the loss of a lover. If they even were that. That part still puzzled him. 

“So, are we- going to make a plan or what ?” Fangtom asked, pulling Skales out of his thoughts.

“Wha-oh, yesss!” He quickly agreed, making sure to compose himself. He had duties now and responsibility. He couldn’t spend his time in the whirlpool of thoughts that was his mind. “No matter what, we need to get our warriors back.”

“And how exactly do you plan to do that, considering they left us without a second thought! How can we even trust those backstabbers again?!” Skalidor complained, making the other two worry he was gonna go on a tirade again. Just in case, Fangtom gave him a good hit in the head with his staff, which seemed to disorient him enough to calm him down. Otherwise, it seemed the time Skales spent staring at a puddle had given him some insights. 

“Fool, they may have betrayed usss, but not to ssspite usss! It's clear they were marveled by that sssorcerer'sss magic tricksss because it made him ssseem powerful. But he’sss not the only one who can act tough.” Skales explained, before gesturing for the three to come closer.

“Our fellow Ssserpentine follow Garmadon.” Skales reiterated. “We're going to have to do sssomething truly diabolical if we're going to earn their respect to win them back. Let'sss brainstorm ideasss on how we can do that.”

“Release the Devourer!” Skalidor proudly exclaimed, making Fangtom worry that he might have hit him a little too hard.

“No, you idiot! We've already done that.” The Hypnobrai replied.

“Release a swarm of evil bees.” Acicidus proposed, having tried his hardest to come up with something both destructive and terrifying. However, Skales didn’t seem to appreciate his dedication very much.

“Ugh, where would we even get evil beesss?”

“I don’t hear you offering any ideas,” Fangtom said, causing Skales to groan in exasperation.

“I can’t believe thisss isss what I have to work with.” He whispered under his breath, though his disdain was more than evident.

“If Pythor were here, I’m sure he would have come up with something by now.” The Venmari mentioned off-handily, thinking back to a time when he could rely on the Anacondrai to make all the decisions. Even as humiliating as it had been.

“WELL, PYTHOR’SSS NOT HERE, ISSS HE?!” Skales shouted back in an outburst of anger. The three were taken aback by the sudden hostility, and Skales realized he desperately needed some time to cool off. Especially if their planning was just going to go nowhere.

“Sssorry.” He muttered. “Perhapsss it would be best if we continue thisss discussion tomorrow. Sssome sssleep may do usss good. Unlesss, of course, there were more ideass?”

They stood silently, overcome with a sense of uselessness. 

“Wait, maybe we could do some reconnaissance!” Acidicus chimed. “We know the Ninja are here, so why don’t we figure out where they’re staying. And considering this is the fabled Ninjago City, we could find some…I don’t know, inspiration?”

The Venomari had sounded unsure about his suggestion, but it had been the best one they had all day. They all looked to Skales, who couldn’t find much reason to deny his request.

“It’sss better than just lurking around. All right, we will all go and spend the rest of the day sssearching Ninjago City for the Ninja and ideasss for a plan to take back our warriors. We’ll meet back here by nightfall and ssshare what we learned tomorrow. We need to avoid being noticed by the sssurface-dwellersss, ssso ssstick to the sssewersss and sssubway linesss. Oh, and one thing. If any of you are caught, don’t trust me to come and bail you out.”

With those encouraging words, they each left the subway and went their separate way to meet up again the next day.

“Ssso, what have we got?” Skales asked out, as they met up again in the abandoned metro.

“I couldn’t find anything interesting,” Acidicus said.

“I found a great pizza place!” Skalidor exclaimed, earning a judgeful stare from Skales. “What? I was hungry.”

“Well, good to hear you value your ssstomach over getting the Ssserpentine back under our control!”

“To his defense, I’m actually quite hungry as well.” The Venomari mentioned.

“Are you too hungry to think? No? Then hold it in! How can you be thinking over something asss benign asss hunger, when you were sssupposed to gather ideasss for how we can-” 

The Hypnobrai was interrupted when his own stomach rumbled out, the sound echoing in the empty tunnels. As the three stared at him, he immediately prepared to defend himself. But as the rumbling continued, he realized denying it would be more embarrassing.

“...I guesss it'sss been a while sssince we ate. We ssshould probably try to find something to eat.”

“I could really go for some pizza,” Fangtom said, licking and almost drooling at the thought.

“NOT RIGHT NOW!” Skales yelled, shaking his head.

“Ugh, did ANYONE find out sssomething useful?”  He asked, without the slightest bit of faith in his compatriots.

“Us? What about you?” The Constrictai asked back with a lifted brow.

“...I found the bank.” 

“Wow, that’s great. Why didn’t I think of that?” Skalidor stated mockingly, but before Skales could reprimand him, Fangtom spoke up.

“Actually, while you three have been- unsuccessful, I discovered the Ninjas’ lair .”

“You did?” The Hypnobrai said, though he wasn’t too surprised that it was Fangtom, out of the three, that managed to deliver.

“ Yes. I managed to find a few Serpentine lurking in Ninjago City’s alleys and sewers. They’ve been skulking around and -managed to overhear that the Ninjas were looking for a home, ending up in a high-rise. Specifically to train the boy.”

“The boy-wait, Lloyd,” Skales muttered to himself. Last time they saw each other, the little pest had claimed to be some kind of Green Ninja. He thought it was another one of his stupid plans, but perhaps the Ninjas had taken him under their wing. It would only add to their problems, having another Ninja running around.

“Yes, but that’s not all. Apparently the Ninja have been running odd jobs around- the city. And yet no sign of Lloyd anywhere .”

“And that’s important, because…?” Skalidor asked.

“ It’s simple. The Ninja and the boy -have entered. Only the Ninja leave.”

“Which means the Ninja are leaving him all alone,” Acidicus said, finishing the Fangpyre’s thoughts.

“I still don’t see how this is gonna help us get our warriors back.” The Constrictai commented, looking to Skales for validation. But the Hypnobrai had gotten deep in thought.

At first, he thought about how the Ninjas were busy with jobs. Which means they couldn’t react as quickly. Though he kept thinking of the boy. It kept gnawing at his brain until he remembered that fateful day in the volcano. He had kept blaming Garmadon for what happened, to the point he forgot the strangest thing of all. The so-called Master of Destruction had gone out of his way to save his son, at the cost of getting the Fangblade. He guessed the monster must still hold some love for his child. A love that could easily be used against him. It seemed natural the more he thought about it. If he captured Lloyd and held him captive, Garmadon would be forced to give up his command of the Serpentine. And if not, it would still show them how their new, all-powerful leader isn’t as mighty as they first thought. At which point they would turn their back, as easily as they had done the Generals and himself.  Skales felt a sudden sense of pride as he realized all was not lost. He wondered if this was how Pythor felt, managing to come up with a master plan after the last one failed. In that case, he would prove himself Pythor’s equal. He learned from the best, after all.

“Um, Skales, you in there?” Fangtom asked, worried after Skales had kept silent for almost a minute.

Once he caught the Hypnobrai’s attention, Fangtom was almost a little frightened, seeing the predatory glint in his friend’s eyes.

“Ssskalidor? Do you have the phone number for the pizza place?” Skales asked, his voice invigorated and a sly smile on his face.

“Yeah, why?”

“I know what we’re gonna do, and if we have to come up with a plan, we better do it on a full ssstomach!”

Those words would end up being rather ironic, as the pizza only arrived when they had finished planning. But it came with the added bonus of a captured Ninja, which more than made up for it. Fangtom had asked if they should have taken him with them, but Skales explained that leaving him behind would fuel the chase. After all, all they needed was to distract the Ninjas. Lloyd was the real goal, and once they were sure the Ninjas were occupied with a little bank robbery, it would be a breeze to capture the child.

Taking the train cart through the old metro tunnels, they found a spot close to the high-rise housing the Ninjas' headquarters. There, Skales jumped off, taking sole responsibility for the final part of the plan. He could expect the Generals to be good fighters, but he wasn’t too sure of their ability as kidnappers. And besides, he wouldn’t mind seeing the look on Lloyd’s face when they meet once again. He could imagine how the brat thought nothing more of the Serpentine, now that Pythor was gone. But he would show him that they weren’t so easily pushed to the side. And then he would show Garmadon and his cheap tricks that neither would the Serpentine bow to an outsider. 

It was those thoughts that kept him company and made him forget the part where he was crawling through sewers to avoid detection. It wasn’t the first time, but it never stopped being humiliating. At least the sewer tunnels were spacious, and he didn’t need to worry about being found. He followed the directions given to him by Fangtom until they let him to a manhole cover. Climbing up, Skales was reminded of another part of having a tail: it was about as good for climbing a ladder as it was for wearing pants. 

“I’m ssstarting to sssee why most of usss evolved to have legsss.” He commented to himself as he reached the cover. He pushed it aside and, with a huff, lifted himself over the edge. Taking a quick look around, the streets were thankfully deserted at the moment. A fact he contributed to the falling sun, as the sky took on an orange hue. Observing his surroundings further, he was quick to spot his target, the high-rise housing the Ninjas. 

“That ssshould be it. Alright, Fangtom sssaid their home wasss on the east ssside. On floor number…” His words trailed off as he stared up at the full length of the tower. He didn’t even try to count them. He was about to yell some colorful words to himself when he noticed something peculiar. Hanging down the eastern side was a platform, moving slowly down before stopping. 

“Huh,” Skales muttered, before taking a final look around, and slithered over to the building. To his luck, he didn’t meet very much resistance. The people in the reception area were glued to a TV screen, talking about the bank robbery committed by his fellow Generals. Finding his way to the staircase was a breeze. Skales wished Pythor were there to see him. He deserved to gloat in front of that self-satisfied Anacondrai. But his wishful was cut short, as he came up the first few steps and felt a sharp pain in his tail.

“What now!” He yelled, before looking down to see his tail painfully twisted by the steps, the edges cutting into his scales. His gaze turned upwards, up at the uncountable number of floors, separated by an unending staircase. Skales looked down, took a deep breath, and considered his options. In the end, he continued with the plan, feeling he had gone too far to turn back.

Thisss tail isss a sssign of honor. It isss a sssign of my command. I am honored to carry it. He kept reminding himself, as he winced with each step. 

Reaching the top, the pain had at that point ceased. Actually, all feelings had disappeared from his tail, but he considered that a problem for later. He was surprised to see a giant keep at the top, and a little unnerved as he noticed the giant dragons dwelling within. Fortunately, they were either too busy eating or sleeping to see him. Sneaking past the keep, he was then met with a surface-dweller and his moving platform, in the process of unloading equipment. Having been too focused on finally being able to go home, and hearing the opening of the door, the window cleaner mistook Skales for one of the building's owners.

“Hey, I got the east side done, so I’m just finishing up here. I’ll have the north side done same time tomorrow, is that fine with you?” He asked, blissfully unaware.

“Oh, that’sss not a problem at all!” Skales gleefully exclaimed, catching the worker by surprise. He looked up, and as he met the Serpentine’s gaze, he froze op

“Actually, I was planning on taking care of things from here on out. Is that alright?”

Like a broken toy, the man was still like a tree, before winding up in a panic as words started flailing from his mouth.

“Sn-sn-sn-sn-sn-SNAKE!” He screamed, before dashing away as quickly as his legs could take him. 

Never getsss old. Skales thought before jumping onto the platform.

He had been worried whether he could control the contraption, but the buttons were rather intuitive, with a clear up and down. Setting the machine in motion, he was slowly brought down alongside the length of the building. It went a little slow for his taste, but as he looked over the railing and down to the ground below, he found the pace a little more comfortable. And so down he went, looking into the windows, searching for the boy. He went by mostly unnoticed, with the few that saw him just screaming and hiding. However, it didn’t take long before he came across a rather luxurious dwelling. And who did he see there, sitting all alone on the couch, other than Lloyd Garmadon himself. Even while enthralled by the TV, it didn’t take the child long before he noticed Skales’ presence. He exclaimed in shock as Skales stopped the platform and knocked threateningly on the window. As Lloyd cowered at the sight, the Hypnobrai couldn’t help but smile.

“Hello, little boy.”

“Help me!” The boy screamed, jumping off the couch and running toward the door. Skales looked, not minding a little game of tag. But his streak of good luck continued, for just as he was about to smash through the window, he realized the child couldn’t get the door opened.

It would be pathetic if it weren’t ssso unfortunate for him. He couldn’t help but think as he took his time carving a round hole in the glass for him to go through. Lloyd kept struggling with the door to no use, and was forced to look back at his assailant, just in time to see the glass shattering on the floor.

“What do you want with me?!” Lloyd yelled in a panic as the Serpentine started closing in on him.

“You ssseem to be the only thing your father caresss about,”  Skales explained, feeling like the child at least deserved to know his purpose, now that he was going to play a starring role in his ascension to King.

“But with you asss my hostage-” The Hypnobrai continued, having closed the gap between them and wedging Lloyd between him and the door, with no escape in sight. “-he'll have no other choice but to let me lead the Ssserpentine!”

The snake exclaimed in joy as his victory was practically at hand. All the boy could do was scream one last time before backing into the wall. There, Skales leaned over him, forcing Lloyd to cower under him. The thought that the Ninjas wanted to train this boy to be one them was as laughable as it was impossible. 

“Let'sss… train.” Skales mocked him, knowing fully well there was no chance for him to defend himself. He wouldn’t mind seeing him try, though. It could always be entertaining.

But his fun was soon interrupted, as the tension broke in tune with a knocking on the door. 

“Hello? What's going on in there?” An old voice, muffled by the door, asked from the other side.

“Help!” Lloyd quickly yelled, wasting no time.

“Argh!” The Hypnobrai hissed before moving back to point his staff at the child.

“Don’t you dare come in! Or else I will make sssure that the boy won’t leave here without a few-” His threat was spontaneously halted, as all he heard was a winding up yell, before the locked door was forced open, slamming into Skales with full force. All he managed to see before crashing into the floor was an old man landing gracefully, having jumped-kicked his way in. From the floor, Skales groaned in pain as he realized he was looking up at the ceiling.

“ That hurt .” He muttered before, trying to reach for his staff. But he didn’t get far before the old man jumped once more and landed squarely on his chest, forcing all the air out. He groaned once more before desperately trying to regain his lost breath. He tried to push the man’s feet off, but they remained firmly in place. As a last attempt, he prepared to grab his attacker with his tail and fling him off. But just as he raised his tail, he heard a loud crack and felt a surge of pain jolt through him. He barely had time to understand it was from walking up all those stairs, before another person attacked him, grappling his tail and keeping it down.

“No you don’t!” The second attacker said, her teeth grinding with anger. 

“Nya, Wu! Whew, I for sure thought I was a goner!” Lloyd said with a relieved sigh, quickly getting over the attempted kidnapping. It wasn’t his first time after all. 

Looking down at his tail, he recognized the girl as none other than Samurai X. It seemed his luck had run out. Then he looked up at the old man, and as his name filled his mouth, he froze up.

“W-Wu? You…you…” He whispered in disbelief.

“Lloyd! Glad to see you’re safe. Where are the Ninja?! Weren’t they supposed to be here and train you?”

“Well, yeah. But, they’ve gotten really busy. I can tell you about it later.”

“I swear, I’m gone for one day,” Nya whispered under her breath with exasperation.

“Truly, it seems our troubles are far from-”

“YOU!” Skales yelled, cutting through the atmosphere like a spear, causing their gazes to turn to him. “Y-you’re sssupposed to be dead!”

“Indeed, so it seemed. But fate didn't have this in store for me.” Wu explained, gliding his hand through his beard.

“B-but they sssaw you! Sssaw you getting eaten by the Devourer, with no piece left of you!”

“Again, fate had other plans for me. I was just as surprised as you are.” The sensei explained with a pleasant and lighthearted smile, which contrasted with the horrified look on Skales’ face.

“No. No, no, no, no, no, NO !” The Hypnobrai screamed, using whatever strength he had left to try and wriggle free. But he had no thoughts of escape, only of beating the old man to a pulp.

“It isn’t fair. IT ISN’T FAIR! Pythor wasss eaten with you, and he’sss gone! Why?! Why do you get to live, while he doesn’t!” He shouted, barely able to keep his own thoughts coherent. Skales had barely thought of Wu, having been content knowing he was gone. But now, the old man’s presence was enough to make his head boil. After all, if anyone should have survived the Devourer, then it should have been Pythor.

“If you ask me, he got what he deserved. What else did he expect, waking up a giant snake? Did he think it would wait to have its breakfast after taking a nap for thousands of years?” Nya stated, offering the Anacondrai little sympathy.

“He deserved NO sssuch thing!” Skales exclaimed, before locking eyes with Wu, the Serpentine’s eyes brimming with hatred. “Tell me, what use isss fate if it deemsss one puny old man getsss to live, while the greatest of the Serpentine don’t?! Where’sss the justice in that?!”

“I have known more than enough Serpentine in my time, and I can tell you, Pythor was far from the greatest. Even when it comes to snakes, bringing Ninjago to the edge of destruction would have done nothing but horrify his ancestors.”

“Ssshut up, ssshut up, you don’t know anything! ANYTHING!”

“Skales,” Lloyd mumbled after having listened patiently to their conversation. The three others turned their eyes to the young boy, who had been hiding in the background, as he stepped forward 

“I know it's not easy, having lost Pythor. Trust me, I know what it's like to feel the loss of someone important to me, knowing I may never see them again. But you can’t let that control you, like how it controlled me after my father left me. You have to move on and-”

“Oh, ssspare me the lecture!” Skales exclaimed impatiently, earning a rough stare from Nya.

“What do you know of losss? You’re father? Well, he’sss back, isn’t he? And trust me, you’re gonna sssee more of him, very sssoon.” The Hypnobrai explained with gleefulness, before he turned to Wu, still standing on top of him.

“I had planned to take care of Garmadon, asss revenge for Pythor’sss demise. But thanksss to your sssurvival, I will need to revise my revenge plan. Ssso just you wait, Wu! I will avenge Pythor, whatever it takesss!”

“Skales-” Lloyd said, again trying to reason with the snake, to Skales’ chagrin.

“Don’t ssspeak to me asss if we were friendsss! You were nothing but trouble when I met you, and you ssstill are. All you’re good for isss asss a prisoner, sssomething Pythor knew too well. But when I use you against Garmadon, then you’ll finally have made up for all the trouble you’ve caused Pythor!”

“Oh, why can’t you let go of him already!” Lloyd said, his own patience having run dry. “He may have seemed a good friend, but we both know he was only out for himself! So why even care, even when you know he’s gone!”

“How would you understand?!” He yelled back with more emotion than he realized. It had come slowly, but sadness had seeped into his voice, and his mind seemed clouded. His next words he could barely mumble, as if about to fall asleep.

“He…he wasss all I had. The one whom I had given everything, just to please them. And even then, he was taken from me. And I won’t rest till everyone hasss sssuffered for it.”

Skales took a moment to look up from his despair, using the last of his anger to stare at the conflicted expressions around him, landing first on Sensei Wu.

“Especially you, especially Garmadon, the Ninja, and all who have gone against usss! I will finish what he ssstarted!”

“Will it be enough for you then? Will that make you feel complete?” Wu calmly asked with a raised brow, as if he had heard that line a million times. Which meant he already knew the answer.

“...I won’t know before I’m done…”

Skales slithered up to the window, covered with thick metal bars. In a last-ditch effort, he grabbed the bars and tried to pull them loose. To no one’s surprise, they didn’t budge. He hissed and looked down at the city from his prison cell, at the lights and people walking around, with not a single worry. The sight was enough to make him see red.

“Mark my wordsss, THISSS WON’T BE THE LAST YOU SSSEE OF ME!!!” He yelled into the uncaring night, with no one to hear his threat but the tired guards and prisoners.

“Lights out!” The attending guard ordered as he passed by Skales’ cell, hoping it would make the snake quiet.

“Oh, very funny!” Skales muttered.

“You'll rue the day you made a fool of me!” The Hypnobrai threatened, but the unflinching guard could only stare with tired eyes as he reached for the light switch.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He repeated with exhaustion, having turned off the lights and leaving the hallway covered in darkness. Only the light from the barred window illuminated the furious General as he watched the guard walk away, leaving him all alone.

He considered yelling again, but the day had taken its toll, leaving him tired as well. With nothing else to do, he went and sat down on his sad excuse for a bed, resting his head in his hands.

“Great work, Ssskales, really ssshowing them who deservesss to lead the Ssserpentine,” He whispered to himself before sighing.

“Hopefully, the othersss got away. Then I’ll at least have sssome chance of getting out of here. If they don’t decide to just leave me here. Not that I would blame them.”

As another sigh followed, he couldn’t help but despise the state he was in. It was so humiliating, he could almost laugh.

“Well, it'sss a comfort Pythor isn’t here to sssee me like this.”

Lingering in a mix of self-pity and hatred, he almost didn’t register as a hoarse and gnarly voice spoke from the darkness outside his cell door.

“I won’t lie, you are a sorry sight indeed, old chum .”

Chapter Text

“I won’t lie, you are a sorry sight indeed, old chum .”

The voice had come out of nowhere and so suddenly that Skales didn’t even register it at first. Only a few moments later, as he realized he wasn’t so far gone as to hear voices, did it alarm him.

“Who’sss there?” He asked quietly at first, just in case he had finally gone mad. But even as no reply came, he felt something close by. Like the presence of predatory eyes fixed on him. 

In the end, he stood up from the cell’s bed, as his body began to tense up.

“Isss anyone there?” He asked once more, still with no answer.

Moving over to the cell door and clambering to the metal bars, he looked into the empty hallway. Skales kept replaying what he had heard, trying to figure out if it had even been real. He found the voice strangely familiar. And hearing it filled him with a sudden longing. He kept peeking out, his frustration slowly growing.

“I sssaid, isss anyone-!” 

As he spoke, he had by chance looked upwards. There, hanging over him from the other side of the door, a pair of floating, reddish eyes peered from the darkness. Staring at him like bloody daggers, he couldn’t help but shriek and fall to the floor in shock. He crawled backward and prayed that the bars would keep out whatever monster had come to visit him. But as he did, a low chuckle filled the hallway. It sounded rough, like two stones being pushed against each other. Then, before his eyes, the presence revealed itself. 

Slowly, the scales turned from invisible to visible and formed the figure of a Serpentine with a signature long neck. It took a moment for Skales to realize who it was, with good reason. But when he did, his voice croaked and cracked as he said the name he thought belonged to a dead snake.

“P-Pythor?”

“The one and only.” The Anacondrai commented, spreading out his arms as if allowing Skales to bask in his return. “Missed me?”

Skales couldn’t answer. He was too fixated on the sight before him. What he saw wasn’t the purple Anacondrai he knew. Instead, Pythor’s scales had turned to a bleached white. Even his black and yellow markings along his front and head had turned purple, like his colors had been inverted. He noticed, to his horror, several places where the scales had seemingly melted and conjoined into patches that looked like burned skin. And for a reason he couldn’t understand, he was most put off by Pythor’s eyes. What had been a magenta color, both mysterious and alluring, had turned to a bright, sickly red. It looked like the result of pouring acid into one’s eyes. And further than that, they just didn’t seem like Pythor’s. Skales kept looking, trying to find something familiar. But there wasn’t. His reason and logic told him it was Pythor before him, and yet all his senses wanted to deny it.

“Or is it really you, Skales? My senses are not what they used to be. My eyesight especially seems to be in rather poor condition.” 

With those words, Pythor grabbed the bars of the cell door and leaned closer, focusing one eye on Skales. 

“How about you get closer? Let me get a good look at you, my dear number two.”

With those words, he invited the Hypnobrai to approach. With hesitation, Skales picked himself up from the floor and slithered closer. A feeling deep in his gut told him something was wrong, but he couldn’t afford to listen. He had to know. 

Coming up close, he was reminded of Pythor’s stature. Even with his head bent down, the Anacondrai still stood taller than him. As he looked into Pythor’s observing eye, he could see how it twitched and shook as if in constant pain, masking whatever intentions hid in his gaze. But as he got closer, the figure before him seemed more real. It was by chance that Skales rested his hands on the bar, with his right hand ending up touching Pythor’s. At first, Skales drew it back. Then Pythor turned his head, giving him a reassuring smile. The one he had given so many times before. Slowly, the Hypnobrai allowed his hand to grab the Anacondrai’s. Feeling the familiar touch beneath his palm, he finally knew for sure. It wasn’t his imagination or a ghost. It was real. It was Pythor.

“Itsss…it’sss really you…” He spoke as if out of breath. 

“It’sss-thisss isss-I can’t-” Skales muttered, as happy tears formed in the corners of his eyes. 

“Oh, Pythor, I thought you were gone!” He exclaimed before slamming his body into the door, not caring about the metal bars between them, as long as he knew Pythor was on the other side. 

His moment of happiness was paused, as the most important question bubbled to the surface.

“But-but the othersss! They sssaid you were eaten by the Devourer!”

“Tch, tch, not eaten, but swallowed, like a fine biscuit with tea.” The Anacondrai explained, with what Skales at first was humor, but quickly turned stark like an approaching storm.

“Can you imagine it, my dear Skales? Swallowed whole, like an insignificant insect. Not even worth chewing. And oh, I wish that snake chewed.” 

Suddenly, his hand jumped free from Skales, and it was his turn to slam into the door, pressing his disfigured face against the bars, causing the Hypnobrai to jump back.

“Do you see this?! See what that monster did to me! This is what it looks like to be digested, to have stomach acid poured onto your scales, as you’re pressed from all sides by walls of flesh. There wasn’t a part of me it didn’t touch. Not a single part that is now not burning at the touch of the fresh air I so longed for when stuck in the deep bowels of the Devourer.”

His voice was still nasal and rough, like rocks churned through a rusted grinder. It was unrecognizable, and it hurt Skales to hear his words, as they screamed of pain.

“Oh, did I frighten you?” He suddenly asked, his voice both caring and judgmental. “I don’t blame you. I’m a terrible sight, as said.”

“W-What?! No, of course not! But that doesn’t matter!” Skales reassured, before picking up his resolve.

“With you back, everything can go back to normal! It’sss…it’sss been terrible without you! If losing you wasn’t bad enough, the Ssserpentine have turned their backsss on usss! They decided to follow that monster Garmadon rather than their own kind! But with you back, everything can go back to how it used to be. They wouldn’t dare defy you, my King! We just need to get out of here and then-”

“What was this about Garmadon?” Pythor quickly asked, his intentions hidden behind blood-red eyes.

“He…he took over the Ssserpentine. He lured them with sssorcerersss’ tricksss and-”

His words were cut off as he could practically hear the bars moaning in pain, as Pythor tightened his grip on the cell door.

“You mean to tell me that four-armed freak of nature, waddled over and napped all of the Serpentine from under your tail?”

“Not all the Ssserpentine…we’re ssstill missing many of our kind who have been ssspread acrosss Ninjago. B-But they’ll come back, when they hear that-”

“You idiot,” Pythor whispered so low that Skales convinced himself he misheard.

“What wasss that?” He asked with a nervous but optimistic smile.

“You idiotic, moronic fool !” The Anacondrai screamed, filling Skales with dread.

“I bring you under my wing, prop you up, and make all the Serpentine worship you as they did me, and this is what you have to offer me?! All my hard work, all my accomplishments, ruined! By none other than you! Are you truly so incompetent that you couldn't even keep our men from joining our old sworn enemy?!”

Left speechless, Skales could only stumble over his words as he tried to come up with explanations.

“W-We were all left in a panic! The losss of the Fangbladess, awakening the Devourer, hiding underground while hoping it wouldn’t find usss, your d-d-death, it wasss too much! They were only waiting for an excuse to turn their backs on usss. But with you back, that changesss everything! They have to sssee, they must sssee, that what you were doing wasss for the best of the Ssserpentine! You need only convince them, and we can continue your plansss for domination over the sssurface. I’ll be there, and we can continue just like we did before!”

“You really expect me to believe that?” Pythor asked mockingly, chuckling at Skales’ despair. “No, my number two, there is only one answer. And that is you, and you’re uselessness! If not for me, you’ll have been nothing! And perhaps that would have been best, considering you keep failing me whenever I need you most! If you can’t even keep control of that dirty ramble that dares call themselves Serpentine, then how could you ever convince yourself you could be of use in my plans?”

“I…I…I can’t. I know I’m nothing.” Skales admitted with a sad smile, feeling relieved to finally say the thing that had gnawed at him since meeting Pythor. “Everything I’ve done wasss because of luck, and what little I did was nothing compared to you. It wasss only ever with you that I felt that I could accomplish thingsss. Thingsss that no other Ssserpentine had ever done! But I know I failed you, again and again. But give me the chance to make it up to you! Because I’m ssstill here, while everyone deserted you! I never gave up on your dream for the Ssserpentine, and with what little talent I have, I did all I could to make it a reality! We ssstill have the opportunity to fix thingsss, to put them right! And once you let me out of thisss cursed cell, I will never leave your ssside, never again!”

Slowly, a bittersweet chuckle left Pythor’s throat.

“I ssswear on all we had together, I won’t leave you behind again! I mean it!”

“Oh no, it’s not that, my dear Skales.” The Anacondrai reassured, at first with softness, before his face turned sour.

“It was merely humorous, hearing you think I’m letting you out.”

“Huh?” Skales muttered. “Isn’t that…why you’re here?”

“To let you OUT?! Oh, Skales, you always leave me hysterical!” He laughed, even his smile seeming crooked after being digested in the Devourer.

“Why would I come to rescue you? After all…” Pythor continued, before his face twisted with malice and anger, his next words sounding like jagged knives.

“YOU LEFT ME TO ROT IN THE DEVOURER!!!” He screamed, making it a miracle that no one woke from the sound.

“I-I thought you were dead! We all did! What else were we sssupposed to think?!”

“Did you check?” The Anacondrai asked, with sudden sadness and grief that shook Skales to his core. “Did you look for me? No. No, you didn’t, even when the Devourer was defeated! Do you comprehend how it feels, finding yourself half-digested in some dingy street, with no one around to help? Knowing you’ve been left to die, by the ones that claimed to adore you!”

“Pythor-”

“Because that’s how it went!” interrupted Pythor, his face switching like a dime between despair and fury. “I had to drag myself into the sewers and heal my own wounds! Now, you can try and see how it feels, having been left behind by those you thought cared for you. Let's see how well you fare without me, my loyal number two!”

With those words, Pythor let go of the bars and slithered back, with a strange, satisfied smile on his face.

“Pythor, Pythor, wait! You can’t leave me here!” Skales pleaded, trying desperately to grab Pythor through the bars, but he couldn’t reach him.

“It was you who left ME! And you didn’t even care to look!” The snake exclaimed, with the closest Skales thought he could come to sounding heartbroken.

“Don’t you think I would have, if I thought there wasss the ssslightest chance you were alive?! I would have destroyed the Devourer itself to sssave you!”

“And yet you did not. Instead, you hid in a hole like the cowards you all are, and let others do all the hard work, as always.”  Pythor chastised him, before his eyes grew sharp and his glare became red like a blood-moon.

“And I have no further use for cowards.” He said, cold and distant like a looming storm of ice. 

With that, he turned his back on Skales, who still desperately tried to break through his cell.

“Wait, wait!” The Hypnobrai yelled, but it was too late. Before his eyes, Pythor turned invisible. Leaving him all alone.

“Pythor, don’t leave! Not again! Please, come back!” Skales yelled out into the blackness. Suddenly, a door from the other end of the hallway opened, revealing a familiar guard.

“I told you, lights out! One more word from you, snake, and I’ll throw you into solitary confinement!” The guard threatened, not noticing the door creaking slightly more open behind his back. Then he left, slamming it shut behind him.

Wordlessly, Skales stood by the cell door, staring blindly into the dark. He stood there for what must have been an hour, hoping against all odds that Pythor was still there, that it was all a ruse, a joke, and that he would come back for him. But nothing happened, for the hallway held nothing but longing. In the end, Skales slithered back and sat on his bed. With heavy breathing, he looked down at his hands.

“I…I had him back.” He muttered to himself as his hands began to shake. Slowly, he took them up to his face, pressing against his skull as if to break free from the torment his mind was putting him through.

“And…he’sss gone…again.” Skales continued, with nothing but utter horror in his voice.

“He…he left me. I left him. I lost…lost him. Again .”

With those words, tearless sobs filled his cell as the uncaring night continued. The noises of the city were more than enough to drown out his sorrow, leaving everyone none the wiser.

The days that followed went more like a dream. He could barely hold on to his memories, which wasn’t helped by the monotony of his stay in prison. As far as he was concerned, he woke up, ate, walked in the yard, sat in his cell, slept, and then woke again. All on repeat for several days, without caring enough to keep count of them. Not that it would have helped him. Apparently, ‘ accessory to attempted destruction of all of Ninjago ’ wasn’t as common a sentence as he thought, and they were still busy counting how many days his stay in prison would be. It probably didn’t help that they also needed to factor in ‘ accessory to bank robbery ’, ‘ breaking and entering ’, ‘ attempted kidnapping ’, and so on. All he could do was spend his empty days in quiet, hoping sooner or later he could fade into obscurity and be forgotten. Then he at least wouldn’t have to confront his myriad of failures. But unfortunately, he was yet to be forgotten by all.

It was a quiet night like all the others. Skales combatted his sleeplessness with a game of ball. If a bundle of crumpled-up paper could be called a ball. He would throw it up at the ceiling and grab it midair, and then repeat until he either fell asleep out of boredom or till the sun rose. It was the same that night, throwing and catching, throwing and catching. Suddenly, he was hit in the head by something definitely harder than paper.

“Ow!” He yelled, rubbing the bruise on his head. Frantically, he looked around his bed until he found the culprit. A small, round rock, which he picked up. 

“Thisss doesn’t ssseem right,” Skales muttered, having been pretty sure it was paper and not rock he was throwing. His brilliant realization was interrupted when another small rock hit him.

“What the-”