Two Snakes (ON BREAK FOR A WHILE)

Chapter 12: Thunder and Darkness

Rain was pouring, as the gates closed behind her. She closed her eyes and rubbed them with one hand, while holding the door forward with the other. She felt... dizzy, like an insane pounding in her head. That's what people do to you for favours. She was a hunter, for God's sake, she had to act like it! She wiped the rain from her face and breathed as the warm light spilled in from the room she was entering. She took down her hood and was met with a familiar face.

'Hello, Beatrix.' She felt somehow startled by his appearance, both in time and look. His eyes were more... sparkled, than usual. He seemed nicer, though it could just be the host talking. 'Why are you looking at me like that?' 'Well, it's just, are you sure you want to stay like... that?' 'Would you rather us go through the whole 'caging' process? We don't have time!' 'Sorry, sir.' Beatrix cowered slightly at her boss' presence. 'Anyway, update on your... mission? Is the target still alive and roaming? Why did you not... bring him here?'

Beatrix looked at him, then sighed. 'I'll tell you exactly what happened, to me.' She breathed in 5, held 7, out 8 as she'd remembered, then carried on.

'I'd come to this village in the South-East of the kingdom, Chetleigh it was called. I think you marked it out on the map, actually, for target location, and well... that's where you asked me to go. Word spread that the snake man was there, and well, there he was. But...

He was with this... girl. She looked about... 15, she said. I thought she was on one of his influences, but she was... something else. Something... else. She didn't act like it later on, she could... talk her way out of any situation.'

'Fifteen years on his fifteen years... the story... it's... true.'

Beatrix looked at him, then gasped, mouth open wide. 'It can't be... can it?' She glanced at her gloves, then back at him with a concerned expression on her face. 'She talked about... I don't know really, but I put my... guard down... for one... moment... why? Why? Then... Dolios... the snake... he knocked me out... everything else is a blur...'

'That's why I brought you here. Only one of these new powers is helpful for that. Well, two. You recovered on your way back, I assume?'

'That was you? Well... him? It? Whoever it was?' The man smiled, a curled up, almost wicked smile, so unusually uncharacteristic for himself. 'The host is also an elemental. Part of the league and helpful to use. His job is with me now. His body, my mind, a perfect yet imperfect combination.' Beatrix looked at him again, and spoke. 'What should I do with them?'

'Bring them both back. I don't care who gets hurt. Wait until the princes' arrival though. They will see us both as heroes who took down the Two Snakes.'

She nodded, turned around and headed out of the room, through the corridor filled with neat decor and baroque-esc linings on the flooring, and into her own room within the place, tucked away in the downstairs partition. Seen as this place was in the centre, it had to be at least slightly secretive.

She slumped down on her bed, and  sighed to herself. She had to do this. For the sake of the Kingdom.