XVII

The door itself was buried in the rock itself, heavy stone doors that had neither hinges nor locks. Shallow relief adorned the door frame.

"Brilliant, a first-class joke, I just wonder which master who made this."

"That door has always been here." The snake answers.

"How do I open them?"

"Wait until the last ray of sunshine touches the door and a doorknob will pop up."

"When there is no other. We, we wait."

The sun's air reaches the door. The handle appears in the form of a bent snake.

"Have faith will not hurt you." The snake said.

With a precarious hand, the nobleman pulled the leaven. Instead of opening the door like any ordinary door, it slides down.

The stairs didn't look very safe. But now there was no sign of it, as soon as he walked inside the door closed for him.

On the throne sat a serpent emperor. He was three times the size of every snake he saw. His eyes were without pupils. Snakes usually had no front limbs.

The Emperor began to wrap himself around him, looking at him with eyes that made him shudder.

"Because you saved my son, you have a choice." The Emperor told him.

"The part I don't like."

"Whatever you choose is your choice."

"What's on offer?"

"Silent language, wealth, the reversal of destiny..."

"I choose... I choose... the turn of fate."