I Hate Snakes

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Oliver looked at his forearm, and through the bandages, a holographic screen formed. It was morning, and they had spent the entire night walking.

Everyone was exhausted, and Oliver's entire body ached. The rays of the rising sun bathed their faces, but no shadow formed on any of the roots. The strong winds brushed through their hair, giving them a refreshing feeling; they had finally reached the end.

A large cliff stood before the young group, and further ahead, a colossal rock bridge promised the end. The entire ravine was covered in mist, and the sky was clear. The rocks were carved with countless patterns that Oliver couldn't understand.

However, something about them reminded him of the marks in that cave, and an angelic aura could be seen from afar. This was the end, they would finally be free.

"David's burning up and freezing cold. We need to go faster!" Samuel almost shouted with a concern Oliver never thought he'd hear directed at someone else.

"Alright, let's go. We've rested enough," Oliver said, holding the fragments of the ivory fang. Yes, it had broken during the battle against his fake father and now rested in the pockets of his faithful jacket, which was tied around his waist.

The group began descending the side of the cliff, following the direction they believed to be right. Many hours passed, and for a while, an awkward silence settled in.

"Did she tell Samuel I know?" His thoughts had been hammering on that point for hours, and when he finally glanced at the timer, a sense of urgency began to take over his body

.

[18:20:30]

"Less than 24 hours for everything to end… But this damn feeling that something is wrong won't leave my head." With every minute, Oliver's mind drifted over everything that had happened since the beginning of this nightmare.

The deaths, the confrontations, that damn angel, and the scriptures in the cave. The nightmare about that divine battle and the illusions. Every second, he questioned himself, and nervousness took over him.

"Something's wrong! There's something really wrong, but I can't gather anything to prove this crazy feeling." There came a point where he couldn't even look around him. All his attention was on his own head, trying to piece everything together.

"It's impossible… I woke up so quickly after almost dying several times, and Nikki is still unconscious?" This could be explained by the poison that ran through his veins being much more potent than his own.

"Clearly, something penetrated my team's skin and knocked them out, but the only thing that could do that would be someone who knows herbs." That illusion was a wooden being, since it ignited so quickly… They should know a lot about plants.

"The absence of Samuel and Luísa is suspicious… Plus, everyone else died except them." Something that could also be explained by the fact they were with the others, clearing the way to the portal. The bodies were more than enough proof.

"We've arrived," Samuel and Luísa's voices reached Oliver's ears in unison, pulling him out of his trance.

A large gate made of some kind of metallic alloy, completely golden, illuminated his eyes. The light seemed almost conjured by the reflection of the sunlight on the golden alloy, and the fact the bridge was made of Caucasian rocks only made it worse.

Luísa took the lead and pushed the gate, which opened halfway, allowing the group to pass through. It was finally over; they would finally be free.

"Wait… If the rest of the class died in the battle against the snakes to get here… why haven't we seen a single body of our classmates?" His thought was interrupted by Samuel's voice.

"Oliver."

"Hey…" he said, with clear hesitation in his voice.

"Do you remember when you decided to play futsal?"

"Of course, I'm a terrible pivot."

"Yes, you definitely are, but do you remember what I told you?"

"Of course… Some people aren't meant for certain things, and others are. We should focus on what we're meant for and not waste time on something we're not good at." Oliver repeated exactly what Samuel had told him, word for word, no matter how crazy it seemed to remember them. It had been terrible at the time, but thanks to that, he focused on e-sports and almost became a world champion.

"So you remember… You know, Oliver, in this new world, I believe the weak should be like nutrients for the strong. Like this forest… Weak trees can't get light and die between the roots of the stronger ones, thus giving purpose to their existence. Nourishing the powerful!" His speech filled the air on the bridge, and his face looked at the sky, as if a fanatic were looking up to God.

A sense of dread overtook Oliver. This speech was exactly that of a lunatic or someone far worse. Still, he stayed silent. They were almost at the temple with the portal. In the distance, they could already see, through the mist, a temple made of the same Caucasian rock.

"I'm tired, let's take a break here," Luísa's voice came, and Oliver let David go. It was really heavy, and they still had many hours ahead. A small break couldn't hurt. They were already on the bridge, and nothing could go wrong with them.

Well… That's what he thought…

"Sorry, little lion… The tale of Zanyel must be realized if we want to survive," no trace of pity or remorse emanated from her voice.

Boom!

A sharp pain hit Oliver's abdomen, and he only saw letters forming in Luísa's hands when a bronze spear punched him hard, and his body was thrown with supernatural force to the side.

Oliver felt his body start to fall.

All he saw was Luísa's impassive face above the bridge, staring at him without a shred of remorse, as everything grew small as he began falling into the endless abyss.

The winds were strong, but his mind only focused on when those eyes became so dark. From amber brown with slight greenish hues to a deep demonic abyss.

Sssssssssssss!

His brain didn't even register the sound of a powerful hiss, and all he could think of before reaching his end was:

"I hate snakes, with or without scales."

On this day, Oliver Enallume died.