The monster lunged, its shadow swallowing the space between us in an instant.
I had seconds to react.
I swung my staff, aiming for its head. A golden pulse of energy blasted forward, but the serpent dodged again—too fast, too smooth, like it already knew what I was going to do.
Think, Aneria.
Aunika was still getting up, clutching her side. Eryx stood his ground, sword raised, but his stance had shifted—tense, calculating.
The serpent's head snapped toward me, its red eyes glowing brighter. The air around me hummed, and for a split second, I felt something strange.
A voice in my head whispered: Not all knowledge is written. Some must be felt.
Then the serpent struck.
I threw myself to the side, barely missing its teeth. My heart pounded as I scrambled back onto my feet. "What is this thing?"
Eryx's voice was sharp. "A spawn of Apep. Chaos incarnate."
Aunika wiped blood from her lip. "And apparently immune to normal weapons."
Perfect. Just what I needed.
The serpent coiled, preparing to strike again.
I needed a new plan.
My mind raced. Thoth was the god of wisdom, knowledge, and magic. I had inherited something from him—I just didn't know what.
Think. What do I know about Thoth?
He wasn't a warrior god. He didn't rely on brute force. He used intelligence, strategy, and magic.
And then it hit me.
The serpent wasn't just dodging. It was anticipating. Every move we made, it reacted to like it already knew what we were going to do.
It was reading us.
Which meant…
I tightened my grip on my staff. "We've been fighting it wrong."
Eryx frowned. "What?"
I didn't have time to explain. I turned to Aunika. "Throw your dagger."
"What?"
"Just do it!"
Aunika hesitated for only a second before pulling a small blade from her belt and hurling it at the serpent's head.
As expected, the creature dodged—but I was already moving.
I twisted my staff, redirecting my energy—not toward where the serpent was, but where it was going.
The moment it dodged, I released the blast.
A pulse of golden light shot forward—and hit its side, dead on.
The serpent shrieked.
It worked.
I grinned. "It predicts our attacks. But if we predict where it's going, we can hit it first."
Eryx's expression didn't change, but I swore I saw the hint of approval in his eyes. "Clever."
The serpent hissed, now furious. Its coils tightened, and the air grew heavier, buzzing with dark energy.
Aunika rolled her shoulders. "Okay. Let's kill this thing."
This time, we moved together.
Aunika threw another dagger, and the moment the serpent dodged, Eryx lunged with his sword, slicing through the exposed scales. Black ichor sprayed from the wound, and the serpent let out a shriek.
I channeled another blast of energy, waiting—waiting—now!
I aimed just ahead of its movement, and the golden pulse exploded against its head.
The serpent reared back, writhing, the glow in its eyes flickering. The symbols on the walls pulsed in response, as if they were feeding off the energy.
And then—
It crumbled into dust.
For a moment, none of us moved.
Then Aunika exhaled. "Well. That sucked."
Eryx sheathed his sword. "Not bad."
I was still catching my breath, my pulse pounding in my ears.
The room was silent. The statue of Thoth stood as still as ever, but something about it felt… different.
Like it was watching.
Aunika nudged me. "Hey. You good?"
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. Just…" I looked at my hands. "I think I just used my powers for the first time."
Eryx crossed his arms. "And it won't be the last."
The way he said it sent a shiver down my spine.
Because he was right.
This was only the beginning.