Isiah stared in shock as something slithered out from the dark pages of the unsealed grimoire. It was a slender, glossy black serpent with a pristine white jaw, chin, and lower neck. Its underbelly gleamed white, mottled with pale grey scales, and its eyes burned a sharp, unsettling shade of yellow.
The creature moved with blinding speed. Isiah, having never dealt with a serpent before, panicked. Judging by its compact size, it didn't appear immediately lethal, yet its lightning fast movements left him thoroughly rattled.
The small serpent targeted him instantly. Isiah stomped his foot down in a desperate bid to crush it, but the creature dodged effortlessly, forcing him to kick his leg wildly to shake it off.
Having been entombed within the dark artifact for an eternity, the serpent acted ravenous, and Isiah trembled at the thought of neurotoxic venom coursing through his veins.
'If that thing fangs my ankle, I will drop dead in seconds,' he thought, taking two rapid steps back.
