Chapter 27 – Snake of Adaptability [2]
Morning came. And it was one where Cassius went above his reluctance of pain to achieve a very specific goal.
And it was to finally manage a comfortable mastery of dual wielding — sword in one hand, sheath-staff in the other — without the ubiquitous awkwardness that crept into his every movement like rotten skin.
The difficulty was off the charts. But Cassius only dared attempt it to test his new Innate.
And his attempt came with an understanding of the true nature of the Snake of Adaptability.
The moment he began training the dual wield — blocking, deflecting and evading Lucian's attacks — something appeared above his head when he miserably failed at using his left hand, leaving him wide open for a piercing punch straight to the shoulder.
Pain exploded at the point of impact. Cassius felt his bones crack and cave. He cursed, blood swelling inside his mouth, his back slamming into the ground.
Yet even through the pain, through the twitching and the anguish of holding his dislocated shoulder with his other hand, Cassius lifted his head and stared at the halo-like thing hovering an inch above him.
It was no halo.
It was a snake.
Immaculately white, dazzling as if formed from the very concept of purity. Crimson eyes, the pupils pulsing in and out like something alive.
The snake was curling upon itself — trying to bite its own tail, trying to form a complete loop — but not quite managing it.
No one seemed to see it but Cassius. And his heart nearly burst when the snake hissed, red eyes locking onto his as strange words echoed inside him.
'Rule 1: Taste failure and return anyway, even if you have to slither back like a worm.'
Weirdly, he understood the words immediately, instinctively even. He looked at his shoulder hanging limp, then looked at Lucian standing there with his annoying grin.
"Come on, Youngest. You got prettier and more athletic overnight." Lucian taunted, though his curiosity bled through plainly. "Some secret? Fine. But you'd better be stronger too. Beautiful eyes won't save you from monsters and your peers in the Academy."
Lilien said nothing, watching him with more scrutiny than usual, as if she couldn't quite believe what she was seeing.
Cassius didn't care about any of that. His Innate had given him the first rule. He could see the snake struggling to close the loop, the tail still just out of reach, only halfway there.
'So I only adapt once the loop is formed. Just like the description said.'
The way to do it was to follow the rules.
Taste failure. Return anyway.
'Now I need to get up and fight with a broken shoulder.'
Cassius grinned at the realisation, fear and anticipation churning restlessly inside him. Then he gritted his teeth — so hard a creaking sound boomed through the training ground — grabbed his dislocated shoulder with his other hand, and forced it back into place.
He screamed, eyes tearing up and bit his lips until they split, blood oozing out.
Lucian and Lilien both startled slightly, caught off guard by the sudden action.
By the time they recovered, Cassius was already back on his feet, wobbling, shaking, sheath-staff in his left hand and sword in his right.
He looked at his siblings, bared his blood-red teeth. "Queen's eyes on me, I bloody swear I will not forget this." He breathed, taking his stance with a grimace.
The pale snake hissed in delight and the loop inched closer. Less than half remained now.
Then the second rule came, the snake hissing even more eagerly.
'Rule 2: Never repeat the same mistake until you understand every part of what you sought to taste.'
The snake stilled there. But Cassius could already guess the third rule…or rather, the culmination of the first and second.
Rule 3…the loop closes and he finally adapts.
'Oh my.' He laughed and threw himself at his siblings again, actively recalling his last mistakes in order not to repeat them.
It was harder than he expected. Way harder. And the irony was that in trying to avoid one mistake, he kept making another.
He lost again, his ankle twisted by Lucian's merciless kick, back on the ground.
The pain dazed him, bleak stars replacing the real world for a moment. His body lagged, a wave of sudden exhaustion pulling at him.
He lay there, breathing shallowly, his siblings looming over him.
"You lost again, Youngest." Lucian crouched down, grinning. "This is getting embarrassing."
"Ah… ah…" Cassius couldn't even form words, too focused on keeping air going in and out of his lungs. For a moment, the thought of just giving up for a moment surfaced inside his mind.
At that exact moment when that thought crossed, an uncomfortable feeling washed over him. He twisted his eyes in their sockets and looked at the Snake of Adaptability…watching the small progress he had made slowly begin to unravel.
'Oh, damn it.'
The Snake immediately knew his intentions of giving up, and acted accordingly. He needed to keep getting up, he instantly understood. If he stopped because of fear or wanting to come back after success was assured, every inch of progress he had made would come undone.
The realisation made him shiver involuntarily in fear and apprehension.
Fear of what he would have to endure to adapt. Apprehension of whether he could actually bear it and keep rising.
The fear, he could do nothing about at that moment. But the apprehension? That one he could answer.
He gritted his teeth, looked at both siblings, and smiled with obvious provocation to drive the apprehension away.
"W-We're not done yet, bastards."
He tried to push himself up, but was a fool to think a Desdemona would wait for him to get properly to his feet.
Morgan would have accepted that. Dorian wouldn't have even bothered fighting him.
But the twins…
They were merciless.
He had barely pressed his palms to the ground when both Lucian and Lilien slapped each side of his face simultaneously, a resounding crack echoing through the training ground.
Cassius's eyes went wide in shock. Then he was out, his brain rattling inside his skull like a ball.
"What a fool." Lucian cackled, laughing harder at the sight of Cassius foaming on the floor. "Next time attack without announcing it first, Youngest!"
Lilien shook her head at her twin, lips twitching. She slowly took out her runic phone and began photographing her little brother with a wide smile.
'My collection is growing!' She thought excitedly.
This was the day before the official meeting with Isolde. And Cassius failed his first attempt at adaptation, overwhelmed thoroughly by his siblings.
But the Snake of Adaptability's progress didn't disappear. Not yet. It would only undo itself if Cassius consciously and deliberately wavered or abandoned the task entirely or chose to wait an assured victory.
He hadn't.
He attacked his siblings again the moment he woke up. And kept at it until the day finally came.
The day of the meeting with his wife.
—End of Chapter 27—