Jarin watched, terrified as the viper slithered toward Natalie. For half a heart beat, its eyes had met his, and he had felt himself falling into oblivion; then the eyes slipped aside and he stumbled, released from the power. Now he watched trembling. Natalie spoke, murmuring, but the words seemed distant to Jarin. Somewhere, echoing vaguely in his head, Jarin heard the Master’s words. “Stay near her, boy. She’s important.” His heart beat quickly, thudding softly. Help her! his mind shouted, and he looked up. The viper had her in its coils up to her neck, Jarin stared entranced as the viper coiled tighter, convulsing. Something was wrong with the snake, terribly wrong.

Jarin shook himself. Move dammit. She’s your friend! Did you come all this way to let her die? Jarin leapt forward and smacked his torch-fist onto the snake. It quivered. He reared back and punched again and again. With invisible swiftness, the viper’s head whipped around and punched into Jarin flinging him back up the tunnel. Jarin slammed against a wall and his world exploded in color. Shaking his head, he crawled forward again, muttering a word to relight his hand-torch. He felt his ribs grinding as he crawled each move sending lightning throughout his body, but he crawled on - one thing in his sight – Natalie’s hand protruding from between the snake’s trembling coils. He didn’t see the thin, red tongue flicking past her face, the eyes swiveling at the last second to gaze at him. He lunged and through his rending pain wrenched Natalie’s hand, but his grip was way too weak. his desperate action only jarred Natalie for a moment, her head lolling away from the serpent.

Jarin slipped to the ground, each sucked breath convulsing his chest. The viper hissed and pulled up to strike, revealing its fangs long enough to pierce Jarin through.

Natalie moaned and stirred.