I stood just past the threshold, remaining still with sword in hand; awaiting my eyes to adjust to the dark. It smelled of many things: water, leather, blood, bone, and one big lizard with wings. I stepped further in, taking one quiet step at a time, to where the cave curved around a corner and took me to a more expansive space. All manner of bone and branch was gathered into one spot where it had been cobbled together into a makeshift nest. In the center of that nest, curled into itself, the Snake of the Sky was sleeping with a loud breath rattling forth in slumber. It had a long, white belly, as thick as the trunk of an oak tree and the length of a redwood. Its maw was a massive as I remembered as folded back were four large wings, decorated in reflective blue-green feathers; the same color as its upper body and head. I wasn’t interested in its entire head, just its neck. I wondered how much strength it would take to cut through those scales in one clean slice. Perhaps I would have to saw at it a few times.

I could hear the hiss of its breath and the rumble of its sleep. After I had my revenge, it would never wake again. I crept ever closer until I found the top of its neck where head met the rest of its body. I carefully set a hand against the side of its maw and slipped the blade carefully against the base of its jaw. I pointed the end of the blade into where its jugular would be. A stab and it would all be over. All I had to do was plunge my blade into its vitals and it would never eat another of my brothers. I drew in a breath, held it, and shoved the blade into the scaled flesh of the serpent. It jerked its head upwards, throwing me onto my back. Blood spurt onto me and the ground of the cave as the serpent thrashed and wailed. Its wings beat furiously while it scrambled to get out the cave, large tail whipping here and there. I quickly pulled myself to my feet and went for my bow but as my hands reached back to retrieve my weapon and an arrow to arm it with, that tail came colliding into me and I was tumbling across the jagged floor of the cave, marks and cuts forming on my body as I came to a stop at the bend leading towards the entrance. 

I crawled on hands and knees to get out of the way of the serpent as it made its way out of the cave. Regaining my composure, I grabbed my bow, knocked an arrow, and chased after the Snake of the Sky. I released the arrow as soon as I spotted it, beating its wings furiously to get enough power to lift it into the air, sword still lodged into the side of its neck, losing blood quickly. As the arrow skidded off the side of its head, it knew who was responsible for the sword sticking out of it. It stopped its tantrum and came rushing at me. I pulled another arrow from my quiver but I did not have the time to launch it before that massive maw was trying to catch around me. I tried to turn and run back into the cave but a sharp pain overcame me and I was off the ground. My leg was searing and I contorted myself to face the serpent who had finally taken to the air. I had lost my bow but I still had the arrow in my hand. I had my free hand on the front of the serpents face as its teeth dug into the leg I realized was clenched in its mouth.

I wound my arm back and jammed the arrow into its eye with all my might. It screeched and my leg came loose. I tried to keep a hold of with what strength I had and yank the arrow free. It popped free with eye and brain matter and I slammed it into the center of its head again, feeling the thick skull give way and the arrow sink into its brain. It fell, I fell, and everything went blurry. I felt my body lying broken in the cold snow. I didn’t know how bad the damage was. I only knew that I was dying. I heard the serpent stir a bit before going still. It died before me. That gave me some happiness.

Something thick and slimy caressed my cheek and I was able to open my eye enough to register Loki licking at the side of my face. I couldn’t even speak. If I could, I would have told him to leave me. I didn’t need to though. As if he had read my mind, he lifted his head, made a whine, and ran off. I heard the faint sound of snow giving way under foot and I tried to turn my head to see what was approaching me. He was garbed in dark fur and a mass of black hair hid most of his face save for the one red eye that was trained on me. The blood had attracted him. That or he had been following me the whole time. I thought the fight with the Snake of the Sky would be my cause of death. Instead, I was to be drained dry by a vampire. That’s when the darkness took my vision and the only thing I registered was the pain of sharp teeth piercing my skin.