Cardan had been gone for days. All you’ve had for company was that stupid snake that you couldn’t leave alone. You just wanted him back. And you knew he was in pain like this. He had to be killed, he was destroying the land and himself.

So you did it. You chopped the snakes head off. It hurt you more than it should’ve, but you look away immediately, unable to watch the snake die.

Suddenly, a pair of hands wrap around your waist from behind. “It’s me.” You hear him whisper. “I’m here.”