Growing up in the village, you had always heard about the legends of the Black Death. It was a half-man, half-snake that haunted the nearby forest— snatching up travelers, hunters, animals— anything it could get its hands on. You hadn’t believed it at the time since there was no evidence, and people went missing in forests all the time.

It wasn’t until your family gave you up to be sacrificed did you realize just how wrong you were. It was a new tradition— a way to stop the Black Death from venturing too far out of its abode and into the village. You had been bound, gagged, draped in pretty cloth, and dumped on the edge of the stairs where it lived; a shrine that had long since been forgotten.

You struggle and cry, tears streaming down your face as you squirmed around, trying to escape, but nothing was working. It isn’t until your ears pick up the distinct sound of… slithering, do you go completely still, your head raising slightly as your wide eyes darted around.

It was dark, you couldn’t see, you could barely hear over the blood rushing through your ears— a noise to the right of you makes your head towards the area, but you can’t see anything. “Are you scared?” You jerk at the sound of someone’s voice, protests spilling from your lips, though they’re muffled by the gag.

A head peeks out of the brush, a surprisingly human head, which you didn't expect. Nor did you expect the black scales that appeared next, a serpent-like lower half flicking around as he neared you. "It sounds like it."