Mana was spreading. The barrier.. Or whatever it was, seems to have finally failed, and I could see more and more of my insides glowing with magic.. It looked a bit like some kind of snake vein model.

… Meditation. Clear your mind. Be calm. (“WE ARE GONNA DIEEEEE”). Be like water.

Okay, first things first- Scope!

Damn! (I wonder if the name is it’s actual name, or if it’s just showing the way I perceive it..)

How did it happen!? (“....”) (“?unamused face emoji”) Okay, fine. Less thinking, more treating.

I activated mana manipulation, and tried to stop the spread of the infection. And it worked about as well, as you would expect- it slowed spread down, but with apparently endless supply of new particles it seemed impossible…

I’m an idiot snake. Of course you can’t clean up the water if you continue pouring water from the tap. I can just coil up to block the source. 

And so, with my tail in the center, I formed a nice ball.. Damn stop rolling! Nooo no no not the face!

…

And so, with my tail in the center, I formed a nice HEMISPHERE. WITH MY HEAD ON TOP.

Slightly more sore around my snout, I concentrated again on the issue at hand. Once again, I concentrated on the foreign energy, and tried to bend it to my will.. I could feel it becoming “mine” when I concentrated, but with this amount, it took time. Another problem- I didn’t have a way an easy way to expel it, now that the “entrance” was tightly sealed with my body…

(“There is a way!”)

Yeah. If I were to use this mana up, in a spell that would send the energy outside… With the most fantasy of all moves. The dragon’s breath! (“But then we would have to send the energy through the whole body!”). My skills were screaming at me, that I should not let mana that is not fully under my control anywhere near my heart. (“... there is another, darker path..”)(“NO! Think about our station! We are the head of the Drunken Snout! We can’t”)(“WE MUST! Remember your own teachings! Be like water! Let it flow!”)

***

Snek. Shedding. Mother, not here. Worried. Brother hurt. Worried. Tried helping. He scared away. He sad maybe? Go hug! Hug makes happy. Yes. Soon leave… last see brother sad? Not good! Where is he!

Slither slither slither. 

Oh! See brother! He coiled. He worried? What happen? Let’s see! He won’t bite when I try to hug!

!!!!!

WHAT? GREAT FIRE! Brother fart great flame! Brother strong! But not sad, brother just ate spicy bug! Leave now. Brother needs space.

*** 

… The magnificent adventures in the fantasy world! Not exactly how I imagined it I must say…

Calm up!

... Didn’t expect that honestly… but then it did seem to be a life and death situation. And in those circumstances.. Yeah! Actually, why not even more! (“Greed leads to the grave! Be happy with what you have!”)

Nooo! Liess! It’s not me! I’m a good snek! (“Yes, yes I am a goooood boy. How about a reward?”)(“Noo, you are a naughty snek. We should ask momma to spank us.”)

SSsssss! [hissess of refusal]

Reisinling

I think this is it for today.Temporarily changed cover back to the vintage one, it might catch an eye of some new readers.