We could hear it, the snake slithering across the dilapidated roof shingles. Edging closer and closer to the hole in the roof. Sweat pouring out from us due to a mixture of the heat and fear running through us. With the fire blazing, the light glinted off of its eyes as it peeked over the edge. Tongue licking the flames that reached up towards the hole.

As the moments past slowly we could see the calculations passing through the snakes mind. It was going to get in. It was going to reach us. It was going to eat us…

With the fire needing constant fuel to keep burning, we didn’t dare to slack in our pursuit of adding logs to the fire. As each log burned we added another with just enough smaller stuff to keep the flames hot. But as twilight came and went, night was in full presence. No light was coming from outside, we were now a lone island in the dark with a shark waiting for the tide to come in.

Hours passed, logs went in, flames burned, our stockpile continued to shrink. With only a small amount left all hope we had of surviving started to wane.

“Brad, I’m glad I met you. I hope one day we can meet one another again. We have only known each other for a short time but I had fun. Let’s hope we come back as neighbors in the next life.” Mia said while struggling to sound cheerful.

“Mia, don’t quit on us now. We may still make it! We can make it, we just need to think of an escape plan. Heck, it may be possible to get to town. If we can reach town then the guards will surely help us.” I hurriedly said, trying to reinstill hope, not just for Mia, but for myself as well.

“Brad, I can’t run that far and neither can you. We are both just st~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The world was filled with a trumpeting sound, cutting out all sound in the area. With a large message box I was greeted with an achievement notification.

As I peered at the windows slack jawed, sound came rushing back into my ears. Sounds that did not bode well at all. Mia grabbed my arm and shook me. “Did you listen to what I said!? We are about out of wood, this is it and we are not running. I say we save the last 2 logs and use them as clubs.”

“Mia, I think we just got the advantage. We couldn’t hurt it before, but I think we can now.” And with that said, I scrolled through my domain’s menu to set the guardian.

“Domain guardian has been selected. Please confirm your selection, yes or no. Confirmation accepted, Rumble has been set as Guardian.” the menus read.

As my selection was made, a green glow began to radiate from within my chest. As the glow grew, it reached out for my familiar as would a branch seeking the sun. As we were connected, the green glowing branch pulsed with energy and life. With each pulse, Rumble grew slightly until he stood a full 6 inches taller. With thorns visible along the ends of his arms, he looked stronger already.

“Brad, what just happened? Is this some druid skill that you have?” Mia asked with a bit of hope in her voice.

“My domain just earned an achievement and skill. Hopefully this will bring their old stalemate to an end and leave Rumble the victor.” I reassuringly told her.

So with our hope restored, the last two logs in hand as weapons, we awaited the next showdown between the monsters. Python versus Plant, boss versus familiar, this was the first major test of the domain and its capacity for defense.

The time came, the flames lowered, and the night air was silent and still. Tonight, not a single gust of wind blew against the shack. The air inside was hot and stagnant from the fire having raged for hours. This was the culmination of fear, hope, and determination. We were ready.

Having been coiled since the beginning, the python needed no more preparation. Opening its maw, it launched its mass down through the opening directly at me. Within a second the snake had crossed the distance to have only missed by inches due to Rumble having tackled it mid flight. The two ricocheted off the ground and into the wall with the creaking walls making it well known that they were not fans of the moment.

As the two thrashed I shoved the end of my log into the fire hoping that it would light. As the moments dragged into seconds and the seconds into dozens, my log finally started to flame. Running in with a charge brandishing my log I took a swing and landed a blow on the pythons mid section. With extreme relief, I did it. “I damaged it!” I yelled with joy.

Swinging at the boss during every safe opening I could, its life slowing went down, Rumble occasionally taking a blow himself. We were going to win! With Mia having joined the fight not long after seeing me deal damage, she had her burning log in hand taking pot shots when safe.

With the minute threshold coming quick the snake started to glow red with rage. Its thrashing grew more intense and it whipped itself at the ground. With the sudden movement shift catching Rumble off guard he was slammed into the ground bouncing and skittering across the room and out through a wall. With the snake now free of its harasser, it now eyed the closest target with hunger. Mia froze with realization.

Instincts roaring with life, I sped the few feet over to the point of contact and led with my shoulder. Catching the snake mid air before it expected to reach anything, I got it on its snout. Snake deflected, its momentum transferred into my body. Sent flying away, my body skittered across the floor until it came to a stop hitting the lone cupboard in the shack. As my vision started to fade, I heard Mia scream before everything went quiet and dark.