Dane flexed; the heat of Dragon essence flooded every muscle, shattering the fragile mana pathways like glass. His shards washed down into his soul. However, it was strange that the familiar corruption was nowhere to be found. He didn't have long to ponder this, however, barely dodging the serpentine blade that arced toward him again. He shifted his weight, letting the blade glance across his shoulder, taking a slice out of his arm.

  Sparks flew where metal met hardened ivory, and pine needles and stone exploded outward.

  The serpent's eyes narrowed, and it moved like water unbroken by rocks. Every strike seemed to bend the air itself, slicing through shadows and stone alike. Dane ducked under a whip of the blade, rolling across the altar. His back slammed against the stone. He lunged, Dagger slicing toward the serpent's chest. The knife met resistance. Bone and sinew beneath armored scale. He guided the blade through a crack in the scale and saw pain on his opponent's face for the first time.

  The Snake flexed and bound up his Dagger between his scales. Then, as Dane tried to pull his weapon out of the monster, a foot pushed into him, and he tumbled off the dais.

  Dane barely caught himself as the serpent flicked its blade like a hawk striking at a rat.

  Then he rolled, came up low, and kicked his Dagger hard where he saw it sticking out of the Snake and buried it fully into the monstrosity. The world-ender shifted and lashed out faster than Dane could react. Pain flared white-hot. He spat out blood and smiled.

  "I'm starting to think you don't like me," Dane said, grabbing his new wound, which found a home between two ribs.

  The serpent chuckled, a sound like boulders grinding together. "You have spirit… but you move like a dog." It lunged, and the world narrowed to the swing of its blade and the beat of his heart. Dane sidestepped and kicked the serpent's hand that held the blade, deflecting it at the last possible moment, forcing the serpent back a step. The clang of steel slamming on the stone echoed like thunder through the clearing. This is my chance, he dropped it.

  Dane didn't hesitate, and he shot a hard nose double. His nose broke to the side in the process, but he felt the Snake tumble back. He poured everything into the takedown, but the Snake used his momentum, rolling him onto his back and taking full mount.

  It laughed, eyes flashing golden fire. "You grow bold, Chronite. Did you think this was enough?"

  Dane spat blood, ignoring the taste of iron. "I don't care if it's enough. I care if I survive." He forced the dragon essence into his hands and swung hard. He caught the Snake right in the jaw, and the beast went flying into the air.

  Dane whistled as he watched the Snake land about 200 feet away. It sure is easy to forget that we basically are superheroes. Dane thought to himself. Chuckling at the absurdity that he literally punched a full-grown man the distance a high school discus thrower would hit in the old world.

  As much as Dane wanted to enjoy his moment of slight reprieve, he needed to get the sword that the world-ender dropped. He rushed for the weapon and picked it up. The hilt had snake scales that ripped into his hand, making it slick with blood. Dane would lose grip if he tried to fight at full power with this. He grabbed a handful of dust from the rubble of their fight and wiped it into his hand. The stone dust and blood formed a nearly glue-like substance that bound the weapon to his hand.

  He got a few practice swings and saw the serpent sprinting towards him. No, not sprinting, that would have required legs; the beast's bottom half had reverted into its original form. And it was slithering at a speed that would have made a sidewinder blush.

  "You've got to be kidding me, that has to be against the rules," Dane said as he once again rolled to his injured shoulder.

  The serpent's fang caught him on his foot, and Dane grunted. His breath caught in his throat, and he could feel poison entering his bloodstream.

  Warning System Notification: A potent neurotoxin has been detected, causing a status effect paralysis for (5 minutes)

  Dragon essence surged, coiling like a living thing through his veins. His limbs flared with fire. The Dragon Essence didn't play well with others, and he felt the poison being purged. Dane lay there; his essence had purified his body of the toxin. But the Snake didn't know that. Dane scanned his enemy with huntsmen and saw that the beast had one weak point on the back of his head.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "I am disappointed with you," The Snake said as it came to deliver the finishing blow. "You showed such promise, and now you are nothing more than an appetizer before I have some roasted eagle."

  Dane channeled the last of his Dragon Essence into his body. The Snake was finally within striking distance. Dane gripped the sword tightly and lunged at the monster. He swiped hard with the sword and cracked into the back of its head. He felt bone give way under the pressure of his blade. The edge alignment was off, but Dane swung with enough force that while the blade didn't do much cutting, it still smashed into bone and shattered everything underneath the scales.

  Congratulations on defeating an enemy 49 levels above your own. Bonus experience gained, you have reached level 178

  Dane heard a light clapping coming from behind him.

  "I thought I just killed you." He said the World-Ender snake that walked towards him.

  "In a way, you did that, but that was just a C-grade avatar of me." The Snake's tongue flicked through the air, putting Dane on even more edge. "It is rather complicated to kill a god. You need to pull it up from the roots, but I suppose you did weaken me for a time."

  "Well, get it over with," Dane said with finality in his voice. He had no more DE; his HP was down to a quarter, and he could not match the being before him.

  "I don't know what you are talking about. You bested me in combat, even with all of my divine-tier skills intact. You have passed my trial and need to be handed your boon as the accord demands."

  Dane blinked twice. The savage aura that had leaked from the Snake was nowhere to be found, and he got the feeling that he could go drinking with the Danger Noodle Snake God.

  The World-Ender snake lowered itself, the golden fire in its eyes dimming just enough to give Dane a sense of measured attention. Its massive coils uncurled, and with deliberate care, it plucked one of its fangs from its mouth. Dane flinched instinctively as the jagged tooth hovered, warm and pulsing with divine aura.

  "Take it," the serpent said, its voice a hiss that rolled across the altar like smoke. "This fang… is the key to your Rite. It bears the mark of my essence. Handle it with respect, Chronite."

  Dane reached out, feeling the sheer weight of power radiating from it. As his fingers closed around the fang, a faint shiver crawled up his arm, sending sparks of Dragon Essence dancing along his veins. The fang throbbed like a living thing in his hand, and Dane felt a part of the world lean toward him, acknowledging him as participant, not prey.

  He swallowed, pain and adrenaline coiling in his chest. "Got it. Don't think I won't use it on you if you get too friendly again," he muttered, though there was a hint of awe buried beneath the bravado.

  The serpent's laugh was low, grinding like stones over each other. "Bold, even after barely passing. Very well. Since my own honor demands it I will grant you one boon. Choose wisely, for I am the Snake who knows all things. But know this: the truth you seek may not be the comfort you desire."

  He raised his head, meeting the World-Ender's golden gaze. "Can you help me get back to Earth?"

  The serpent's forked tongue flicked in the air, tasting the weight of the question. Its coils shifted slowly, deliberately, folding and stretching around the altar. "Earth?" it hissed, each word a rolling echo. "Ah… your home world. A fragile thing, far from here. Returning is… possible. But not without cost."

  Dane's jaw tightened. "Tell me what I need to do."

  The World-Ender chuckled, low and gravelly, like stones grinding over stone. "Do you think it would be so simple? The path to your home is not a highway; it is a labyrinth. The karma that binds you to your world has been severed. Time itself resists your passage. You may go, but know this: every step is watched, every moment recorded, every choice amplified. You will arrive changed, and perhaps… not at all as you remember."

  Dane's hands clenched the fang. He could feel the weight of the world pressing in, but also the pulse of Dragon Essence, hot and steady beneath his skin. "I don't care how I arrive. I need to get there. Show me."

  Placed its scaly hand on Dane's head. "Very well, Chronite. I sense a fire in your heart that is not your own. A woman. A beautiful elf. To restore the karma to your world, I need to sever one of equal strength."

  Dane exhaled, feeling the magnitude of the moment settle over him. "What does that mean?"

  "It means that you are bound by fate to a lover. I will sever that and use the strength to repair what has been damaged."

  "No, I got that, but does that mean that I will forget Amelia or fall out of love?"

  "You will not feel a thing; all of your memories are still yours. But she may choose another path until you meet again. You can always rebuild that connection later. But I must warn you, sometimes what is severed cannot be mended." The snake god said.

  Dane hesitated, but this might be his only chance to get back to Rebecca.

  "Go ahead, sever it." He said with conviction.

  The Snake pushed its essence into Dane, and pain flooded his brain. Everything went black. He heard a voice in the dark; it was Amelia telling him he was a good dad. He was in love and on the beach. All of that faded, and he saw his home planet take its place. The snake god's voice boomed as he said.

  "I have restored your connection. Now, all that remains is for you to find a void stepper. There is one who will participate in the crucible. Our debt is square. The next time we meet, I will kill you, Dane McAllister."

  His vision still hadn't returned, but Dane felt Zeph's familiar feathers underneath him. There was one trial left to complete.