#vivid shadows

17. CLOWN - Vivid Shadows 2025

'The villagers that wander into my forest claim that I spread sickness to all who dare to look upon me. I think that’s a lame excuse for people who can’t admit I’m hot.'

Ever since I was hatched, I had heard legends of the great serpent who birthed our kind, the World Serpent who’s death spawned the world we live in now, and who’s venom dripped out across the sands of a barren world to birth the lamias, a vengeance against the Gods who slain our ancient progenitor. That is what the Gods say anyway, and why we are treated with disdain wherever we go near any settlement that worship the Gods. We are considered the lowest of the low, pushed to the fringes if not outright hunted by those who do not see us as worthy of life.

The elders of my kin used to say that we must be vigilant and keep moving, never being the aggressors as it will provoke more lethal responses by those who already hate us. That we must protect ourselves so we are not slaughtered more than we already are. I used to believe them, that if we just did not make any scenes we would perhaps be spared the divine wrath of the gods. But it was only coming back from a hunt to see my people slaughtered by a crusade of knights, that I knew I had to fight back, not for myself, but for those senselessly slaughtered. I knew I could not achieve much on my own, but if the Gods can bring back their most devout followers, perhaps I could bring back the one who made us, beseech them for any divine power so I do not have to see those I love suffer and bring those who wield their faith like a bludgeon to justice.

So I would study, study the texts of the Gods of Death, study from those who practiced the necromantic arts, study from the bones and memories of great slain liches. Not many would willingly bring in the World Serpent’s progeny to study, but some kind souls did, and brought me on the path to call upon spirits who have once passed to speak once more, how to imbue corpses and resurrect those who came before, and how to bring them back with the power they once held. My teachers never lasted long, they would be found out by the servants of the Gods, or they would refuse to teach me more than what they were willing to due to fear surrounding me, or I simply reached the end of the notes and books I stole from the servants of the divine. But I had the time, and I was willing to be patient. Over the next five years I would learn, slowly developing the power and rituals I needed to speak to my damned progenitor.

The next task was comparatively much easier, and that was reaching where the World Serpent was slain. The place is practically a shrine to my kin’s extermination, and if it wasn’t for the fact that nobody wants to actually go near where the killing blow was dealt due to fears of being tainted by it. When I arrived it was a barren crater, the site of some impact eons ago that even now life refused to return to. Luckily the ritual was not too hard to set up, simply alignment of sigils atop of one another, all it needed now was blood from one of the World Serpent’s descendants, so I take a dagger and cut it into my hand. The blood flowed from the wound into the dry dead earth below, and the sigils began to glow, great power coming as I wrought my ancestor from whatever lies beyond to speak once more. It was when a massive serpent would begin manifesting, its coils surrounding the ritual site that I knew my ritual worked. It was then not long before it finished, and surrounding the site of their death, did the World Serpent’s spirit look down towards me.

The World Serpent looked like a serpent, not unlike other snakes, but there was intelligence behind those eyes, and a great tiredness. “Young one. Why have you awoken me?” The serpent spoke to my mind, lowering their head to stare directly at me. Despite having practiced this request many times, I stumbled over my words. “G-Great ancestor. I have come to beseech you for aid. The servants of the Gods have been slowly exterminating your descendants, and I wish to fight back. I no longer wish to stand by as my kin die. Please grant me aid, or power, or anything!” The serpent grumbled as the ground shook with their movement. “You seek power to fight the very gods young one?” The serpent confirmed. “Yes! Anything that I can do to make sure that no other lamia has to come home to see their kin slaughtered for the crime of being alive.” I said, emotions welling up as tears fell from my eyes as I desperately asked for aid. The serpent grumbled again, “Then you understand if I grant you power you will need to slay the very gods who seek to have your kind snuffed out. The gods do not take kindly to new power, if I grant you what I have left, you will spend the rest of your life fighting against the divine for your and your kin’s survival. Is that a task you believe you are up to?” The serpent asked, their voice ringing like thunder in my head as they spoke. If it was a few years ago, I may have hesitated, maybe sought to go about it another way. But seeing how the gods have treated my people, I am willing to do anything if it means I can protect them. “I am up to the task.” I said to them.

Before I knew it, the World Serpent struck at me, but instead of being met with fangs, I was met with a flash of light, and a bubbling power within me as the serpent was nowhere to be seen. I began trying to slither away from the site, but I quickly collapsed onto the ground as I felt the power swelling within, refusing to stay constrained in a body like mine. I felt my body begin to change, grow larger, more powerful. My tail grew longer and more powerful, scales shining a deep red as they grew strong enough to coil and choke the life out of any poor soul who dared to cross me. My nails sharpened and grew into claws, ready to rend and tear at the seams of those who sought to kill me and my kin. My fangs grew longer and venom grew more toxic and virulent, so that even if they got close, I could end their life with a single bite. And my size, where once I was the size of a lamia, only a little taller than a human, I would find myself able to take up the space within the crater, and once I stood upright once more, I towered over it.

VividShadows 2024 Day 5 - Kintsugi

"Well hey, it's a good thing you were already sculpted right? Heh-"

05. TOXIC - Vivid Shadows 2025