The road back to Snake's Coil was long, but the journey felt lighter with the weight of victory behind them. The village had been saved, and the hydra was dead. Now, as the towering walls of the capital came into view, relief washed over the group.
"I think I forgot what a real city looks like," Jaxon said, stretching his arms behind his head. His symbiote shifted lazily along his back, as if just as exhausted as he was.
Kade smirked. "You mean what a real bed feels like."
"Both," Jaxon admitted.
Elias walked a few steps ahead, his mind elsewhere. Tucked beneath his arm was the egg he had received after the Trial of Faith, its surface shimmering with faint, iridescent light. He had been keeping it close since they left the ruins, feeling its warmth steadily grow stronger each day.
"Still nothing?" Sinthia asked, glancing at the egg.
Elias shook his head. "Not yet. But I feel like it's close."
They passed through the gates of Snake's Coil, the capital's sprawling streets alive with merchants, travelers, and adventurers. The air carried the scent of sizzling street food, the clatter of carts on cobblestone, and the hum of distant conversations.
Their first stop was the inn—a familiar place now, with worn wooden beams and a warm hearth waiting inside. The innkeeper greeted them with a knowing smile, already preparing rooms before they even asked.
The moment Elias sat on his bed, the egg in his arms shuddered. He froze, his pulse quickening.
"Did it just—" Sinthia started, but before she could finish, the egg cracked.
The group gathered around, watching as faint, glowing lines spread across the shell. A soft chirp echoed through the room as a small, sleek form broke free. The hatchling uncurled from its egg, its body covered in shimmering azure and silver scales. Slitted eyes of deep violet blinked up at Elias before the creature let out another curious chirp.
"A basilisk," Kade murmured. "Looks like you got yourself a dangerous one."
The tiny creature stretched its wings—more like webbed fins than true wings, but still regal in its own way. It slithered up Elias's arm, curling around his neck with surprising familiarity. The warmth of its body sent a faint, calming energy through him.
Elias let out a breathless chuckle. "Guess that means I'm officially a pet owner."
The basilisk nuzzled against his cheek, its forked tongue flicking out. Jaxon raised a brow. "Well, that's… terrifyingly adorable."
Reed watched the creature with curiosity, his Stormforged eyes gleaming in the lantern light. "It's reacting to you like it already knows you."
Elias ran a hand over its smooth scales. "Maybe it does."
Sinthia smiled. "What are you going to name it?"
He thought for a moment before saying, "Aetherfang." The name felt right, rolling off his tongue like it had always been there.
Aetherfang let out a pleased trill, tightening its grip around Elias's shoulders like a living scarf.
Jaxon smirked. "Looks like you've got a shadow of your own now."
Elias grinned. "And I think I like it."
With the basilisk now by his side, a new chapter of their journey had begun. There was still much to do, more trials ahead—but for tonight, they could rest. For tonight, they had won a small victory of their own.