Whispers of Eternity: The Serpent's Wisdom

Guided by the unseen currents of the Library's arcane sentience, Sub-Scribe Luthoth was led to a place beyond reason. It was a hidden grove, nestled deep within the ethereal depths of the Temporal Library.

At the heart of the enchanted grove, Luthoth's keen eyes fell upon a strange rock that radiated an aura of ancient power. Curiosity, the ever-present companion of the learned, drew him forward.

As he approached, the silence was shattered by a slithering sound. A poisonous snake, perched on the ancient rock, struck with lightning aggression, its fangs sinking deep into Luthoth's flesh.

Paralysed and writhing in agony, Luthoth's consciousness began to fade. His eyes closed and he found himself dreaming. He saw two men, hunters, stalking their prey through a forest.

They were called Xoichtl and Tlanextli, companions bound by the trials of life and the call of the wild.

The land where Xoichtl and Tlanextli lived was torn apart by famine. The people of their village faced a hunger that tore at their bellies. Driven by desperation, the two hunters ventured into the sacred part of the forest in search of the game that might bring relief to their people.

As they moved through the shadows, their senses sharpened by countless hunts. Xoichtl's gaze remained fixed on their elusive prize. The moment seemed ripe, but fate dealt him another cruel hand. The gods punished him for intruding on their sacred land, and in one swift stroke a poisonous snake plunged its fangs through Xoichtl's flesh.

As he fell, Tlanextli leapt to his aid and lifted him onto his shoulder. Fighting the strain on his body with every ounce of will he had left, his footsteps pounded the earth as he raced back to their village.

In the depths of his delirium, Xoichtl found himself haunted by visions. Many-eyed creatures spoke to him, voiceless. He saw his prey run away and fall into a pit. Two men dragging the broken beast out and ending its life in an act of mercy.

When he awakened, he was not the mere slayer he used to be.

Like daggers in his heart, the hungry eyes of his children pierced him. Weakened or not, he knew he had to return to the sacred forest.

Using the wisdom the divine had instilled, the two hunters set out once more. On their way to the sacred forest, they collected sticks and leaves. With their spears they dug a hole in the ground and lay in wait.

And just as he had seen it in his dream. The wild beast approached, fell and snapped its neck.

The two pulled it out, and again the serpents came closer, as if drawn by the unholy animal. But Xoichtl had been ready. Even though his flesh was still weak, his will remained strong. As if chosen by the gods, he seized the vicious fiend by the tail and beat it to the ground until it fell unconscious.

The two hunters returned to the village with their mighty catch. The people of the village had never seen such a magnificent beast before.

With the elders, women and children hanging on his every word, Tlanextli told the story of the trap and how they had laid it.

Xoichtl, however, was more interested in the snake that he had caught. He craved more visions from the gods, and this scaly demon's fangs held the secret.

Many had died from its poisonous bite over the years. But the gods offered wisdom for each sacrifice.

The tribe developed ways to grow plants on their own land. They began to raise animals at home instead of hunting them in the forest. They protected their village with great walls and began to use symbols to record their stories.

After many years and countless sacrifices, trying to unlock the secrets of the poison, one day the gods saw fit to reveal their secret.

This was no ordinary snake. It derived its venom from the herbs of the land. By mixing these vine-like plants, they were able to create a brew that would grant them visions from beyond the veil.

Though his life ended in sacrifice to the gods, Xoichtl's rebellion against the gods had served the tribe well. But the gods saw fit to mock him once more. As the ashes of his body ascended into the heavens, he was given a final vision.

In the infinite void before him, Xoichtl saw a man, bathed in light, lying unconscious on the ground next to a rock. He hurried to save him, but no matter how fast he raced, he seemed unable to get closer. The gods were cruel. Trapped in the eternal void, helpless and screaming without voice, the corridors of eternity stretched around him.

When he came to, he saw a figure in the distance, but before he could get a better look, the infinite darkness had consumed it.

As he rose to his feet, he took another look at the stone where the snake had lain. Petrified by the treacherous existence of the Void, the creature had turned to stone.

As a door appeared before him, the vines of the forest began to strangle the stone and the forest closed in on Luthoth. The Sub-Scribe knew it was time to leave this place, for the Temporal Library had prepared a new journey for him. He stepped into the endless staircase of time.

Wondering if this place was indeed a place of knowledge, or a place of damnation.