Sai and Tai stood before their master, Shi, in a barren training ground marked by ancient symbols etched into the earth. The air was heavy with the promise of transformation.
Shi's voice cut through the silence. "Today begins a journey that will test everything within you. Sai, you will unlock the truth of your family's power—the Blood of the Eternal Flame. Tai, you will master your Snake Eternal Form and embody it forever."
Sai frowned. "Are you sure? My parents were weak. They never spoke of any great power."
The crack of Shi's slap echoed. Sai staggered back, clutching his cheek.
"Your parents were not weak!" Shi thundered. "Your mother chose peace and never trained her flames—that was strength, not weakness. And your father sacrificed everything to protect you. Do not dishonor them again."
Sai's voice softened. "I… I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. But what is the Blood of the Eternal Flame?"
Shi's tone eased. "It is your family's legacy, older than kingdoms. A flame that lives within you—not only a weapon but a force of creation and destruction. It can heal, destroy, even reshape reality in a master's hands."
He conjured a flame that shifted blue, orange, and white. "This is the Eternal Flame. It burns within you, and now, we awaken it."
Placing it against Sai's chest, Shi let it sink inside. Sai gasped as warmth spread through him.
"I can feel it," Sai whispered. "It's alive."
"It is," Shi said. "It will test you. If you falter, it will consume you."
Turning to Tai, Shi's gaze hardened. "The Snake Eternal Form is more than a transformation. It is the merging of spirit and body into perfection. You'll gain strength, speed, and wisdom beyond any fighter—but only if you endure the trials of the Snake Kingdom for two years."
Tai straightened. "What kind of trials?"
"Trials that will test your essence. You must prove yourself before the Snake King and earn his blessing. Only then will the Eternal Form be yours."
Tai clenched his fists. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Shi nodded. "Good. Let me tell you about the Snake Kingdom."
He described an ancient realm hidden beneath the world, its caverns glowing with bioluminescent plants and rivers of molten gold. Countless serpents lived there under the rule of the Snake King, a being of unmatched power and wisdom.
"The Snake King himself will judge you, Tai," Shi warned. "Only the unbreakable earn his favor."
Two years passed. The trials were brutal, the training relentless. Sai, now master of the Eternal Flame, stood beside Tai, whose Snake Eternal Form radiated an otherworldly aura. Together, they faced Shi at the edge of a battlefield, the world tilting toward chaos.
But Tai had uncovered a chilling truth—the Snake King, whose approval he had fought to win, was none other than his estranged father, Zarathiss—the Eternal Serpent King. The revelation burned in him like venom.
"He's my father?" Tai had demanded during their final trial.
Shi's face had been grave. "You had to prove yourself without that burden. If you'd known, your anger might have clouded your judgment."
Now, Zarathiss towered before them. His obsidian scales gleamed, his golden eyes cold with malice.
"My son," he thundered. "You've grown strong. Strong enough to rule at my side."
Tai stepped forward, aura blazing. "I'll never join you. You've brought only suffering to this world."
Zarathiss chuckled. "Suffering is the currency of power. You are my heir. Embrace your destiny."
Sai moved beside Tai, his flames rising in a protective wall. "Tai doesn't belong to you, Zarathiss. He's not your pawn."
Zarathiss sneered. "And you must be the Eternal Flame's bearer. Do you truly think you can stand against me?"
Shi stepped forward, grounding them. "This battle is not for today. Sai, Tai—fall back."
Tai hesitated. "I can't just run."
"You'll face him when the time is right," Shi said firmly. "Not now."
As they retreated, Zarathiss's laughter echoed behind them—a reminder of battles yet to come.
Two years of trials had forged Sai and Tai into warriors. But the shadow of Zarathiss loomed, and the final confrontation with the Eternal Serpent King would test every ounce of their strength and resolve.