Chapter 67：Blood Striped snakes (2/2)
”Jack, you guys stay here. I will come back in a few minutes.” Sam said and without waiting for reply, he left. He started running in the direction where they saved Kelly and Hawk.
After sometime, he climbed a tree and like an agile monkey, he started jumping from tree to tree. All this while he is looking at the ground for the token. He didn't find any.
When he came close to a cave attached to a hill. He was bewildered to see that the cave is the nest of the Blood striped snakes.
The cave is actually pretty open and it is also not deep. There would be a distance of at most 30 feet from the entrance to the wall where two scrolls are attached. One of them is a scroll he never saw before and the other is the point scroll. There is a big snake with some faint red stripes over its green skin near the wall. This is the king snake.
When Sam didn't find the token outside, he clearly knew where it is and that is making him feel cautious.
He immediately went back and met up with Jack and Others.
”I didn't find the token on the way. It must be inside the cave. Right now, Hawk has less than two hours to make it. We have to find the token as soon as possible.”
Kelly and Jack went silent at the thought of this. They didn't know what to do at all. They only looked at Sam with hope that he would have a way out of this situation.
Sam pursed his lips and said. ”Kelly, you stay near the place and look over Hawk.” He said and passed the Sabre he obtained from Ray to her. ”While doing so, collect every dead leaf, dried grass, birds' nest, tree bark everything that could catch a fire easily. But don't leave him alone.
Sam said and picked up the axe from the bag. He called Jack over and said. ”You also collect the same things. You can take the bag and fill it to brim. Come back in half an hour. I need as much as you can collect. And bring some fire wood too.”
After that both of them separated and Sam went to collect some bamboo poles. He chopped the poles which are raw as well as which are dry without any difference. He made it back and forth and brought back bamboo poles, fire wood etc.
After half an hour. Jack came back with a bag full of dried waste.
”Separate the bamboo sections and crack them up. By the time you are finished with it, they must be intact but they must be in fragile state that they would break with small impact.”
Sam instructed Kelly and Jack. Three of them started preparing the section just like Sam said.
Sam then stuffed them with the dried waste. Dry grass, dead leaves, dry twigs, nests. He stuffed them completely and placed them inside the bag. Then he placed the fire wood inside the bag.
Now the bag is filled to the brim so much that the cover cannot fill it at all.
”Jack carry the bag carefully.” Sam said and he proceeded to carry Hawk. There is only an hour left for Hawk.
They walked carefully without making much noise. After nearing the cave, Sam with the help of Jack and Kelly placed Hawk on the tree and then three of them also climbed it.
The tree is directly facing the cave opening. Sam took out the fire wood and passed them to Kelly and Jack to hold. Then he took out a piece and lit it with the live dried wood and some birds' nest to make a torch.
Then Sam lit each torch for both of them. He took out the fragile bamboo sections stuffed with the dry waste and passed each over to them.
”Light them and throw them into the cave. I will show you how.” Sam said and with the torch. He lit the dry waste inside the bamboo section. After a few seconds when it was burning considerably, he threw inside the cave directly.
”Threw one inside and throw one at the entrance.” Sam said and started throwing the sections continuously.
Each bamboo section, when hit the cave, broke open and the burning waste inside immediately spread along the cave increasing the fire and the snakes which came into the contact with went into a frenzy.
When they came towards the entrance, the situation is not good as the bamboo sections came there also and started burning.
Sam and others then took the dry wood, lit them and threw them inside the cave. After the fire intensified a bit, Sam said.
”I will be going in. You guys keep throwing them. You will only stop, either when I come back or when the bag is empty.” Sam said and without waiting for their reply, he climbed down the tree and wielding the sabre and axe, he ran inside the cave.
Even though the flames are burning, it is short lived as the dried waste won't burn for long. That is why, they have to keep throwing. But snakes still got affected by heat and are in a confused state.
Sam moved rapidly as chopped the snakes that are in his way. When he faced the king snake, which was in a confused and enraged state, he halted his steps as he moved slowly around it.
The senses of the snakes are blocked and this is the only time. Sam saw the token near it. He quickly broke the token with axe and a shadow took away Hawk from the tree. But both Jack and Kelly were still not relieved completely as the dried wood and the bamboo sections are over.
Sam also noticed that the fire is dying and the incoming is stopped. He also guessed the reason and just as he was thinking about escaping. He was surrounded by the snakes which are moving slowly towards him.
After a few moments he realized that they are moving towards the King and not him, but that doesn't make him happy as he is between the king and the remaining snakes.
Sam was in a pinch. He doesn't know what to do. The snakes are all slow, because they lost all the energy to resist against the heat and even the king is in daze.
But that didn't give Sam any advantage as he was also affected by the fire and smoke.
Now, Sam has only way. That is that he has to catch the scroll which he didn't see before. But to do this, he need to get over this king snake, which is about 20 feet long. The only reason it fit the cave properly for all these snakes is that it was coiled.
As soon as Sam came to decision, he immediately made his move.
First, he swung his axe and hit the tail of the king. The latter hissed and raised his head. Sam immediately Sam jumped up and with the head of the snake as support, he immediately caught the two scrolls and jumped down. But the king snake also came out of the daze and came at him.
Sam immediately opened the scroll. Before the snake could bite him, a strange glow came out of his body as his cultivation was removed. He is now at the 9th stage initiation.
But Sam noticed a difference. When he is in ninth stage initiation, he doesn't have the elements, but now, his state does have both the light and Fire elements.
Sam heaved a sigh and immediately made his move. The sabre in his hands was immediately covered with golden flames as he swung it, the golden fire shot towards the king and started burning it.
Sam didn't stop and he swung the sabre continuously burning everything in the cave and with in a few minutes, he came out with all his clothes almost burnt.
Jack and Kelly heaved a sigh and finally took a breath. Sam gave them the point scroll and immediately sat down on the ground. He passed the token to them and said.
”Let us get out of here.” Sam said these words and immediately laid on the ground as he closed his eyes. He is exhausted. Even though he recovered his cultivation partially, he used up all his spiritual energy in his attacks to not to take any chances.
Jack opened the scroll. There are 40 points written on it. He then looked at Sam and smile.
After a few moments, Sam woke up. He is already out of the forest and is in a big hall where all sixty participants gathered. He saw that all the candidates are looking at him weirdly. He then took a look at himself and saw that he was barely covered with anything. He checked that his cultivation was unsealed completely and that he can access the spatial ring.
”Sam you woke up.” Eve spoke from the side. Then only Sam realized that he was with the team 6 members. Jack also saw him and helped him stand up. Sam rejected his help and immediately took a fresh set of clothes and wore them along with his feather coat.
Just as he was about to ask what is going on a voice came.
”Now, the second round is over. Take the rest of the day off and rest here, Tomorrow morning, your scores will be announced and the third round and the final round of the competition will begin.” An Elder announced and left.