- What do you mean by small problem?

  - Well, it's just that I don't think he likes me; he's told me so on more than one occasion, and he's the one who decides when to talk to me, it's not like I can just call him and that's it. I can't guarantee or promise you that he will help you.

  - Is it because I'm a snake?

  - No, no, as I told you, I think it's more about me.

  - But are you, his descendant? And why wouldn't you help finish what Tammat fought so hard for? She was just trying to fulfill the duty of her heritage that was given by one of her great ancestors, and that would help us all.

  - Well, it's just that …………………………

  - Stop beating around the bush.

  - They heard it! Maybe your great serpent that speaks through the mind?

  - She can't hear me, only you can. Don't complicate things any further and tell her to share her story with Tammat and what she was trying to do, and from there I'll decide if I can or want to help.

  I felt overwhelmed. What was I getting myself into? I must look like a crazy person talking to myself, but, oh well.

  - I don't think anyone heard it, but well, the great ancestor told me to tell your story with Tammat and what you wanted to do, and from there he would see if he could help. Don't worry, everything I hear and see, he also sees and hears, so I suppose he is listening to you now.

  - Wait! Brother A great ancestor! A great ancestor! It's incredible! It’s incredible! That's why you are different, that's why you have that strange heritage. Was it given to you directly by a great ancestor? That, that...…. oh, oh, oh………

  - Hey, I already told you not to move; I'm repeating it to both of you. And thank you, Breigon, for this opportunity and great ancestor of the kobolds; I appreciate that you want to listen to me. I will tell you the story of your descendant Tammat and above all about my friend and her struggle to be worthy of her lineage.

  - Well, where do I start? I know little about Tammat's life before I met her, but she told me that since she hatched, she was destined to be a wise. She had great mana, and her control over it was exemplary. However, it wasn't until she achieved the "awakening of her blood," as she told me, that she understood why the kobolds were sent here to the great caverns. She tried to explain it to the wise man of her village, but they ignored her; they only wanted her to lay eggs in the hope that others would also achieve the "awakening." She also told me that her village had strayed from their true lineage, however, she never blamed them, and despite that, she decided to fulfill both tasks, her duty to the village and her duty to her great ancestors.

  - I met her when I was looking to fulfill one of her duties; Personally, I didn't get along with her village, they killed many of my young, and while I know it's part of living and surviving in these caves, I didn't like it, even more so because it was almost impossible to argue with the wise men of her village. They were adamant that it was their right to dispose of what existed in the great caves. Tammat was however different, well maybe not at the beginning, since they sent her to kill me; it was a very close fight, many times my life was at risk, but never since I awakened my consciousness and managed to become a great snake, but that changed during my fight against Tammat, although I usually don't look to start a fight, I do seek to be the one to finish it; however, something in Tammat didn't allow me to do it, I could have killed her in the end, but I couldn't, such mercy, respect, the truth is I don't know; She for her part did not stop looking for me and challenging me, not to hunt me but because her pride told her to defeat me, we fought countless times, and we got to the point where we forgot who won and who lost and we only sought to challenge each other for fun, in the end we became friends; She also made the kobold village stop hunting indiscriminately not only my young, but all the species in the great caves; She told me that thanks to our fights she had gained enough strength so that no wise man would say no to her; In addition, they still hoped that she would give them more descendants who would achieve the "awakening of their blood", so they depended on her; although Tammat knew that it was not that simple, since awakening is not only about lineage, which is important of course, but something else is needed and unfortunately her village had already forgotten that; but she never lost hope and hoped that one of her offspring would be like her, and help her fulfill her duty that her ancestors inherited from her, but that she could not fulfill alone, she even had the crazy idea and hope that if one of her offspring could communicate with their ancestors, everything would be simpler, at least that's what I understood………………………………

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  - I'm sorry, I miss her so much. Why didn't she look for me when the humans attacked her village? I would have helped her without hesitation; perhaps it was because of her pride …………………….

  - I'm sorry, I think it was because of us and to protect all the hatchlings that hadn't hatched yet. Possibly the humans attacked by surprise, and if she had left the village to look for you, it would have been too late; thanks to her, we are here, that's what Kirkarrg told us.

  - I see, thanks for telling me; now it all makes more sense. I would have done the same for my offspring ………………….. Tammat, I swear to protect your offspring and yes, you were right, your hope did come true; I regret that you couldn't see it.

  - That reminds me of the reason for telling you all this and my hope that Tammat's efforts do not end up being in vain. As I told you, when she achieved the "awakening," she said she understood the reason why the kobolds were sent here to the great caves. She told me that in their heritage, it was written that they had to complete a seal that the great Orgarrl could not finish during the war against the humans, and this would accomplish two things: the first, to help kobolds fight against the humans, and the second, to protect the great caves. I don't know if you know this, but in this place, mana accumulates in the rocks, and this accumulation allows other species, given enough time, to awaken their consciousness. That happened to me and others, however, humans only want the mineral to make magical tools. A human told me that. Personally, I don't see a problem with it; humans don't have mana crystals like us, so they need objects that have them to do magic, apart from the pact with the great spirits. The problem is that lately, more of them are coming, and they only care about the mineral, extracting it so quickly and in ever-increasing quantities that it doesn't allow for natural replenishment. Not to mention they kill every living being they encounter. But as I told Garrl, not all humans are bad, but these ones are. My hope and Tammat's was to finish the seal. It's not that I can't fight against the humans, but they would just keep coming until one of them manages to kill me; and unfortunately, they don't listen to reason. So, with the seal, we hoped to strengthen the kobold village to protect us, and in turn, they would fulfill their duty to their ancestors. Unfortunately, that won't be possible without the village. However, the seal could still protect us in some way; it's the only thing I can think of.

  - Tammat moved forward and worked for a long time to finish the seal; however, as she said, her heritage had limits. But I beg you, great ancestor, who listens through Breigon: help us finish the seal. Please, allow Tammat's sacrifice not to be in vain and that his descendants fulfill the duty you entrusted to them, please.

  I was stunned. Everything the great serpent told us, the story of Tammat, the one who gave her life to protect us, filled me with mixed feelings of sadness and pride. I understand a bit more about the kobold society and their struggle, also about what this place is and why the great serpent speaks, the magic, about humans and what is at stake, the survival of this habitat and all the beings that inhabit it. I know how we humans are when we want to exploit a resource; if we are determined, we won't stop. But the only one who could change and give hope to the great serpent is not me, but the great ancestor who is listening to your plea through me.

  - Tell this to the great serpent……………………