3 New animal friend

As the snake stared intently into Eric eyes, Eric couldn't help but feel a sense of fear wash over him. The memory of the snake firing a green magic orb at a large wolf, that was now laying next to Eric, was still fresh in his mind.

Eric couldn't help but wonder if he could wield that kind of power. 'If I could use magic like that too, would I be able to do what I want?'

The snake was steadily approaching Eric, and once it got close, he was jolted out of his thoughts. 'Why am I in my thoughts again? I'm just putting myself in danger if I continue like this. I need to stop this habit of mine that I developed in the void.'

Eric quickly attempted to stand up, but before he could manage to, the snake was already coiled around his foot, slowly making its way up his leg. Because the snake was literally on Eric he could finally observe him. It was around 30 inches long, or 50cm.

Eric's legs began to shake as the fear took hold. He couldn't stop shaking even though he wanted it to stop.

Eric started trying to shake the snake off at least. But now with his already weakened body, he couldn't muster up enough strength to support his intentions.

It was no use at all. The snake didn't even seem to be bothered by Eric's movement at all despite the difference in height and weight.

It was still firmly wrapped around Eric already near its head.

'I can't let him get on my neck. He will strangle me if he manages to get there.' Eric frantically tried to come up with a solution but he couldn't manage to do that in time as the snake already started wrapping around his neck.

As the snake got closer to Eric's ear, it whispered something.

Or at least that was what it sounded like to Eric.

{SSsssss. Speakerrrrrr}

Eric heard the snake, its voice speaking in a language that he had never heard or learned before, but somehow, he understood it.

The experience was strange.

Imagine suddenly being able to hear a dog's voice instead of barks.

Eric tried to respond since it didn't seem like it wanted to harm him if it wanted to talk.

If it had, he probably would have been finished by now.

{Why can I understand you? Can you understand me as well?}

{Sssss. Because you are a speaker. Yes. I call you speaker since you are parseltongue and can talk and lead snakessssssss.}

Maybe because he could communicate with the snake now made him feel a little more at ease.

Talking to someone after spending a long time in a dark place without anyone and anything is a delightful experience.

Eric kind of wondered how he didn't go insane without talking to anyone for over a year, and even felt wiser because of it.

'Huh, so I can talk to snakes now I guess? It's a shock, but I'm desperate to talk to someone. I wonder if it will help me?'

I asked the snake, not really sure how to communicate with it but just imagining responding to it. {Can you help me, please? I don't know where I am and how to survive here. Can you somehow help me?}

{SSSSsssss. Of course, Speaker. I would do anything just to help the honored speaker. We are in the forbidden forest. Or that's what the centaurs call it. I've never left this forest, but from what I know, it's around 1000 km2. And there is also a castle full of dangerous humans who can use sorcery. We are currently 30km away from the castle, but I don't advise going there as everyone there can use magic. I also don't have a name, so if the Speaker thinks so highly of me, I would be more than happy if he could name me.}

'Hmnn, this reminds me of my favorite books that my father always read to me before I went to sleep. It was about a boy called Harry Potter and his journey in the wizarding world. I also think there was a forbidden forest near the castle but I don't remember any other buildings like Orphanages that could be near the forbidden forest. That means I can't be in the world of Harry Potter. But I should still check the castle and maybe if it's Hogwarts they could help me. Since I don't know what they might do to me I should learn how to hunt and some other things.'

{Thank you for your help. I would still want to go towards the castle since I want to check something. But before we arrive at the castle, I would want to learn some things since that may help me while protecting myself. As for your name. . . . I don't have a good naming sense since the only animal I had was a rat that I named Peter. But if you insist then your name shall be Slyde. Also just call me Eric as we will talk more in the future.}

Eric responded quite satisfied with the new name he has given. The sna-Slyde was obviously more than happy with his new name.

'If I get back to the castle they might even teach me some magic if it's Harry Potter world. I always wanted to go into that world and make new buddies and experience how magic feels. And once I learn some good magic I will go to the Orphanage again and calmy talk with them.'

A big smile slowly appeared on Eric's face.

It was the most creepy smile that you could imagine. His cheeks were almost tearing apart because of the smile's length.

The smile solidified once Eric started thinking about the things he would do to the people there.

'Huh, that doesn't feel right. My parents always told me that hurting someone is bad.' Eric couldn't start thinking about why he smiled like that unconsciously because Slyde started talking.

Depends if you can really call that talking since it sounds like a normal maybe a little louder hissing. But Eric could understand it anyway.

{Ssssss. Thank you so much for the name, Eric. I think it is a good idea to eat part of the wolf since using Core magic made me a little weak.}

{Core magic? But yes good idea. I also feel a little we-}

As Eric stopped talking with Slyde for a while he looked around and only saw darkness. Before he realized it he fell to the ground and slept.

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Once Eric woke up Slyde was lying on top of his body looking around with his small but dark green eyes. Scanning every part of the forest around them making sure no other animal is near them.

Slyde then felt Eric's little movement and steadily went down as not to make Eric uncomfortable.

Eric didn't mind any of this and was even slightly happy that someone took care of his safety while he was asleep as he already knew that this forest was really dangerous.

Eric slowly stood up while feeling hungry and mentally tired from what happened yesterday. That was probably also the reason he just fell asleep randomly yesterday.

{Good morning, Slyde}

{Good morning, Eric}

{I am really hungry Slyde let's eat some of that wolf. Wait isn't it poisoned by the poison you shot into him? And I had another question, what the hell is Core magic?} Eric started asking right after that because he couldn't ask about the core magic Slyde mentioned before he fell asleep.

{Sssss. Although it was poisoned, once it dies the poison disappears instantly, so no need to worry about that. And Core magic is a branch of magic that is in the blood of the Magic beasts and can be used intuitively after the beast is born.}

Slyde started explaining as he made his way toward the wolf that was a few meters next to them.

{Okay, then I need some fire to make it eatable since I can't eat it raw just like you. Good to know that there are more kinds of Magic out there. It could probably be useful in the future when I am fighting against magic beasts.}

Eric said while nodding. He was also secretly trying to remember this piece of information because this may be the very first real magic he has come into contact with.

'Also there is a problem with wood if I want to make a fire. There is no dry wood in here. It was raining yesterday so I would need to search for hours to find some dry wood that can be burned. I should also make some jackets from the skin of the wolf since it should be warm inside. Maybe I could visit the castle after that. Before that, I should learn how to survive here and make some place to live. After all, I don't want to be so powerless that I always have to rely on someone's strength.'

After this continued an hour-long discussion on what they would do from now on.

After deciding on everything Slyde pointed his tail in the castle's direction and they started walking toward it. Eric and Slyde wanted to make a place to live somewhere near the castle so they don't encounter any overpowered magical beasts.

'Hmnn. Since I healed myself once before I was probably using magic and felt it as cold energy. As Slyde said he has Core magic that is with him from birth maybe I have also some Core magic? But he only said that Magic beasts have Core magic. Are humans with magic counted as Magic beasts too? Ahhhhhh it's so frustrating I want to do some magic too. I wonder what may my Core magic be if I have one.'

Eric thought so much that he couldn't resist asking after a while of walking.

{Hey, Slyde.}

{Sssss What is the matter, Eric?}

{Umm, are humans counted as Magic beasts too? I mean if they have some Core magic too.}

{Ssssss I heard that some humans had special talents like All-Magic Seeing Eye but that's extremely rare. But pure humans that don't have any magical beasts' blood inside them mostly don't have any Core magic. And even if they have some Magical beast's blood they only may have enhanced talent, something like dwarfs has a special sense for blacksmithing. Or half-giant's talent for taking care of animals. But even that is not exactly called Core magic.}

{So there is no way for me to have any Core magic?} Eric said visibly saddened like a child that lost his little dream.

{Sssss It would be really rare to have some but it's not impossible. There have been some stories that I heard from centaurs that humans have a small chance of awakening their core magic once they experience something really difficult and life-threatening. So you still have a chance.}

Of course, Slyde couldn't say that it was impossible since Eric may be really sad after that so Slyde said one of the stories that were passed on in the centaurs tribe that were called shameful ones because they were told by a foolish centaur that betrayed the tribe. This was one of the most famous stories and also one that the centaur was ridiculed the most.

{Great! I want some cool Core magic like teleportation!} Eric said cheerfully with a face filled with extreme happiness at talking with someone about his dreams and magic.

You could not recognize that this was the same child, who had a while ago face filled with a cruel smile.