Felicia whipped around, shining her flashlight behind her. A pair of golden, slit-shaped pupils stared back. The python's scales glistened under the beam, resembling grotesque, armored plates. Their sickly sheen made Felicia's scalp prickle with unease.
Without hesitation, she turned and bolted.
The python immediately gave chase, slithering at a terrifying speed. Its body glided across the ground, closing the gap between them. Felicia yanked the knife strapped to her thigh and, without looking back, hurled it toward the reptile.
There was a brief pause, then, enraged, the python surged forward even faster, chasing her with renewed fury. This was not an opponent she could handle.
Felicia ran as fast as she could, using the terrain to create obstacles, hoping to lose the python. But this was the python's domain. No matter how hard she tried, sweating and panting, she couldn't shake it.
Then, the path abruptly ended. A massive boulder, likely dislodged by a landslide or earthquake, blocked her way. To her left flowed water, undoubtedly teeming with crocodiles.
Given no other choice, she decided to strike first. Felicia gripped a handful of silver needles and hurled them at the python's eyes. To her surprise, the python didn't dodge. Three needles embedded themselves in its left pupil, causing the massive reptile to thrash violently in pain. Its tail lashed out, whipping toward Felicia.
She quickly backed off, her skin crawling at the thought of the creature touching her. The python missed and was further enraged. It launched another attack, intent on coiling around her and crushing her. Felicia had nowhere left to run. Clutching her last small knife, she braced herself, searching for an opening to break free. But when the python struck, she found no escape.
This was it. She was doomed.
At that critical moment, a gleaming blade sliced through the air with terrifying precision. The blade struck the python's neck, severing its head instantly. Even decapitated, the python's body continued to writhe, lunging toward Felicia.
Before she could even curse, she felt something around her waist. Simultaneously, a deep, magnetic voice whispered close to her ear, "Close your eyes."
She obeyed without question. In the next instant, she felt herself lifted, a sense of weightlessness washing over her. With an almost impossible maneuver, the man carried her onto the massive boulder. By the time her feet touched down, she was standing atop it.
It reminded her of the night at the Fuller residence, when someone had whisked her away over the towering iron gates, saving a life in exchange for ten million dollars.
Below them, the python's thrashing body crashed into the boulder. The impact shook the ground, and the python finally stilled. Looking down, Felicia noticed with relief that not a speck of filth had touched her. She let out a deep breath, then turned to the man beside her.
He stood tall and imposing, his silhouette almost entirely engulfing hers. In the pale moonlight and the faint glow of the abandoned flashlight, the cold hues around them seemed dim and insignificant. Only this man shone brightly. He was strikingly handsome, an unparalleled presence that could charm anyone. His appearance rendered all danger trivial.
Felicia blinked at the breathtakingly handsome face before her. After a pause, he broke the silence, saying, "I've come to marry you. Are you touched?"