Heyyup. I nearly didn't have this chapter ready in time because I've had exams. But it was a snow day today, so it's all good! Thanks for the reviews, including one from Daisy-dollop who is totally awesome, as ever. Enjoy that chapter everyone, sorry if its shorter than usual. I think it is but, as my computer doesn't have a word-number-checking programme, I can't be sure until I've posted the chapter.

The instant it appeared Jake stepped protectively in front of me. Ordinarily I would have been rather insulted by this suggestion that I couldn't defend myself. Now, however, I knew perfectly well that I was helpless. I could barely stand, yet alone fend off an attack.

Jake wasn't the only one getting ready for a fight. Sou was warily pulling his mace from his belt and Hiroki drew his sword. Suzume was smiley cruelly.

"So, it's you." She took a step closer to the creature. It turned its head and flicked out its tongue.

Hiroki looked confused. "You've seen it before?" Suzume nodded.

Sou looked thoughtful. "I thought you'd hunted down all the fire snakes after the war finished. Did you miss some?"

Suzume looked amused. "Only one. We couldn't track the ones that were in their dormant state. Fortunately, only one had bitten someone in the past few years, so only one was inactive."

Hiroki now looked like he'd realised something. "You mean the one that bit Kazumi?"

Meanwhile, in the midst all them showing all these different emotions, Jake and I just looked confused and the snake looked like it was trying to decide which of us would taste the best.

"Indeed it is. And, in a way, we have a lot to thank it for. If it weren't for this snake biting Kazumi I wouldn't have met Takeru. Kazumi may have still awakened as the Guardian, but she wouldn't have met up with Daichi. We wouldn't have found you, Hiroki, and we wouldn't have saved you, Sou. And we wouldn't have joined up with Sachiko and won the war. And I will thank it." Suzume drew her dagger. "By cutting off its head."

The instant Suzume started her attack the snake chose its target. It probably didn't understand a word of what she had been saying, but it did seem to realise that Suzume was the biggest threat. It coiled back and then lunged out at her, barely missing her arm as she dodged away from it. She had an insane joy in her eyes, and I could tell she was excited to be fighting again. She held out her free hand and a blast of wind shot towards the snake. Its smoky form dispersed as the wind hit it, but then reformed. Its tail shook in warning, and it coiled back again, ready to strike.

Sou joined the fight, swinging his mace down towards the snake's head. The smoke once again dispersed and then reformed to show the angry gleam of the serpent's eyes. Sou jumped back to dodge its strike just as Suzume threw her dagger at it. Unlike Sou's mace, the dagger seemed to be able to make contact with the snake. It pinned it down and the snake writhed angrily. It didn't seem hurt by the dagger sticking through it, but it did seem a bit irritated by it.

Hiroki raised his arm and a set of vines burst from the already cracked floor. They wound their way around the snake, immobilising it. A few seconds later, however, the vines were burning and Suzume's dagger was flung free by a particularly vicious tail-swipe.

Meanwhile, Jake and I were trying to keep our distance. I knew that I'd only be a hindrance as my fighting skills weren't very good anyway. Even with all his experience, Jake seemed to have a similar mind set and wasn't intervening. However, just before we were far enough away to start running, a ring of fire erupted around us all, blocking our escape. Jake tried to disperse it, but nothing worked. I knew he'd be able to get out, but I had no chance. Jake turned and shouted back to the others.

"Hiroki! We're trapped!"

Smoke was forming as the surrounding plant life caught fire. I could barely make out the figures of the other three but I could still see the gleaming eyes of the serpent.

As the smoke entered my lungs I began to cough and fell to my knees. Jake knelt down next to me.

"Mabel, are you okay? Dammit! We need a way out of here!" Just as he started to look for an alternative route out of the ring of fire, Hiroki appeared through the smoke.

"Are you guys okay?" He had a burn across his face and looked like he also could do with a bit of cleaner air; he was coughing and gasping for breath.

"No!" Jake yelled back, also coughing. A second later, two red eyes appeared behind Hiroki. He couldn't turn quick enough, but Suzume managed to pull the serpent back and throw it to the floor. She turned back to Hiroki, but didn't see the smoky form of the snake reforming behind her.

"Suzume!" Hiroki's reactions were so fast I could barely follow them. He reached out and grabbed Jake's arm. Holding his sword in his other hand, he dragged Jake upright and drew the blade across Jake's hand. He then flicked Jake's hand so that a spray of blood was thrown at the black snake. The moment the red droplets touched it, the snake vanished, and the fires died down. All this happened in the space of about one and a half seconds, and so it took us all by surprise when we found that the danger had suddenly vanished.

Hiroki dropped Jake's arm and fell to his knees, gasping for breath. Sou limped over. His leg looked badly burned but, otherwise, he looked fine. Suzume looked shocked.

"I thought I'd killed it. Damn..." She shook her head. "I've never seen one that powerful before. I guess biting a Guardian must've enhanced its power or something."

Jake seemed to have only just noticed the cut on his hand.

"Hey!" He turned to Hiroki. "What was that for, anyway?"

Hiroki sat up. His eyes still closed, he spoke. "They only disappear when they've been in contact with blood. That's another name for them, Blood snakes. But if we had let it bite someone...well let's just say that wouldn't be good." He opened his eyes and looked at Jake. "I'm sorry."

Jake pushed himself to his feet and tried to stop the bleeding in his hand. "Yeah well...sorry won't heal my hand. Why couldn't you do it yourself?"

Hiroki also got up. "If I had used my own blood it would have come back a whole lot more powerful than before. I would've used Sou, but he was too far away."

Sou smiled apologetically. "Sorry I wasn't here to get my hand cut open."

Suzume came over and made to help me to my feet. She then seemed to remember the weird force-field thing and instead held out her hand making a small burst of wind lift me upwards. For a moment it seemed like my legs would be able to take the weight. But then I started to fall. Luckily, Jake caught me and helped steady me.

"What happens now? Will that thing come back?" I asked. I wasn't anxious to see the creature again, even if it was a magical creature from another world.

Hiroki looked extremely apologetic, and extremely worried. Which wasn't a good combination.

"Yes, it will. I don't know how long it will take, but it will come back soon. It'll only properly go dormant when its bitten someone. But...well, it'll probably come back for you Jake. It's got a taste for your blood and, since it thinks you're injured, you'll be its target. Sorry..."

Jake looked worried for a moment, but then smiled. "Okay then, I'll just have to keep an eye out for it. The worst it can do is bite me, right?"

Suzume frowned. "That's true. But once it's bitten you, you'll die, slowly and painfully."

Jake laughed. "Then I'll just get one of the waters to heal me or something!"

Suzume shook her head. "You can't. There isn't a cure. If that thing bites anyone, they will die."

For some reason, when I imagine the fire snake in my head, I imagine a round headed black snake, not unlike the one that I own. But round headed snakes are all constrictors and since the fire snake is venomous it should have a triangular head...so I avoided mentioning anything other than its colour so that I didn't confuse myself.
Also, Jake's being chased by an evil thing! Oh noes! And you also get some inkling as to the story about the Guardians. I'm sorry if those bits of mentioning confuses people. Because I've already written a lot of that story, I already know a lot of what happens, and I keep referencing it by accident. If it bothers you, I'll stop.
Anyway, peace out guys and may you also have snow if you want it, and not have snow if you don't. As my sister says 'May the snow be on your land'. Or in this case, not, if you do wish. Cya around!

P.S. I'll try to stop rambling in author's notes in the future...