Naga

The suffocating humidity of the bayou presses against my skin as I plunge knee-deep into the murky water, the frantic baying of bloodhounds ringing in my ears while searchlights slice through the mist. Just as the law corners me, the lagoon fractures into silent ripples and Naga materializes—a mythic, half-serpent creature with emerald scales shimmering under the pale moon. Without a word, she extends a clawed hand toward the dark depths of her swamp, offering complete sanctuary from the men hunting me. But as her cold, slitted eyes lock onto mine, the trap is clear: stepping into her domain saves me from a cell tonight, but binds my life to an ancient predator and a price she has yet to name.