The two men grappled in the confined space, their bodies pressed together in combat.

Thomas tried to push Renard away while gathering magical energy, his free hand beginning to glow with a soft blue light. Renard pressed forward relentlessly, trying to prevent the spell from forming. He could feel the heat building in Thomas's palm - whatever the elder was preparing, it would be dangerous in such a small space.

Thomas managed to grab Renard's shoulder with his non-glowing hand and shove him back against the wooden door. The impact sent a dull thud through the bathroom, and Renard worried about the noise carrying to other rooms. But he used the wall as leverage, planting his feet firmly and driving his knee toward Thomas's stomach with all his strength.

Thomas twisted aside at the last moment, and the knee caught his hip instead of his soft belly. He grunted in pain, his face twisting as the blow connected with bone, but he managed to wrap his arm around Renard's neck. His forearm pressed against Renard's throat, trying to get him in a chokehold while keeping his glowing hand free to complete the spell.

"You fuking....twerp," Thomas panted, his breath hot against Renard's ear.

The magical glow around his free hand grew brighter, shifting from soft blue to brilliant white. Renard could feel the energy building - whatever Thomas was preparing, it was almost ready. The elder's arm tightened around his neck, cutting off air and making black spots dance at the edges of his vision.

Renard broke the hold by driving his elbow back into Thomas's ribs, right where he'd hit before. The sharp point of his elbow found the same spot, and he felt something give way under the impact. Thomas's grip loosened with a sharp intake of breath that sounded more like a wheeze, and Renard spun around to face him again.

Blood trickled from the corner of Thomas's mouth where he'd bitten his tongue during the elbow strike. His left arm hung slightly lower than before - the rib damage was affecting his movement. But his right hand still glowed with dangerous magic, and his eyes held the desperate focus of a cornered animal.

"I'll fucking kill you!" Thomas said, backing against the washbasin.

Renard could see the spell forming in Thomas's palm. The white light was taking shape, condensing into something that looked like a small star.

Renard feinted left, then dove right. Thomas tried to track him with the spell, but the confined space worked against the elder. His back was already pressed against the washbasin, leaving him no room to maneuver. Renard grabbed for his wrist, trying to force the magical energy away from both of them.

They struggled for control of Thomas's glowing hand. The magical energy crackled between them, casting wild shadows on the bathroom walls. Thomas was stronger than he looked, his scholar's frame hiding wiry muscle built from years of physical training alongside his magical studies.

Renard managed to slam Thomas's wrist against the edge of the washbasin. The elder cried out as bone struck stone, but he didn't release the spell. Instead, the magical energy flared brighter, becoming unstable from the impact.

"You're going to kill us both!" Thomas shouted, genuine fear replacing his earlier confusion. The spell was becoming harder to control, the white light flickering and sparking.

Thomas tried to release the energy safely, pointing his hand toward the ceiling, but Renard grabbed his arm and forced it down toward the floor. Neither of them wanted a magical explosion in such a confined space, but neither could afford to let the other gain control.

The struggle continued for what felt like hours but was probably only seconds. Thomas tried to knee Renard in the groin, but Renard twisted aside and the blow caught his thigh instead. He responded by headbutting Thomas in the nose, feeling cartilage crunch under the impact.

Blood streamed down Thomas's face, but he held onto the spell. His eyes were watering from the broken nose, making it harder for him to see, but he was getting desperate. The magical energy was becoming too much to contain safely.

But Thomas was getting desperate. The magical energy around his hand was almost ready to release, and in the small bathroom, even a defensive spell could be lethal. He had to do something soon, or the unstable magic would hurt them both.

Right at that moment, Boa struck without warning.

The serpent had been waiting in the corner of the bathroom, coiled behind the small waste bucket where neither fighter had noticed her. She had watched the entire battle with patient, predatory focus, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

As Thomas focused on gathering magical energy and struggling with Renard, Boa launched herself from the floor in a smooth, deadly arc. Her small body moved like a living whip, covering the distance to Thomas's ankle in a heartbeat. Her fangs, which had grown longer and sharper during her time at the monastery, sank deep into the elder's leg just above his soft indoor shoe.

T

Thomas cried out in surprise and pain, the magical energy fading as his concentration shattered completely. The white light flickered and died like a snuffed candle, leaving only the soft glow of the bathroom's crystal lamp. He looked down at the small serpent attached to his leg, confusion replacing the desperate focus in his eyes.

"What is that... thing?" he stammered, trying to shake Boa loose with his free leg.

But it was too late.

Boa's poison had evolved significantly during her time at Renard was working his way into the Monastery. Her teeth, which had been small and undeveloped at the time when Renard made the contract, now sank deep into his leg like tiny daggers!

More over Bao's Venom glands were developed now and her poison had grown to something dangerous.

The venom spread through Thomas's system with frightening efficiency. Renard could see the change almost immediately - the elder's pupils dilated, his skin flushed red, then went pale. Muscle tremors started in his hands and spread up his arms. His coordination began to fail as the neurotoxin attacked his nervous system.

Thomas tried to grab onto the washbasin for support, but his fingers wouldn't obey him properly. His knees buckled, and he started to slide down the wall. The broken nose was still bleeding, but now he couldn't even wipe the blood away.

"You... you...!" Thomas whispered, his voice slurring as the poison affected his speech.

Renard pressed his advantage immediately. As Thomas struggled to maintain balance while fighting the poison's effects, Renard grabbed the elder's head in both hands. Thomas tried to resist, but his muscles were no longer responding properly. His hands came up weakly, but they had no strength left.

With one sharp, decisive motion, Renard twisted. The neck bones separated with a wet crack that echoed off the bathroom walls, and Thomas collapsed instantly. His body went completely limp, sliding down the wall to crumple on the floor like a discarded puppet.

Elder Thomas was dead!

homas cried out in surprise and pain, the magical energy fading as his concentration shattered completely. The white light flickered and died like a snuffed candle, leaving only the soft glow of the bathroom's crystal lamp. He looked down at the small serpent attached to his leg, confusion replacing the desperate focus in his eyes.

"What is that... thing?" he stammered, trying to shake Boa loose with his free leg.

But it was too late.

Boa's poison had evolved significantly during her time at Renard was working his way into the Monastery. Her teeth, which had been small and undeveloped at the time when Renard made the contract, now sank deep into his leg like tiny daggers!

More over Bao's Venom glands were developed now and her poison had grown to something dangerous.

The venom spread through Thomas's system with frightening efficiency. Renard could see the change almost immediately - the elder's pupils dilated, his skin flushed red, then went pale. Muscle tremors started in his hands and spread up his arms. His coordination began to fail as the neurotoxin attacked his nervous system.

Thomas tried to grab onto the washbasin for support, but his fingers wouldn't obey him properly. His knees buckled, and he started to slide down the wall. The broken nose was still bleeding, but now he couldn't even wipe the blood away.

"You... you...!" Thomas whispered, his voice slurring as the poison affected his speech.

Renard pressed his advantage immediately. As Thomas struggled to maintain balance while fighting the poison's effects, Renard grabbed the elder's head in both hands. Thomas tried to resist, but his muscles were no longer responding properly. His hands came up weakly, but they had no strength left.

With one sharp, decisive motion, Renard twisted. The neck bones separated with a wet crack that echoed off the bathroom walls, and Thomas collapsed instantly. His body went completely limp, sliding down the wall to crumple on the floor like a discarded puppet.

Elder Thomas was dead!

---***---