Shisi undertook a long and arduous journey, his serpentine senses guiding him in the search for the perfect sanctuary for the precious egg. His quest led him to the fringes of a human settlement, where a towering mountain pierced the sky. Drawn by an instinct he couldn't ignore, he discovered a shadowed maw in the mountainside, an opening that promised passage into the earth's embrace. He ventured deep within, navigating an intricate labyrinth of tunnels that stretched into the unknown.
With meticulous care, Shisi explored the subterranean network, his forked tongue tasting the air, seeking the ideal haven. Finally, within a secluded alcove carved into the rock face, he found it. He painstakingly lined the space with soft leaves and pliable shrubs, creating a cradle of comfort before gently laying the smooth, obsidian-like egg within.
Two long years crawled by. Shisi remained vigilant, a silent guardian, his scaled form a constant presence beside the unhatched promise. But the egg remained stubbornly dormant. A profound sorrow settled within his ancient heart. He knew what he had to do. He would offer his life for the future it held.
Yet, before embracing the final act, he reached into the worn pouch that hung at his side. From its depths, he withdrew a revered object: a blade unlike any other. It was shaped like a short sword or a substantial dagger, its form concealed within a sheath of meticulously stitched animal hide and supple leather.
Shisi's gaze softened as he looked upon the unyielding egg. "This," he rasped, his voice echoing in the stillness, "was entrusted to me by your father, a testament to my unwavering loyalty. It is the zenith of serpentine weaponry, a blade forged in the fires of our ancestors, crafted from a legendary alloy. Observe its hilt, shaped like a 'T' for balance and grip. And the blade itself… note its sinuous undulations, a tribute to the very essence of our kind. But its true marvel lies within its composition. This alloy… it possesses the power to cleave through all. May fortune smile upon your path, my king."
With a final, heartfelt pronouncement, Shisi placed his scaled hands upon the unyielding surface of the egg. He closed his eyes, and ancient words, resonant with the power of the Serpentines, flowed from his lips. A shimmering light enveloped him, and then, with a whisper like shifting sands, he vanished into the air, leaving behind only a faint trace of dust.
Silence descended once more, thick and expectant. Then, a hairline fracture spiderwebbed across the egg's surface. A moment later, with a soft cracking sound, it yielded. Emerging from the fragmented shell was a child, impossibly small yet seemingly several years in age, his skin a startling shade of violet. He moved with the clumsy efforts of one newly awakened, crawling weakly on the rough stone floor.
The subterranean world was his first reality. He survived by lapping at the droplets of water that seeped through the cavern ceiling and by nibbling on the sparse, resilient shrubs and tough blades of grass that found purchase in the dim light filtering from unseen cracks. The perpetual darkness became his constant companion, and his young eyes, wide and luminous, gradually adapted to the gloom, piercing the shadows with an uncanny clarity.
Years passed in the silent depths. By the time he reached the age of nine, a nascent will began to stir within him. The meager resources of his underground haven were dwindling. A decision formed in his young mind: he would seek the world beyond.
With a newfound determination, he located the pouch, still lying where Shisi had left it. He retraced the path the serpentine guardian had taken, his small form navigating the familiar tunnels with growing confidence.
Finally, he reached the opening, the gateway to the unknown world above.
But before stepping into the light, he paused.
He would not face this new world nameless. He reached for the sheathed weapon within the pouch, its leather cool against his violet skin.
"I shall call myself… Saland," he declared to the silent tunnels, his voice small yet firm. He drew the blade, its wavy form glinting faintly in the dim light. The legendary alloy hummed with a latent power.
"And you," he said, hefting the surprisingly balanced weapon, "you shall be known as… Fendi Montagne." Mountain Cleaver. With his name and his destiny in hand, Saland stepped out of the darkness and into the blinding light of the world above.