The slaying of the Serpent

In the heart of a mist-shrouded valley, a lone wizard stood before a massive, serpentine creature coiling through the fog. Its scales shimmered like deep oceans, a rich, impossible blue that seemed to twist and shift, reflecting the darkness of the world’s lies. The serpent hissed, its voice a chorus of whispers and half-truths, twisting the air around them with illusions and deceit. The wizard raised his sword, his eyes narrowed with determination. "You are nothing but a false shadow," he muttered, as the serpent's coils hissed louder, constricting around the very air. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a blaze of truth, a pure light that pierced through the fog, unraveling the serpent’s form, exposing its hollow core. The serpent writhed in agony, the whispers fading as its illusions shattered, leaving only the cold truth that even the most tangled lies cannot escape the light.