Day Seven. Morning.

It took me only a few minutes to position Saya and a little longer to explain what I intended. After that, I returned to Besina’s cavern.

I felt a bit guilty about using the young gnome, especially after mentally chiding Gelar for sending her into the forest alone, but Saya’s part in my plan, while crucial, would be small and without danger.

I was sure of it. Or almost.

She’ll be fine, I told myself. And certainly in less danger than if she fled unaccompanied to the safe zone.

Refocusing on the matter at hand, I stared downwards. Once more, I was crouched atop the crest of the tunnel leading into Besina’s lair.

This time, I’d taken the long way around approaching the wyvern. Lowering myself down the rope had been nerve-racking enough before, and besides, for what I intended, I needed to be near the cavern’s entrance.

The beast was still asleep, and I mentally reviewed my plan. Once I set my scheme in motion, things would progress quickly, and I would have to act without hesitation.

I took a deep calming breath. It was time. I knew the plan backwards already and was ready.

Sinking deeper into the shadows, I drew on my psi and cast astral blade. From where I crouched, Besina made for an unmissable target. Taking aim at the wyvern’s forehead, I whipped my hand forward, releasing the purple dagger.

The magical projectile flew through the air and struck the beast dead center.

Your astral blade has failed to harm Besina. Green wyverns are immune to all forms of mental assaults! Your attack has been detected!

My lips twisted down sourly. The lack of damage was unsurprising; I’d known enough to expect it. Still, it was depressing to see how futile my attack had been.

Besina has failed to detect you! You remain hidden.

The wyvern’s eyes had snapped open. I smiled grimly. Awakening the beast had been the true purpose of my attack. There was no turning back now.

Casting ventro, I projected my voice to a spot just inside the cavern and about five yards from my actual location. “Well, ugly, it looks like I found where you’ve been hiding,” I said sneeringly. “This place is a real dump.”

The wyvern mother’s neck jerked erect, and her nostrils flared as she tasted the air. “You!” she hissed. With startling quickness, Besina’s gaze fixed on the spot from which my voice had originated.

Besina has failed to detect you!

Knowing what came next, I slid down the slope, retreating silently, while still throwing my voice forward. “Me,” I agreed. “I’ve already rid the valley of your hatchling. Now, it’s time I put an end to you too.”

I heard the slap of wings on water, and the thud of feet as Besina heaved her bulk upwards. The beast was moving.

Right, that’s got her riled up. My own pulse quickening, I hastened my retreat through the shadows.

A heartbeat later, jets of green, acidic spittle exploded across the top of the tunnel.

Yikes. “Haha, you missed me,” I yelled gleefully, still using ventro to disguise my true position.

Besina herself appeared on the crest. Eyes narrowed and brimming with rage, she scanned the tunnel ahead of her. But by now, I was further down the tunnel and well-concealed.

Besina has failed to detect you!

“You dare attempt your childish tricks on me, human? They will not save you,” the wyvern hissed. “I will find you and kill you slowly. I shall feed off your bones, bit by bit. You will die, and horribly,” she promised with menacing certainty.

I reached the t-junction and stopped. With the sunlight streaming in from the right fork, this was the brightest spot in the tunnels, and I couldn’t tarry long, but I still had time for another quip.

“Oh, I’m sure I will die,” I said through ventro before slipping into the darker tunnel leading towards Ishita’s sworn. “One day, surely I must, but that day is not today. Today that honor is reserved for you.” I paused. “I will make it quick, I promise.”

I was keeping a vigilant watch through my mindsight so I didn’t miss my foe’s sudden re-entry in range as she rushed to the t-junction.

Besina has failed to detect you!

“Show yourself, worm,” the wyvern screeched in frustration when she found the crossing empty.

I chuckled. “Now, why would I do that?” I asked, hurrying down the tunnel. Taunting the wyvern mother was perhaps not wise, but the angrier she was, the better were my chances of getting her to act without considering the consequences.

If she balked, it could prove disastrous.

“Where is my pet?” Besina asked abruptly, ignoring my own response.

“Pet?” I asked with feigned disinterest.

The wyvern did not answer immediately, and when she did, her voice was flat, stripped of its earlier rage. “The alchemist.”

I opened my mouth to retort, then paused as my senses prickled. Besina had fallen out of range of my mindsight and hadn’t reappeared, so I wasn’t worried that she was close.

But something was not right.

Frowning, I listened keenly. At the edges of my hearing, I heard the faint scrape of claws on stone.

You have detected a hidden entity!

The wyvern had changed tactics and, under cover of our conversation, was stalking me!

Based on the half-heard sound, I placed Besina’s position at less than eight yards away. She had shielded her mind, too, which was why I wasn’t seeing her in my mindsight.

Bloody cunning.

My lips thinned. But you’re not catching me that easily.

I’d hoped to draw out my game of cat and mouse with Besina a bit longer, but that was looking too dangerous now. Pulling an object from my pocket, I slipped further away.

“Oh, you mean Saya,” I said casually, resuming our conversation as if it had never faltered. “You don’t have to worry about her. She is safely in the custody of Ishita’s mages now.”

Besina didn’t reply, and I sensed she was done talking. Sure enough, a second later, her large form rushed into sight. She was charging me.

You have detected a hidden entity. Besina is no longer hidden!

Besina has detected you. You are no longer hidden!

Well, damn. Ignoring the wyvern’s hurtling shape, I smashed the smoke I held into the ground at my feet.

You have ignited a smoke bomb. You are hidden once more.

Turning tail, I rushed blindly through the thick plumes of smoke. My eyes were squeezed shut, and my left arm was extended so that my fingers brushed the tunnel’s sidewall.

Behind me, I heard Besina pull up to a stop and hiss in frustration as she lost sight of me again. It didn’t stop her from retaliating, though, and a moment later, a lance of acidic spittle cut through the smoke cloud.

You have evaded Besina’s attack.

The lethal jet of acid splashed into the rock less than a yard behind me. It had missed me more by happenstance than by design.

That was too close, I thought, wiping beads of sweat from my brow. Time for a little more deception.

Recasting ventro, I taunted my pursuer, “What happened to killing me nice and slow? You’ve reconsidered, I take it?”

My only response was another stream of acid. It was fired randomly and missed me by a long way. Besina was clearly no longer interested in talking.

Grimacing, I burst through the smoke field and, foregoing any further attempt at stealth, sprinted through the tunnel to my next waypoint.

A few seconds later, Besina appeared behind me.

Knowing the wyvern was quicker than me and expecting her to close to attacking range soon, I began bobbing and weaving to spoil her aim.

A jet of acid splashed against the tunnel wall, inches to my right. Not slowing, I glanced over my shoulder. Besina had paused to launch the attack, opening the distance between us slightly.

Good, I thought. That will help.

Casting one-step, I added to the erraticness of my flight, jinking up and down as well as left and right now.

You have evaded Besina’s attack.

You have evaded Besina’s attack.

You have …

Head down, I kept running, steadfastly ignoring the slew of acid projectiles falling in my wake. I had only a little further to go to reach my next waypoint and, to my great relief, I got to it without being struck.

My hand whipped forward, releasing another bomb.

You have ignited a smoke bomb. You are hidden once more.

Safely concealed, I took a moment to gasp silently for breath while I recovered.

Behind me, I heard Besina slowly pick her way through the billowing clouds, while from further down the passage, fresh voices carried to me.

“... hear that?”

Lutra groaned. “Please, Ishan, not this again.”

“Quiet, Lutra,” Worca snapped. “I hear it too this time.”

With a tight smile, I felt my way to a small nook I’d picked out earlier and wedged myself into it. I’d advanced as far into the tunnel as I’d dared, and Ishita’s sworn—and their mysterious wards—were not much farther away. At my rear, I heard Besina draw closer.

It was time to play my final card.

Projecting my voice as far forward into the tunnel as I could, I shouted, “Xrex, Worca, help! She’s on my tail. Get ready, we can finally kill this beast!”

Behind me, Besina snarled in rage. She’d heard me, alright. Opening my mindsight, I watched the wyvern draw closer. Whatever shield Besina had woven about her mind had dissipated, and she hadn’t bothered replenishing it. Abandoning her careful approach, the wyvern was charging blindly through the smoke now, ignoring her many collisions with the sidewalls.

Ahead, the four mages were yelling in confusion.

I smiled. Perfect.

Focusing on the only other bubble of awareness in my mindsight—Saya, strategically placed on the clifftop above my current position—I made my escape.

You have cast shadow blink and teleported yourself eight yards away.

Now, the fun begins.