I take a moment to check on the current situation. The fellapodil hasn’t realised that it’s trapped yet – Dusty’s been keeping the water currents moving as they would if there was no barrier in the way between it and the rest of its underground lake. My guess that it doesn’t use eyes to see is borne out. It probably would notice anyway except for the distraction offered by my Bound at the moment.

  The fellapodil’s lack of eyes doesn’t seem to stop it from being able to target those attacking it. Tentacles flail through the air, writhing around the walls of the cavern like snakes as they attempt to strike and grab at those attacking it.

  My Bound are being sensible, though, not trying to take the tentacles head-on. Instead, they’re attacking from a distance and then moving around the rim of the pit to avoid the counter-attacks. So far, it looks like none of them have sustained even minor injuries as the creature seems to be relying purely on its physical might.

  The only problem with this is that it doesn’t appear that my Bound have managed to cause it any damage, either. I check in with my companions.

  Its defences are strong, Catch says tersely as he throws a large, sharp rock at it and then hurries to the side to avoid its return strike. Spears, even metal-tipped ones, just bounce off its thick hide.

  Crushing force from rocks seems to do more damage, but even that is very limited, grumbles Iandee.

  We don’t know yet whether it is susceptible to poison – if we can’t get it inside the creature’s body, we can’t affect it, adds Poison with a note of frustration.

  Only two of my topical poisons are working, contributes River, her voice more even than the Warriors’. Both used my Fire Herbalism and operate upon a principle of burning. The other concoctions I attempted seemed to be rinsed off by a material it secretes from its skin. But even the ones that worked have had little effect.

  Right, I acknowledge. It’s little that I hadn’t suspected, though I agree with the Warriors’ frustration – I was hoping that by upgrading our weapons to metal we’d be able to bridge the gap a little. Apparently not enough. And the creature hasn’t even begun to use any of the abilities it apparently has which suggests that it doesn’t see us as a threat – yet.

  Dusty, pull the water from around it. Raven, as soon as you can strike its body with your acidic mana attacks, please do.

  They both agree, Dusty more readily than Raven – I suspect the proud alcaoris doesn’t like taking orders, but since this is part of the favour he agreed to, he doesn’t argue.

  Next to me, the samuran concentrates so much that her body goes completely still. While she works on expanding her control over the water around the beast, I continue feeding in mana to reinforce the barrier I’ve built – it’s about to be put under pressure. Hopefully the dome-like structure I’ve used will offer it some structural reinforcement – it’s too big for me to saturate it in mana as I did the capsule materials to bring my Bound here.

  Are you OK? I check with Dusty cautiously as the minutes tick by. My Bound can’t avoid its tentacles forever, and the longer we take to move onto the next step, the more time the fellapodil has to change its mind and give up on this prey or to start using its attacks properly.

  Hard, she tells me shortly, her mental tone the equivalent of gritting her teeth. Creature has some control.

  As if that was the signal for all hell to break loose, the fellapodil’s tentacles start going wild. My guess that it hadn’t taken us seriously before is borne out – their speed doubles and their patterns become volatile. Perhaps Dusty’s attempt to wrest control over the water away from it has provoked it.

  I grit my teeth and pour more magic into my trapdoor – perhaps it’s that the fellapodil has realised it’s trapped and is by no means happy about the idea. Every tentacle that isn’t attacking my Bound or bracing it in place is redirected to striking at my limestone construction. Cracks rapidly develop almost as quickly as I can fill them in.

  Meanwhile, I hear Sirocco shriek in surprise as her wing is clipped by a tentacle; though seemingly not intentional, the fellapodil clearly realises it’s caused an injury. I open my eyes to see five more tentacles shooting towards her quicker than the fatigued and injured bird can avoid them.

  My heart in my mouth, my mind races as I try to think of a way to help her. Abruptly, the matter is taken out of my hands as a dark-coloured blur snatches her out of the air.

  Fear makes my stomach sink, but a moment later it’s replaced with relief. It wasn’t another tentacle: Bastet had leapt and knocked Sirocco out of the way before the tentacles could strike her. They’ve both landed safely on the other side, though Sirocco feels utterly exhausted over the Bond. I see River hurrying towards her, a potion vial in her hand.

  And it’s not over yet. Deprived of its prey, the fellapodil creeps its tentacles up the wall, its snake-like movement sending shivers down my spine just watching. It even stops pounding the trapdoor to concentrate on seeking its prey. I take advantage of its distraction to reinforce the limestone further and warn my Bound to pull back from the edge.

  They didn’t need the warning, already trying to escape the black serpentine limbs. My Bound have backed away far enough from the edge that the tentacles can’t reach them, but that means they can’t attack the main body either. And attacking the tentacles is risky as Daphne finds out.

  The brave little alcaoris rushes forwards to bite one of the tentacles. It rips itself free and bludgeons her with another of its limbs. She makes a horrible plaintive sound, one that rips at my heart – and more at her father’s. Raven rushes forwards in a rage to attack the fellapodil’s tentacles, snapping at them with his teeth and acidic mana without a care.

  Leaving Sirocco’s side, River rushes towards the baby alcaoris to feed her a healing potion even as the fellapodil concentrates its attentions on the other Tier three. I’m sure that attacking the tentacles isn’t the way to kill it, but with the beast so distracted, this gives us an opportunity.

  Joy, the ropes! I have an idea. I share the sense of my idea with my Bound and feel Joy’s acknowledgement. She immediately takes control of several of the ropes hanging down the wall of the cave, weaving them in between the tentacles to do her best to tie them into a knot.

  Tamer, I can help you, Yells offers, determination in her mental voice.

  With what? She doesn’t answer verbally, but sends me her intentions as a whole like I did when sharing my plan.

  You’re sure it will work? I ask her tersely, aware of Raven gaining more and more injuries as the tentacles stab and rip at his skin, his movements always only a few moments away from getting snared.

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  Yes. Mostly.

  I hesitate. Experiments at this moment could be very dangerous. But if it works…

  OK, fine. Yells get down here. Bastet, help her.

  But Tamer! The tentacles! Yells objects even as Bastet grimly agrees.

  It’s distracted. Move fast, I order. The young Pathwalker seems to grit her teeth but doesn’t argue any further.

  A few moments later, Bastet skids to a stop near my protected area, Yells on her back. Quickly shaping a hole in the wall around me just about big enough for me to squeeze myself through, I leave Dusty alone.

  She should be fine in the reinforced area hidden against the cavern wall – I used my previous experience of hiding behind stalactites while the tentacled beast flailed around looking for me as inspiration. Hopefully our actions will give her the chance to take full control over the water around the fellapodil.

  A pained bellow from Raven hurries my movements – the two Tier threes are going at it hammer and tongs, but my Ally is coming off worse. I cross my fingers in hope that this will work.

  Ready? I check with Bastet and Yells.

  Ready, they both answer. Vulnerable to heat and fire? Here we come.

  My first action is to fill Aingeal with as much fire magic as it can hold without exploding. The little elemental glows brighter and brighter, its movements increasing in speed as it zips around my head. I send it a sense of patience, of timing. It replies with impatience but willingness to play along – for now.

  My next action is to create the biggest fireball I can.

  Are you sure you can handle this? I ask Yells, wanting to be sure. Fear flickers through her spikes, but she waves her tail in wordless assent. Alright, I say to her grimly. Here it comes.

  Throwing the fireball directly at her, I feel a swoop in my stomach as I fear that even more than half her mana pool remaining won’t be enough to reflect the fireball. Especially since she’s not just planning on reflecting it.

  Thankfully, it turns out that her estimation of her own abilities is more accurate than my own. The fireball reflects off her shield, growing more than twice its size as a result. Instead of flying back at me, Yells manages to redirect it towards the beast.

  I reach out mentally to it, hoping that I can take control of it again. Since it’s still made out of my fire, even if it now also contains Yells’ enhancement magic, it responds to me. Closing my physical eyes, I focus on enhancing it still further.

  The fireball impacts the water just above where I know the fellapodil’s body to be. A gout of steam flies up in the air at the impact and fills our vision. The creature and its tentacles seem to vanish in the thick, white, superheated water vapour.

  Normally, the fireball would quickly use up its stores as it transfers heat into the water around it, transforming the liquid into gas. I don’t let that happen. Through my direct contact with it, I pour in more and more mana. I pour in my own until I start feeling a mana-loss headache. Then, reaching for River’s store, I pull mana out from her and pour that in too. When I’m running out again, I reach for Joy who has finished her task, and then for what little remains to Yells after her own efforts.

  Meanwhile, Aingeal adds its own attacks into the mix. As my fireball is finally quenched, Aingeal flies into the billowing steam to continue the attack. Bastet looks at me questioningly.

  Let’s see what’s happened, first, I tell her tiredly, nauseous at the feeling of incredibly low mana. Trudging over to Yells, I pull out a mana regeneration potion. I can’t take another yet according to the warnings River gave me earlier, but Yells should take one.

  She’s drooping a little but perks up when the mana regeneration starts to take effect. We stare into the mist, looking for any sign of the creature.

  Nothing.

  I really want to know what’s going on, but anyone going near that steam is likely to be burned.

  A bright point of light zips out towards us: Aingeal has returned, significantly smaller, and sending a feeling of satisfaction down our link.

  The steam starts to clear, the last of the heat having stopped its work.

  Watch out! warns Dusty sharply.

  I don’t question it; I grab Yells and dive to the side, Bastet running in the opposite direction. We’re almost in time.

  A jet of something shoots straight at us. When it touches my hide and skin, it sizzles, burning like my fireball is consuming my flesh instead of the fellapodil’s.

  I barely have enough time to realise that it’s probably the Caustic Jet my Inspect warned me about when the next attack strikes. Tentacles come flying at us, moving quicker than I’ve ever seen them before. They attack five, ten at a time. It’s only the fact that the fellapodil doesn’t know exactly where we are that saves us in the first seconds of the strike, but as soon as one of the tentacles hits us, we’ll lose that advantage. Tentacle Flurry?

  And then salvation comes from above. Green acidic mana shoots in a jet of Raven’s own, striking the massive black form revealed by the clearing steam. I back away to the protected area, half-dragging Yells with me. Bastet gets there ahead of us and we all slip in through the hole in the side which I created earlier. I should block it up again, but I don’t have the mana yet to do so. Besides, if it sends another of those caustic jets our way, we won’t want to be trapped here. Then again, maybe Yells could reflect it…. An idea for later.

  Temporarily safe, I inspect the results of our previous strike. Enough water was burned off in our fire attack that the top part of the creature is now revealed. And that’s even with it pressed down as far as it can against the barrier I’ve created, I realise as I extend my awareness back into the earth. That’s one advantage to Earth-Shaping over Fire-Shaping – once I’ve done something, I can leave it and then come back to it later. I don’t have to start again at square one like with fire.

  The creature’s bulk is pressed hard against the barrier, but so far the dome-like structure and extra reinforcement I’ve given it is holding now that it’s not hammering down with its tentacles. Once I have the mana, I’ll try to grow some stalagmites from its surface – cause the fellapodil to hurt itself as it tries to escape.

  The effect of the fire on the exposed part of the fellapodil is easy enough to see – the first real signs of damage that we’ve caused during the whole fight so far. No wonder it used two of its attacks against us in retaliation.

  Raven’s acidic mana doesn’t seem to be as effective as I’d expected, interestingly enough. Maybe that’s why he was on the losing side of their encounter. Nevertheless, a Tier three’s magic is not something easy to shrug off, not even for another Tier three. I see it sink into the fellapodil’s flesh, causing it to burn and melt away, though not with nearly the same kind of speed as it did my own or my Bound’s when we fought him.

  The fellapodil is distracted, its tentacles trying both to protect it from the jets which shoot at it and then trying to find Raven when he has to take a moment to let his attack recharge. As he backs away, I see that my Ally is bleeding from myriad wounds and limping because of significant injuries to two of his limbs. He takes a moment to drink a health potion, one of the flagons made specifically for him.

  The fellapodil is more careful this time, searching for him by slowly feeling around the edge with its tentacles. It’s clearly feeling more uncertain as it pulls a few tentacles back to cover the most badly-burned bits of its bulbous body. Through my Earth-Shaping, I also feel it starting to probe the trapdoor again, perhaps hoping to find a crack it can exploit.

  We need to distract it and take advantage of this opportunity.

  River, throw whatever you can at the creature which is either acidic, or fire-aspected. Iandee, Poison, Catch try to throw poisoned weapons at the damaged parts of the fellapodil. Dusty, do you have control over the water now?

  I do, she answers, though if it turns its attention to fighting me for it, I will struggle to maintain control.

  Then work with Windy – get as much of it out of there as you can. Either feed it through the tunnel behind us or evaporate it. Bastet, Sirocco, send your own strikes where you can. Fenrir, Lathani, Storm, Ninja, work together to take opportunities to strike at injured limbs if you can, but don’t take risks. Beware of friendly fire as well as the fellapodil’s attacks. Joy, see if you can help them by impeding the movement of the fellapodil’s tentacles even more by extending those ropes. We can do this, everyone – we just need to whittle its health pool down and keep it distracted so it can’t work out how to escape. Any questions?

  There were none, so I refocus us all on the situation at hand. Then attack!

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