There’s a flicker at the end of the Tame Bond, a feeling of being barely able to breathe, unable to move, and completely terrified.

  I hone into the location the feeling came from, running over to it as quickly as I can.

  A moment later, I’m on my stomach on the floor, gasping. My back feels like a rebar just slammed into it, all air slammed out of my lungs. Swearing, I send magic into the injury. My armour did its job to protect me, but the blow was hard enough that several vertebrae have been injured anyway. But my spinal cord is fine – that’s all that matters right now.

  I push myself painfully to my feet, then throw myself back to the ground in a move that sends agony up my spine as the damaged vertebrae grind against each other. A tentacle snaps over my head, ripping out several of my hairs with the speed of its passage.

  Someone distract the beast while I get Storm! I demand.

  No one responds verbally, but the tentacle doesn’t strike at me again, so I guess that they did something.

  Feeling my way forwards, a huddled shape comes into view. A moment later, my foot steps into midair. I throw myself back onto solid ground just barely before I accidentally topple into the pit with the fellapodil – suicide, even for me.

  Crawling forwards to avoid making the same mistake, I lay my hands on Storm, lifting her onto my shoulders. We need to get out of here, but even as we move, I send my magic into her. I feel the way the chlorine gas has attacked the insides of her lungs, causing them to fill with fluid – drowning her from the inside.

  Working hard on healing the damage, I focus on moving towards my Bound – my only indication of what is where. Tentacles flail past me, but they don’t seem to know where I am, and I’m lucky enough that they don’t hit us accidentally.

  The gas fades in strength and I start being able to see more things. I avoid a tentacle which comes a bit too close by dropping to the ground, then leap above another which sweeps down low, gasping ragged breaths as the exertion costs my already over-burdened system.

  The chlorine has filled the whole of the bottom of the cavern, though at the edges I can stand tall enough to keep my head mostly above it.

  Grab the rope! Catch says urgently. I look up to find him at the top, holding one of the woven silk cords which Joy and I created earlier. Immediately taking his meaning, I grab onto the rope with one hand, holding the still-limp form of Storm with the other.

  The rope is pulled upwards and I walk up the cavern wall with its help. Though my strength is easily enough to climb the rope without aid, it would be significantly harder while holding Storm so I’m grateful for the aid.

  At the top, I back away enough that hopefully I’m out of range of the fellapodil’s tentacles, then focus on stabilising Storm’s health and my own. As soon as I’ve cleared enough of her lungs that she can breathe properly and rid myself of the chlorine in my own system, I check in with the rest of my Bound.

  Any injuries that need dealing with immediately? I ask.

  No one immediately steps forwards.

  Reducer has been keeping us in fighting condition with healing potions, Poison offers after a moment.

  We were able to get out of the cavern before the gas spread too far, Bastet contributes. We are hurt, but not seriously.

  I breathe a sigh of relief at the news. Reminded of the potions, I pull one out of my Inventory and down it, then pull another out and gently tip it into Storm’s mouth to help continue the healing.

  Then, gently laying her on the ground for Bastet and Ninja to come and inspect to reassure themselves, I push myself to my feet, wincing as the vertebrae grind a little. Sending more magic into my back, I direct the healing magic from the potion to more effectively heal the damage the tentacle caused. Walking to the edge of the pit, I look down into a sea of green.

  The fellapodil is probably still below, but I’m far enough away from the barrier I made that I cannot be sure it’s still there. Not without creating a new channel to it from here which will take a bit of time. Once more, we’re hitting the difference between a Tier two and a Tier three. The only way this is better than the fight with Raven is that even if there have been plenty of injuries, none of us have died. So far, anyway.

  “Any ideas on what to do next?” I ask with a sigh.

  No one leaps to say anything, so I sigh again and run through options mentally. I have no idea how injured the fellapodil actually is, though I know we’ve had an impact. I suspect, though, that the longer we delay, the more health it will regenerate. It has such a huge health pool that it probably has a health regeneration to match. Delaying isn’t in our favour. But neither is rushing ahead half-cocked.

  “How’s everyone’s mana?” I could probably check on my Bound tab, but it’s easier just to ask.

  The responses I get back are varied. Raven is doing fine – he isn’t willing to specify, but I suspect his pool is big enough that only his biggest attacks drain it significantly. And I’m not keen on asking him to use that bomb attack of his – we need the Core and if he blows the fellapodil to pieces, who knows what could happen?

  River has a fair bit thanks to her enhanced mana regeneration as a result of taking the potion. Yells and my own are quite low but climbing – I check with River and knock back another mana regeneration potion when she says it’s fine. Dusty’s was low but is getting better, and Windy’s is much the same as her. Sirocco’s is climbing too. Bastet indicates that she is running a bit low – her pool was never massive to begin with and her fire attack takes quite a bit of juice.

  I sense increasing acidity below, Raven says suddenly, interrupting my thought process.

  “What?” I ask, moving to the edge to look down. The creature is barely visible – only the flicker of a tentacle occasionally appearing through the thick cloud of chlorine gas. It’s enough to tell me that it hasn’t disappeared completely, but not much more. At least the gas seems to be reducing a little, either being drawn back into the creature’s body or being absorbed into the water.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Then I freeze as a little fact comes back to mind, my improved memory highlighting something I barely remember. The memory of a colleague complaining about how much effort it took to maintain his pool. Chlorine, when it combines with water, makes the pH more acidic. And, if the marble statues affected by acid rain are anything to go by, calcium-based stone – of which limestone is an example – dissolves in an acidic environment.

  Which means that time is even more pressing than I thought – one hole was bad enough, but if the whole structure of the limestone is compromised, we may have to give up completely on this particular beast.

  Pieces fall into place.

  “OK everyone, those who use mana and who can still take mana regeneration potions, take one now – we need to hit this creature fast and hard. Windy,” I continue, turning to the Pathwalker in question, she looks at me with a neutral expression. “Can you create a tornado of air to pull that chlorine gas away?”

  Yes, she answers, certainty in her voice.

  “Then do that,” I command her.

  Where should I funnel the gas? she asks reasonably. I consider the question for a moment. Chlorine could be good to have, but how to store it is the problem.

  “Dusty, if the fellapodil is distracted, do you think you could take control of the water again?”

  If it is fully distracted, yes, probably, but I will need to be closer to it again, the samuran says fearfully.

  “If the gas isn’t there, that becomes possible,” I remind her. “Alright. Windy, you pull the gas away and try to keep it contained for a bit. In the meantime, Dusty, you take control of the water again and pull it away from the cavern entirely. If you can combine it with the chlorine gas, great. If not, Windy, just make sure that the gas is thoroughly diffused in the air and as far away from us as possible. Raven, how intelligent do you think this Tier three is?” I’m checking because that will impact our ability to distract it.

  Not very intelligent, he says, unruffled by the fight so far. Its will is reasonably strong and I cannot suppress its domain completely, but though it has shown some cunning, there is little thought behind it, nor has it responded to my attempts to communicate.

  “OK, that’s good,” I murmur, my thoughts racing. This creature has to be intelligent enough to have reached Tier three, but maybe isn’t at the level of Kalanthia or Raven himself. Fortunately.

  Once I have my plan in mind, I outline it for everyone and check for questions or suggestions – I’ve learned that the old adage of ‘fail to plan, plan to fail’ is absolutely right, and also that I’m not as good at planning as I thought I was. Arrogance in my own intelligence will just get my companions killed.

  On that note, I’ve forbidden the Tier ones from getting closer again – it’s too dangerous. Storm and Lathani aren’t best pleased to be relegated to staying with the alcaoris hatchlings who Raven barred from moving far from him in the first place. Ninja, however, seems rather relieved and quickly presses against Noir’s side, the alcaoris wrapping his wing over her protectively. It seems like Storm hasn’t been at all frightened by her recent brush with death.

  Everything prepared as much as possible, potions taken, poisoned weapons prepared, muscles tensed for movement, we launch into what I hope is the finale of this fight.

  With an intensely focussed look on her face, Windy reaches into the air above the cavern and pulls. The wind actually becomes visible, a distortion forming in front of our eyes. Air currents rip at my hair and clothing, but it feels more like an accidental byproduct than intentional.

  The distortion moves into the cavern and the gas immediately reacts. Where before it had been rippling with the unseen movement of tentacles, now it is drawn into a vortex of air. The currents scour the edges of the cavern first and gather the chlorine gas into the centre, like a reaching hand. Then, the pillar of air sucks the yellowish-green gas upwards.

  There’s a pulse of outrage from the fellapodil below as its covering is unceremoniously ripped away.

  “Now, Raven,” I tell him quietly.

  The alcaoris doesn't respond verbally. Instead, he mantles his wings, his back feet digging deeply into the earth and rock even as his tail presses against the ground to keep his balance. He beats his wings forwards and into the pit,The same acidic mana which once burned my flesh until the bone was exposed jabs forwards, accompanied by an acidic jet which explodes from his mouth.

  The downside of his Intelligent Acid is that he has to have a decent portion of his body in relatively close contact with his target for it to work. To do that, he leans into the cavern with both head and wings; most of my remaining Bound pile on his tail to help him stay on the cavern edge instead of toppling into it.

  “Dusty, go,” I say, but realise that it’s not needed – she’s already hurrying down the slope, Yells with her. I jog to catch up with them, seeing their spikes rippling with the bronze of determination.

  We head down the slope and back into the cavern. It’s damaged by the attacks of the fellapodil, but not destroyed. Our little reinforced area is a lot more fragmented – the fellapodil must have thought that we were still hiding there as it has broken most of the protective stalagmites.

  But there’s no time to fix that. Instead, we tuck ourselves a little around the corner and into the adjoining cavern. It’s not much protection – I’ve seen first-hand how easily the fellapodil’s tentacles can invade this space – but it’s better than nothing.

  Closing my eyes, I send my awareness down into the earth and to the barrier to find out its condition.

  What I discover is much as I was fearing – the combination of the acidic water caused by the chlorine and the efforts of the fellapodil to break through it are having a distressing effect. The barrier is getting thinner and thinner, and has broken in several spots, once more giving the fellapodil access to the greater body of water below even if it can’t actually escape yet.

  Knowing that Dusty will only be able to do her job and fully reveal the fellapodil if the barrier is watertight, I draw mana from Yells and send it through to the barrier directly. She does the same thing as before, her efforts enhancing the effects of the mana and allowing a small amount to go much further and act more quickly.

  Though the limestone isn’t the best material, it’s done a good enough job so far and it’s only a temporary patch anyway. I’ll still use it as the aim here is to quickly give Dusty the watertight area she needs. First, though, I create a bit of lava again to scare the fellapodil away from its attempts to get through. The heat makes it pull as far away as it can go, its efforts to pierce the limestone trapdoor thoroughly stymied. It’s not long before I’m able to patch the holes with a mixture of lava and limestone growths.

  I’ve got control over the water, Dusty announces a moment later, her voice sounding exhuasted from the effort.

  Then get it and yourself out of here, I remind her. She sends a wordless, fatigued acknowledgement.

  I take a moment to check in with the rest of my party.

  I cannot maintain my Intelligent Acid any longer, Raven tells me in response, also sounding fatigued.

  Then pull it back and just switch to Acid Jets, I tell him. Try to cover Dusty’s retreat if you can. Catch, Iandee, Poison, River, work with him and send your poisoned weapons to the spots where his acid has already burned through the fellapodil’s outer layers, I remind them. Joy-

  Get control over its tentacles, I know, she interrupts. I remember.

  Good, I tell her, recognising her irritation as fatigue and fear.

  It’s done, Dusty interrupts, sounding even more exhausted than before.

  Abruptly, a wave of darkness washes over my senses as another pulse of drowned anger and pressured outrage hits me like a mental blow.

  here!

  here!

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