Grand Game 389: Heading North (Patreon)

Day Twenty-Eight in Draven’s Reach

I set off early the next morning, traveling northwest along the mountaintop plateau. The journey passed without incident, and by late afternoon when I broke for lunch, I was half-way to New Haven.

My rest the previous night had gone undisturbed. After I’d awakened, I’d found Adriel waiting for me. Unfortunately, she’d had no luck with Draven. The guardian, perhaps vexed by our choices, had refused to update her on his search for Ceruvax. Nor, for that matter, did he even acknowledge her presence.

Would Draven find Ceruvax?

Was the five-day estimate he’d provided accurate?

I didn’t know. And as much as Adriel and I would’ve like greater certainty, we had no choice but to set our rendezvous for five days hence. By then, I was sure matters with New Haven would be resolved—one way or the other.

I rose to my feet, my rest stop done. Striding forward, I peered nonchalantly over the edge of the plateau and into the canyon below. The two lizard-like basilisks inhabiting it hadn’t moved and were still positioned near the canyon’s only exit.

“Will you fight them now?” Ghost asked eagerly.

I pursed my lips as I considered the question. Throughout the day, I’d periodically paused to search the dungeon’s chasms for an easy battle—a ‘quick’ win.

Sadly, I hadn’t found one yet.

I’d stopped here, hoping that the giant basilisks would separate while I ate. I judged I could defeat one of the elite creatures handily, but two? Taking on two simultaneously would be risky.

Still, given the other elites I’d already passed by, I didn’t think I was going to find an easier encounter before I reached New Haven. Letting my gaze drift eastwards, I studied the canyon’s other inhabitants—a dozen stygians, all huddled together.

They were the only void creatures I’d encountered since I’d left the guardian’s canyon. And they were also the only reason I was contemplating fighting.

I didn’t think the stygians were a match for the basilisks, but if I handled things right, they might even the odds enough in my favor to kill the elites ‘risk-free.’ I snorted derisively. As if there were any such thing.

“I suppose I’ve kept you waiting long enough,” I said, finally in response to Ghost’s question. Equipping my cat claws, I dropped over the edge of the plateau. “Let’s go bag us some lizards.”

✵ ✵ ✵

You have cast heightened reflexes, load controller, fade, and trigger-cast quick mend.

You have cast facial disguise, assuming the visage of Taim, a level 247 human explorer. Duration: 3 hours.

You are hidden.

With my buffs cast and wrapped in illusion, I crept across the canyon towards my foes. There was no reason for me to employ facial disguise, of course, but improving my deception had become a priority, and while I wasn’t sure if fighting as ‘Taim’ would advance the skill, I reckoned it was worth a try.

In the center of the canyon, I drew to a halt. The twelve stygians were clumped together on my left, right up against the east cliff wall. Six were hydras while the other six were serpents.

Ahead of me, lazed the two basilisks. I wasn’t sure whether it was by design or not, but the pair had the stygians bottled up in the canyon.

Narrowing my gaze, I studied the elites. Like most of the dungeon’s denizens, the pair were large, as big as houses. In many ways they resembled lizards but from the few lumbering steps I’d observed them take, it was apparent the basilisks lacked those creatures’ agility. In fact, I suspected the two would be slow, just like the stone golems I’d faced early on in the dungeon.

But that did not mean they weren’t dangerous.

My gaze fixed on the basilisks’ most prominent feature: their bulging pupil-less eyes. A dust cloud hung around those lethal orbs, partially obscuring them from view—for which I was more than thankful.

I didn’t know much about basilisks, but I knew crossing gazes with one was ill-advised, and the dust swirling lazily about their eyes—and nowhere else—was definitely not natural.

Let’s see if the Game can tell me anything. Reaching out with my will, I inspected both elites.

The target is a level 213 basilisk.

The target is a level 210 basilisk.

Basilisks are infamous for their petrifying gazes and can transform any foe foolish enough to approach them into living stone. The creatures, while flesh and blood creatures themselves, have no trouble consuming their petrified victims after drenching them with a saliva which slowly liquifies the statues back into flesh.

I sighed. Bite and gaze.

Those were two dangers I would have to avoid. But other than that, the Adjudicator had not told me anything I hadn’t already suspected.

I guess I will have to figure out the rest of the basilisks’ capabilities the old-fashioned way. Looking to the left again, I drew in psi and flung it at the unsuspecting stygians.

You have cast mass charm.

8 stygians have failed a mental resistance check!

You have charmed 8 of 8 targets for 20 seconds.

Swamped by my will, the nether creatures fell under my spell without resistance. “Attack,” I ordered, tugging at the leash I’d wrapped around their minds.

Moving in tandem with each other, the bespelled creatures charged toward the basilisks. For a moment, the remaining four stygians stayed unmoving, looking confused by their companions’ sudden attack, but before I could intervene further, instinct pushed them to follow their fellows.

Smiling thinly, I settled back on my heels to observe the approaching confrontation.

For all their seeming indifference towards the nether creatures, the basilisks stirred the moment the stygians moved. Lumbering around, they faced the charging beasts.

Multiple hostile entities have failed to detect you! You are hidden.

The stygian pack rushed past me, oblivious of my presence despite me sitting out in the open. Hands on the hilts of my blades, I watched intently. The dust clouds around the basilisks’ eyes were clearing, sucked into their flaring nostrils.

A moment later, twin beams of red rushed out.

Seeing death racing down upon them, the nether pack scattered. But they were too slow. Leaving tendrils of smoke in their wake, the burning lances struck the two leading stygians.

Light flashed. Air screamed.

And when the dust settled, the hapless victims were gone. In their stead, two life-like statues remained.

Your minion has been petrified. A stygian serpent has died.

Your minion has been petrified. A stygian serpent has died.

My eyes narrowed. Interesting.

Howling and hissing in outrage, the remaining nether creatures surged forward. Staying stock-still as only lizards could, the basilisks watched their approaching foes.

No further beams lashed out.

They couldn’t. The basilisks’ eyes were obscured once more, this time by thicker and denser plumes of smoke. But moment and moment, they were thinning.

Observing closely, I kept careful count.

One second. Two. Three. Four.

The smoke cloud occluding the basilisks’ sight vanished anew, sucked into their nostrils again. A heartbeat later, two more burning lances lashed out.

Your minion has been petrified. A stygian hydra has died.

A stygian serpent has been petrified. A stygian serpent has died.

Five seconds, I mused. That’s how long the basilisks had to wait between uses of their petrifying gazes. I could work with that. My gaze flickered back to the charging nether creatures.

Eight stygians remained. And now, they were in striking range. Surging forward, they slashed and snapped at the basilisks in vengeful fury.

Your minion has grazed a basilisk.

A level 165 stygian hydra has grazed a basilisk.

…

…

The elites bore the assault stoically, neither retreating nor responding in kind—not that the nether creatures appeared to be having much success; none of their attacks had done more than graze the big lizards.

A second ticked by, then another, while the stygians swarmed the elites. I frowned. Were the basilisks going to depend solely on their petrifying gazes?

A tail—heavy and as thick as a ram—whipped sideways.

A basilisk has failed to harm its target. A stygian serpent is immune to physical damage.

Jaws snapped, crunching down on a hydra’s neck.

A basilisk has critically injured a stygian hydra.

Where the first basilisk’s tail failed to do any damage, the jaws of the second nearly ripped through the neck of its foe in a single bite. Right, I thought, whatever passes for basilisk saliva it is clearly magical in nature and potent.

And while the stygians might be immune to a tail whip, I wasn’t. That’s another danger to beware of.

✵ ✵ ✵

A few minutes later, all the stygians were dead, and ten new statues decorated the canyon. In the end, only two of the nether creatures had fallen victims to the basilisks’ jaws; the rest had been petrified.

Safe in the shadows, I watched the elites. The hides of both basilisks were heavily scarred, but neither bore any significant injury. Seeking confirmation from the Game, I reached out and analyzed the pair.

The target is a level 213 basilisk. It is barely injured.

The target is a level 210 basilisk. It is barely injured.

It was time for me to launch my own assault, and the best way to do that was from afar, using my telepathic abilities. Still, I couldn’t forget the basilisks were elites with powerful ranged attacks of their own.

If my opening assault failed, or worse yet, if I was revealed, the tables would turn quickly. It was an eventuality I had to be ready for—which was why I had used the dying moments of the basilisks’ skirmish with the stygians to prepare the battlefield to my liking.

And now my first target was nearly in position.

Through eyes narrowed to slits, I watch one of the basilisks slip ponderously closer to a trapped statue. Both elites had separated after the battle, each heading towards a different petrified victim. I had anticipated this. Knowing the creatures would want to feed, I had laid my traps around the newly made statues. So far, it looked like it had been a smart move.

“Is your plan going to work?” Ghost asked.

“I don’t see why not,” I murmured back. My gaze slid to the second elite. Unfortunately, it hadn’t reached its chosen meal yet. I would have to wait a little longer. Sitting back, I renewed my buffs.

The first basilisk reached its target, and lowering its head, began to gnaw on the petrified stygian serpent. My brows furrowed in concern. I’d placed the trap crystal at the base of the statue and could only hope that the copious amounts of saliva dripping out of the basilisk’s mouth did not destroy it. My gaze darted to the second elite. It was almost at its statue.

Good enough.

Pressing down on two of the remote trigger clenched in my hands, I activated their traps.

Two blot of darkness traps have been activated.

Ebon clouds mushroomed out from beneath the statues, enveloping the nearby basilisks. They could no longer see me, but I could see them perfectly well. With my foes’ deadliest weapon neutralized, I hurtled towards the closest one.

The creature appeared oblivious.

Despite the inky darkness shrouding it, the elite had not broken off from its feeding. I risked a quick glance behind and saw that the second basilisk was likewise unfazed.

I grunted. My foes’ disdain did not matter. Soon enough, I would teach them fear. Drawing psi, I reached into the mind of the basilisk behind me.

You have cast slaysight.

An unknown entity has passed a mental resistance check! You have failed to induce your target to sleep.

Your mental intrusion has been detected!

I grimaced. The failure was not unexpected, yet I was still disappointed that my foe had felt my touch. Checking its advance to the statue, the basilisk behind me swung its head from left to right in search of its attacker. But fortunately, the black cloud I had wrapped around the creature did its job admirably.

A hostile entity has failed to detect you! You are still hidden.

Leaving off further thought of my failed assault, I faced forward again and gave my intended target my full attention. The elite’s back was turned to me. Drawing nearer, I leaped onto its stout tail and dashed deftly up its torso.

I crossed nearly the entirety of the basilisk’s length before it registered my presence, and by then it was too late. Springing forward, I cleared the final distance to my objective—my foe’s triangular head—in a single bound. Landing lightly, I thrust both my raised blades downwards and straight into the basilisk’s bulging orbs.

A second before the swords made contact, the creature’s eyelids snapped close.

You have backstabbed your target for 2.5x more damage!

You have backstabbed your target for 2.5x more damage!

Both sword points penetrated half an inch deep into the elite’s thick hide, but no further. Damn, I muttered. Whipping out both blades, I raised them high, while at the same time empowering my arms with renewed strength and speed.

You have cast whirlwind and piercing strike.

A hostile entity has failed to detect you!

I smiled in satisfaction at the Game message. Although my foe was aware of my presence, my fade ability coupled with the blot of darkness trap sufficed to keep it from finding me.

I rammed my swords downward again.

You have backstabbed a basilisk for 5x more damage!

You have backstabbed a basilisk for 5x more damage!

You have critically injured your target.

This time, my blades penetrated deeper, almost to the vulnerable orbs beneath. One more time, I thought. That should do it.

Withdrawing my swords, I prepared them for another strike even as the basilisk swayed beneath me, but despite the creature’s frantic movements, I maintained my footing. Here goes.

A level 210 basilisk’s penetrating gaze has missed you!

A red beam flashed through the darkness, missing me by less than a foot. Startled, I whipped my head around. The second elite had attempted to come to its fellow’s aid by firing blindly in my direction. Clearly, it didn’t need to see me utilize the deadly spell.

Thinking quickly, I drew on my will and wove a spell, releasing it as soon as it was ready.

You have cast ventro.

“I’m over here!” I screamed, projecting my voice to originate from a spot twenty yards to the right. Both basilisk’s head jerked in that direction. Windmilling my arms, I kept my balance, and once my foe stopped moving, I hacked downwards again.

You have backstabbed a basilisk for 5x more damage!

You have backstabbed a basilisk for 5x more damage!

I found my marks with pinpoint accuracy and struck the same spots I had before. The hardened hide of the basilisk’s eyelids gave way and, leaning into the blows, I buried my blades hilt-deep into the soft tissue beneath.

You have crippled your target!

A level 213 basilisk has been permanently blinded and can no longer cast petrifying gaze.

I grinned broadly. One down. Opening my mindsight, I focused on the second elite. One to go.

Then, I shadow blinked.