Elydes

Chapter 228 - Hide and Seek

A whisper of danger bloomed in the distance.

Did our stealth fail already?

Kai reached for the enhancing vial in his pocket, his fingers closed in on the cold glass. Once he drank it, he would be on a timer. If he didn’t steal the Altar from the basilisk and get to safety before the effects ran out, he’d be screwed. Either by getting eaten or by failing his quest.

Don’t be rash.

Mana Observer flooded through the maze of corridors and chambers, but the high density outshone the subtle twinkling of the beast. To pierce the basilisk’s camouflage, he needed to focus his skill on a specific spot at the detriment of everything else. The odds of picking the exact place over hundreds of meters of tunnels weren’t high.

Where has that damned lizard gone?

The murmurs in his head fizzled out with the echo of the hiss. They sounded more like a suggestion than a scream to flee for his life.

It hasn’t spotted us yet. Or it’s a trap to lower our guard…

Waiting in ambush, the King had come close to crunching his skull several times. It had grown into an all-powerful monster in his head. Kai had to stay rational. The basilisk was a beast. An extremely clever and devious one, but a beast nonetheless.

If it didn’t commit mistakes, it wouldn’t have been blinded and crippled by Makyn.

Lou lightly nudged him, gesturing to the potion with a silent question. His taut figure was hard to make out behind the shroud of Darkness even when the skill wasn’t running at full power.

“It’s not after us,” Kai whispered. He concentrated Mana Observer on Lou to see him clearly. Confirming their target was still nearby saved them considerable hassle, though it also hastened their plans. They needed to get the battlefield ready without attracting its attention. “We better hurry.”

Lou nodded and pointed to a wall. It was honestly irritating how the teen had memorized the underground map faster than he had.

Guess Mind isn’t everything.

The admittedly brilliant idea that made his plan not a complete suicide was simple. Hallowed Intuition’s warnings made no difference if they couldn’t escape or fight back. So they would create a way.

Kai withered the creeping vine covering the ivory wall and traced his finger on the cold rock with precision. He cut a thin and long passage into the chamber on the other side. Due to the obstructed tunnels, reaching it would require a five-minutes detour. While the basilisk was several times faster, it couldn’t teleport or break the sturdy rock.

It should give us enough time to disappear. At worst, we can jump back and forth till it gets tired.

While the King was agile and wiry, it was still a huge beast. The passage was large enough for a human to squeeze through sideways, and no more. In any other place in the archipelago, their plan would be folly, but here it had a chance. Playing hide and seek through a maze of tunnels only they could split.

Kai cut the passage with a slight incline, so the chunk of stone slid out without the need for a spell. Suppressing a grunt of effort, they laid the slab down as silently as possible.

He easily darted into the chamber on the other side and looked back at his bulky friend. “Is it too tight?”

I’d tease him mercilessly if he weren’t risking his life for me. Such a waste of an opportunity. Life is so unfair.

Lou took measures and sprung through in a single jump. His muscular frame angled to the side, brushing the edges with millimetric precision. He landed in a roll on the soft moss and stood up in the same motion. “I’m good.”

Show-off.

“Was that necessary?”

“I needed to know how quickly I could cross it in case of emergency. C’mon, I’ll lead while you make sure the basilisk doesn’t sneak on us. Don’t speak unless you notice something.”

Fine.

Lou could be a bit bossy, probably because he was so used to acting as the responsible adult with the twins and Ana. It was slightly annoying, but Kai couldn’t argue since they were solving his mess. It didn’t matter who was in charge as long as they followed his plan.

We’ll talk once this is over.

While he couldn’t spot the basilisk, he could set Mana Observer on the crossings the beast needed to pass to reach them. His attention remained on his perception skills till Lou pointed him to a new passage to clear.

They moved between chambers and corridors, opening a new set of cramped doorways throughout the center of the site. They kept working on the same level, though they set a few slits on the floor for an emergency exit.

Another rattling hiss split the darkness of the underground. Without needing to exchange a word, they retreated through the previous passage in a quiet hurry and didn’t stop before they passed five more.

The King was becoming restless. It must have found the cut slabs of stone, and the idea of a pair of moles digging holes through its home didn’t seem to thrill it. The intervals between its hisses were getting shorter, while whispers in his mind lingered longer and longer.

Damn lizard.

Given the basilisk's pesky talent for camouflage, Hallowed Intuition only warned him when the beast growled or purposely targeted him. They'd be dead before realizing it if they stumbled upon it in between two passages.

The King had hissed three more times before it crossed the threshold that Kai watched with Mana Observer. He had just finished cutting into another corridor, the stone slab was slowly sliding in their fingers. He tapped Lou’s shoulder twice in the agreed signal. The threat was close, but they hadn’t been spotted yet.

If they ran the stone would crash on the floor. They were twenty meters from the closest passage on the opposite side of the chamber, and eighty quickly shortening meters from the basilisk. His skill clung to the beast, disregarding the rest of the world to pierce the cloak and peek at the incandescent veins beneath.

Kai noticed the uneven flow where its eyes used to be. The last segment of the tail abruptly ended in a stump.

Makyn didn’t lie. He got it good.

More importantly, he spotted the shard of void among its crown of horns. The streams of essence flowing through the ruins bent around the Altar.

The King stilled a couple strides outside their room. Blood froze in his veins, but the beast didn’t dart towards them. The draconic snout twisted around as if it were trying to pinpoint something.

It must have perceived my skill.

Beasts usually couldn’t feel his touch, though the King had never cared to abide by conventional rules. Perhaps he should be thankful it couldn’t locate the source, same as human beings.

At least it looks like our stealth is holding. I didn’t cover myself in mud for nothing.

The slab finally slid out the hole, multiplying its weight manyfold. Empower and spells would weaken the veil of Shadow, a risky move when the basilisk was already alerted. His muscles strained to hold the stone. Kai was worried the beast would hear his bones cracking even with Lou taking most of the burden.

You’re not a lumbering giant for nothing.

They delicately lowered the slab onto the mossy ground. His arms relaxed right as the stone crushed a creeping vine. It wasn’t a dead or dry plant, it didn’t creak like a siren, just the quietest squelch.

The basilisk snapped in their direction, mana surging before it even moved.

Fuck.

“Run!”

Empower strengthened his body. Already handling Earth mana to cut the stone, Kai gathered the remaining motes to send the chunk of ivory towards the rampaging lizard. The slab flew powered by his magic and Strength.

It was too dark to see with his eyes, though Kai rejoiced when a deafening crash and a pained growl shook the chamber. Even though it was blind, the slippery lizard had managed to duck its head at the last moment and took the impact on its back.

He had no time to revel in his victory. Lou dragged him inside the newly opened passage as the lizard darted towards them despite having been just hit with a boulder. Claws extended into the aperture, producing a strident screech against the ivory stone like nails on a chalkboard.

“Good throw.” Lou led to another passage without hesitation. “Can you do it again?”

“No, it took most of my Earth reserves.” It was more luck than skill that he found his target. The devious lizard wouldn’t be caught by the same trick twice.

Couldn’t you get squished and spare me the trouble?

Mana Observer was locked onto the beast, Kai took out a light crystal not to trip. The basilisk's enraged hiss echoed behind them. It had already given up its futile endeavor and was traversing the tunnel with frightening speed.

“We need to go ahead with the next step.”

“We’re still missing six passages to complete the chain.” Lou lowered his shroud. His pupils were widened with all the fear and worry his stealth skill had concealed. Being stalked by a deadly predator must have taken its toll.

I’ve already asked too much of him.

“It’ll have to be enough. It’s too dangerous to continue.” Kai took out the vial in which he had mixed the enhancing potions Dora left him. “The effects should last about half an hour. See you later. Stay safe.”

Without giving him a chance to protest, Kai downed the liquid and darted in another direction. The diluted potion burned down his throat. He had no time to consider whether he had been too cautious or careless with the dosage. A wave of mana swept through his body like liquid fire.

In a single stride, he crossed twice the distance. He would have crashed into a wall if his enhanced Dexterity didn’t compensate. The pain quickly subsided to leave a feeling of euphoria.

Kai stopped beside one of the breaches he cut. Keeping track of the King and piercing its camouflage only required a third of his Mind, he could even disengage his skill for a moment without losing track of it.

Well, damn. This is miles ahead of anything I can brew.

He should have remembered that Dora always stated things exactly as they were regarding her brews. If she wrote this was meant for yellow grades at the bare minimum, she meant it.

One more drop and I would have killed us both.

The higher he soared, the more crushing the fall. Thankfully he hadn’t been stingy with the healing potion. The side effects would be brutal, he had to close this before the enhancement ran out.

A look at the King propelling itself confirmed the chasm between them had shrunk but wasn’t near to closing. Slowed by its injuries, the beast moved at four times his speed.

Why is it so damn fast?

“Hey, sadistic lizard. I’m here!” Kai shouted at the empty room. Three tunnels away, the basilisk switched direction towards him.

The map of the ruins and their network of doorways appeared with crystal clarity in his head. Kai dashed to the aperture on the other side of the room, and through three more to his planned spot. He lay in wait squished between two ivory walls and strengthened the cloak of Shadow around him.

The basilisk released a piercing hiss in the empty chamber he had been in a handful of seconds earlier. It flickered its forked tongue, trying to get his trail.

The stealthy predator fails to find its prey. I hope you appreciate the irony.

He patiently waited in the cramped passage for the King to get bored. It was too wary of its surroundings to be ambushed inside the chamber. When it failed to find any clue, it wandered outside with a low growl. Two tunnels headed out of the chamber—the spirits must be with him because the beast picked his direction.

Closer. Come a little closer.

Kai took out his wand and readied his Water mana. With the enhancing potion flowing through his veins, the intentions of his spell manifested as life-like images in his mind.

The basilisk ambled along, frustrated by its slippery prey. Its posture was lopsided on the shoulder that the boulder had hit, and it moved with a slow sprint.

Now!

Kai released as much mana as he was capable of, this chance was too perfect to hold back. The spell took effect as the beast crossed his hiding place. Water flooded into the tunnel to slow and distract the King, while a stream froze around his prize and yanked it back.

The Altar was stuck among the basilisk’s spikes. Knowing his cast wouldn’t hold much longer, Kai fed more elemental motes into the spell. The spike of void broke free and flew in a wide arc through the water into his waiting hands. His fingers tingled with mana. In the dark, it was a smooth multifaceted object, long as his forearm.

I can’t believe that it worked on the first try.

He had been prepared to play tag with the basilisk through the maze of passages. He had dozens of distractions and creative spells ready to steal the Altar. None of that was necessary. He was almost disappointed.

Obviously, it succeeded. I designed the plan.

Heeding Hallowed Intuition, Kai retreated beyond the basilisk’s reach. The claws sent droplets and wind to brush his hair, its furious hiss muffled by the water still filling the tunnel.

Sorry, I don’t mingle with losers.

He just had to lose the dumb lizard and pick up Lou. With the network of passages they had created and their stealth abilities, neither would be a problem. They had already set up three meeting points, depending on the basilisk’s position.

Kai ignored the whiny lizard throwing a tantrum behind him and dashed through the tunnels to shake it off. This quest had turned out to be far more problematic than he expected, but it was finally complete.

Why doesn’t this thing go in my ring?

No matter how many times he connected to his spatial closet, the shard of the Altar remained in his hands. He took out a crystal to examine the artifact. It looked like an obscenely large, polished diamond. When the light hit it, the gem cast a thousand colorful shades on the walls around him like a disco ball. A physical representation of the myriad currents of mana starting from its shiny surface.

Because it’s a spatial artifact as well, you dummy.

He should have expected it from the god of a hidden dimension, though it wasn’t heavy or cumbersome to move. Then he noticed another problem. Instead of wandering aimlessly, the basilisk was heading straight for him.

Kai tried taking an abrupt turn, but the beast quickly adjusted its route, gaining ground on him. He checked his muddy clothes and Shadow spell. His camouflage was intact. On a grim hunch, his eyes fell on the Altar and the streams of mana revolving around it.

Fuck.