The world went silent.
A moment later, I appeared before the portal, screaming and clutching my neck. Pachi jumped up and growled, searching for an enemy.
She asked, a sense of desperation coloring her words, What is it? Why are you back? Who hurt you?
I looked around and saw the wyverns waiting patiently and realized what had happened at once. The pain was still slowly fading, but I was fine, no mud coated my body, and I still clutched my bow. Removing the quiver from my back, I counted my arrows. I had twenty-seven left. When I’d gone in, I had brought twenty-eight. That meant…
“I shot it with an arrow and the arrow is still gone,” I said. “My health is back, and somehow I have no death debuff. It must be part of the instance’s mechanics.” I looked over at the queen, who was unconsciously treading in place, shifting weight between her front paws. “I can do this.” I pet Pachi a few times, then, before I lost my nerve, I walked toward the portal.
Then I stopped. “Wait a minute. I need a rag, and I want to eat some of the Marduk jerky.” I rummaged through one of the packs on Pachi’s saddle.
I found some bandages and the rest of the jerky. I ate enough to get the Smokey the Bear Meat buff. My Stamina and Health Regeneration jumped up, but more importantly, my XP gain jumped by twenty percent. Hopefully I could kill this thing quick, because the jerky buff would not survive death, unlike the Elixer of Flying.
After wrapping the bandages around my face in several loops and retying my hair in a tight bun, I was ready to try again.
This time the insects, the stench, and the creepy atmosphere had less of an effect on me. My surroundings were much different than before, as I’d been randomly placed in the swamp. This time I had to push my way out of a thick stand of ferns. It would’ve been a great place to hide, but I couldn’t see a thing in there.
Emerging, I saw that the ceiling above this part of the swamp stretched much higher. The thick fog that filled the chamber made the ceiling almost impossible to see, though it was still only forty or so feet high.
I found a dry patch of land and walked around as slowly as possible, hoping my stealth bonuses would count for something against the monster. I nocked another arrow and stalked through the swamp, pausing every now and then to listen. The Ichneumon could most likely move quietly in its own environment, but something that size couldn’t be silent.
I came to a high central dome with a thin stream of light filtering through. Far above, a tiny patch of the sky was visible. Below, a wide pond bubbled, a veritable hill of bones lining its distant shore. I made my way in that direction and, as I drew closer, realized that the large formation at the mound’s top was a wyvern’s ribcage.
I walked down the tunnel of the ancient ribs and marveled at the size. Even Anwar had not been so broad in the chest. I had room to stand up easily and could barely touch the ribs that wrapped over me like a cage.
For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend how something as relatively small as the Ichneumon could fell such a mighty wyvern, but I realized a creature that tall would have a hard time moving around in the swamp. No doubt that was why it had come here, to give its final fight in the tallest part of the cave.
The wyverns had no advantage here, though. The mud had surely slowed their movements, the ceiling had forced them to crouch, and their senses had been invaded by the rot of the swamp. And then there was the beast itself, of course, which had evolved to kill them with ease.
As I emerged from the ribs, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I crouched and scanned the swamp. The Ichneumon was stalking me patiently.
From this distance, I could examine the beast’s form better. It was a bit taller than Pachi, maybe seven feet at the shoulder. It wasn’t as long, though, and its limbs were thick as tree trunks. Then I noticed a tail dragging behind it. Coated in mud as well, the tail stretched almost twenty feet behind, thick bristles pointing out at all angles. Seven herniated hells! The Ichneumon was hideous, resembling the bastard pup of a wolverine and a rabid squirrel.
I stalked toward the creature and found a patch of dry land to make a stand on. Then I drew the bow and activated Vital Aim and Lunar Flare. The light that began to build on the tip of my arrow was bright, but thankfully, the Ichneumon was not looking my way.
Yet as my countdown was almost finished, I saw the creature lift its broad nose again and sniff. Even at this distance, I could hear the sharp intake of air. It smelled me.
The countdown finished and I released the arrow. It leapt across the distance in a streak of white light just as the Ichneumon turned and saw me. The arrow struck its flank but bounced off and fell into the mud harmlessly.
Then it came speeding toward me. I tried to draw another arrow. The memory of having my throat ripped out was terrifying. I tripped and dropped my bow. Then I tried to pull my sword free. I lifted it up just in time to stab out at the beast, sinking my katana into the fur of its belly. But its fangs sank
