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With bated breath, you wait for the creature to appear, fearful yet confident that your skill will put paid to the hostile intentions of this malodorous cave-dweller.

The tip of a thin, snaky limb rises from the abyss and glides slowly across the ground towards your legs. Its skin is smooth and dark, like black velvet, and it moves with alarming speed.

Suddenly the black tendril retreats—it is as if the creature can sense that you pose a threat to its safety—until it is hovering directly above the abyss. You step forward, intending to hasten it on its way, when suddenly a huge shape explodes from the crevasse, rising at such speed that its features are just a blur. The creature emits a deafening screech then dives straight towards your chest.

Instinctively you drop to the floor to avoid being hit by this howling horror, but, as it streaks past your body, its tendril skims your shoulder. There is a flash and a sharp pain runs down your arm; the creature has discharged a bolt of electrical energy that leaves your arms numb and nerveless—lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Gritting your teeth against the pain, you get to your feet in time to see the creature swooping for a second time.

Ictakko: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 35

Unless you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Nexus and have reached the Kai rank of Archmaster, you must lose an extra 1 ENDURANCE point every time this creature inflicts a wound during the combat, owing to the numbing effect of its electrical attack.

If you win the combat, turn to 343.