Arvin stared at the naga in anticipation. It shook its head and swayed loosely back and forth, part of its body sliding back under the water. It stared with dull eyes at the humans who were proving so much of an annoyance, and for one hope-filled moment Arvin thought the injuries the fate link had inflicted might cause it to retreat back into the river. But then it gave a loud, angry hiss. Whatever had prompted its attack on the riverboat, it wasn’t giving up.
Arvin heard the sound of panting just above. Turning, he saw the elf had reached them at last.
“The naga’s by the boat!” Arvin shouted at the elf. “Use your magic against it—quickly!”
“Where?” The elf cocked his head, trying to pinpoint the naga by sound alone. The monster, however, was no longer hissing. And the wife was wailing as she clutched her husband’s lifeless body, masking any sounds the naga was making.
Arvin made a quick mental calculation. “About a hundred and fifteen paces away,” he called over his shoulder. “And….” He glanced at the naga and took a wild guess. It was slightly to the left. “And one hand to port?”
The elf immediately cast a spell. Pointing a finger at the sky, he shouted in his own lilting tongue, and whipped his hand down so that it was pointing at the naga. As he did, a bolt of lightning streaked down from the overcast above, momentarily blinding Arvin. Thunder exploded directly overhead.
When Arvin opened his eyes again—blinking them to clear away the white after-image of the lightning—he saw that the bolt had missed. Instead of striking the naga it had struck the overturned boat, tearing a huge hole in the riverboat’s stern. Smoke rose from the blackened planks.
“Did I hit it?” the elf cried.
The naga gave a humanlike scream, which ended in a fierce hiss of anger. Then it retaliated. Its tongue flicked out, hurling a glowing dart of energy toward the elf. He gave a sharp cry as it struck him in the shoulder and he immediately tried to cast a counter spell. But even as his lips parted, a second magical missile struck him in the chest, then a third, and a fourth. The elf faltered, fell to his knees, and began sinking through the air toward the island.
Arvin tried to manifest a second fate link—this time, between elf and naga. The monster wouldn’t suffer the effects of the damage the elf had already taken, but if it continued to attack, the pain it would suffer would give it pause for thought. Though he felt a slight tingle in his chest, nothing happened. His psionic energies were too depleted to manifest that power.
The wife’s wails were increasing in volume. Releasing her husband’s body at last, she rose unsteadily to her feet and shook her fist at the heavens, one hand gripping the keel. “Why him?” she screamed. “Why?”
The naga’s head whipped around. It lunged down, sinking its teeth into her upraised arm. She gave a choked cry and staggered backward as the nags released her. She collapsed into a seated position, supporting herself with one hand.
“Stay where you are,” Karrell called to the woman. “I am coming to help.” Then, before Arvin could stop her, she dived into the water. What Karrell thought she could accomplish, Arvin had no idea. The woman would be dead within a few heart beats from the naga’s venom. Even if Karrell reached her in time to cast a preventive spell, she’d be the next to fall.
“Karrell, no!” Arvin cried. “Come back!”
She ignored him, swimming steadily on toward the boat.
He had to do something—but what? His energies were almost depleted, but there was one small thing he could do. Sending his awareness clown into his throat, he chose one of his lesser powers—one that caused its target to become momentarily distracted by an imagined sight or sound. A low droning filled the air as it manifested. The naga had been lashing back and forth, but as the power manifested, its head turned sharply to stare at a distant spot on the river.
As Karrell at last reached the boat and climbed up to help the injured woman, Arvin used his power to distract the naga a second time. “Karrell!” he shouted. “Swim with her back to the island! Get away from there!”
Karrell, however, wasn’t listening. She crouched beside the woman, touching her arm.
The naga glanced down at her and parted its jaws. Arvin distracted it a third time.
“Hurry up,” Arvin gritted under his breath. “Finish the spell.”
The naga recovered—more quickly than before. Arvin distracted it a fourth time.
Karrell still hadn’t completed her spell.
The naga loomed above her, hissing furiously. It was almost as if the monster realized it was being hit with psionics—and blamed the attacks on the woman who was crouched on the overturned boat, within easy striking distance.
Arvin tried to distract the naga a fifth time. Nothing happened. The energy stored in his muladhara had run dry. “Leave her!” he shouted at Karrell. She ignored him.
“Where…” a faint voice asked, “… is it?”
Arvin glanced around. The elf was kneeling on the rocks behind him, his head drooping.
