Taming a miniboss lobsteroc was one of those things that was easier said than done.

First, because pinning down something that can fly is always going to be a challenge, but second because the only lobsteroc bosses in the area were in flocks with backup. They roosted all over this trio of mountains and were quick to rush to one another's help.

Unlike the kalvex packs, you couldn't break up a lobsteroc flock with some flying minions and a conveniently-placed cliff. In fact, doing anything to control the movement of a bird big enough to lift a human with ease would be difficult enough even without adding lobster claws into the equation.

Which left the lone miniboss back at the hill by the floor entrance. It had no backup, but reaching it required traversing the much-more-populated middle range of the dungeon, or flying and leaving his non-flying and non-tiny minions behind - which would severely decrease his team's available strength.

Trying to tame something at this level without the kalvex would be much more difficult, even without boss level tricks to deal with, and he couldn't think of any way to quickly get Bolt and Packrunner across the distance without getting in more fights than they could afford. If they had unlimited time, then yes, they could slowly press forward picking off enemy packs one by one, but his plan for getting everyone out hinged on taking the kidnappers by surprise.

Levi paused just long enough to briefly explain his plan for catching the plus lobsteroc to the others so they'd be standing by and ready if he came in hot, then went into intensive testing.

If they were heading into a boss fight with barely sufficient resources, he had to be a hundred percent confident of the limits of his maneuverability. Which included being able to make sharp banks, turns, dives, and other midair adjustments without worrying about falling off.

Thankfully, Lash was quite good at holding onto things. Throughout their test flight Levi didn't so much as slip from his place.

Once certain of their capabilities, how fast they could adjust course, and his mount's speed capabilities, Levi started adding on the lighter weight minions to see how many they could manage.

Their first test confirmed that the roc-lobster couldn't lift a kalvex, which was something Levi had assumed anyway since even the relatively small kalvex were quite large and dense.

Frosty tagged along for this one too, holding on to the lobsteroc's shelled back with her webbing, while Skarm and Firelord crouched between Levi and Lash, the soul-seeker helping to hold them in place as well. Tink couldn't fly as fast as the lobsteroc, so held on to the tuft of feathers behind its eyestalks. The lobsteroc gave the Mirror Sprite one dubious look, but otherwise seemed untroubled by its many passengers.

One last quick test flight to be sure the added minions weren't going to overwhelm their weight limits, then they took off after their next target.

They cut wide to the north and west of the dungeon floor, avoiding the northeast corner where even now Levi could see more lobsterocs soaring in search of intruders and staying well clear of the nesting area he'd passed on his way in.

The whole area northwest of the prison tunnels gradually rose, flattening out from the deep ravine that cut across it from entrance to exit and shifting to low hills. Packs of kalvex roamed, snarling up at their shadow as they passed overhead. Levi kept well above them. He'd seen how high those things could jump, and had no intention of getting caught up in a fight. He highly doubted their current team would survive a run-in with a single kalvex if it dragged him to the ground, let alone a whole pack.

As soon as they came in sight of their target, Tink started up a shifting illusion to hopefully give them the element of surprise. They needed every advantage they could get.

The high angle of their approach really helped. Replicating a view of 'the dungeon ceiling' wasn't nearly as complicated as something like 'the constant movement of a dozen creatures in the distance and shifting landscape'. Tink could manage this much without much strain. Once they got in closer, though, it would be considerably harder.

The lobsteroc miniboss stood proudly atop its plateau within clear sight of the bountifully-filled treasure table. It had its lobster claw-arms tucked behind its back along with its wings, making it look almost like a slightly overly-muscular eagle, albeit with proportions a bit askew and closer in size to an elephant. It entirely dwarfed Levi’s standard lobsteroc.

They circled slowly closer, Levi tense with readiness for the moment their target noticed their presence. It swiveled its eyestalks in their direction, head tilted and wings tensing as if ready to take off, but seemed uncertain if it should actually attack the indistinct shimmer it couldn’t quite make out.

Even as they swooped down close enough that, if he hadn't been fully occupied keeping everyone aboard, Lash could have reached down to snatch something from the treasure table, its guardian did not move to attack.

Levi strongly suspected that would change the moment they actually did touch the tempting pile atop the treasure table, illusions or no illusions. He didn't want to risk finding out. The last thing they needed was to enrage the giant bird before the fight even started.

The creature's back was heavily plated, though its wings were a bit more vulnerable. Its chest was covered with feathers, rather than chitin, but with those claws to grab anyone approaching from the front it would be difficult to monopolize on that potential vulnerability.

A steady rapid pulse of mixed anticipation and trepidation beat in Levi's chest. He wouldn’t be an active participant in this fight, so he didn’t know why it made him so much more anxious than if he’d been about to rush into battle himself.

"We're going to be relying on you, Lash," he whispered. "I don't see any way to win unless you're able to hold it."

Lash saluted with one tendril, doubling it up in the middle so as not to drop Skarm, all but bouncing in place. Lash, at least, was entirely confident. Clearly he couldn't wait to show off what he could do now.

They circled lower, then came to a landing on the side furthest toward the relatively deserted back left corner of the dungeon.

Their target remained tensed, its eyestalks swiveling to follow their progress, but Tink's interference was enough to keep it from attacking. It may be suspicious, but it wasn't going to fly away from its post because of a few shimmers in the sky.

Lash released everyone he'd been holding. They slipped off their lobsteroc's back silently, staying close so Tink could keep up their pseudo invisibility as long as possible.

Lash was twitching with excitement, all his tendrils swishing impatiently, but even he understood the importance of setting themselves up before rushing ahead. Well, that, and Levi was holding him back physically.

Firelord lined up his attack, orienting himself perfectly on the currently-exposed chest of the plus monster. Skarm loosened his shoulders and crouched, ready to run into battle at full speed. Tink and the roc-lobster would be staying back, giving them an emergency escape option. If things went wrong, getting stranded here with the dungeon refilled between them and the others would be a death sentence for everyone involved.

Frosty had decided to ride Skarm's back for this one, crouched and streamlined as much as a white fluff of a giant spider could be.

Levi himself would stay back and only jump in if Lash needed an emergency escape. Against a plus on this level, he'd be lucky to survive more than one or two hits, and he couldn’t afford to die. Too many people were depending on him. He couldn’t allow himself to take unnecessary risks.

This was the plan all along, he reminded himself. The point of becoming a Tamer and eventually Summoner would be to remain a safe distance from certain death, sending in creatures that wouldn't be permanently lost even if they died.

Time to put that to the test. This fight would be up to his minions to win.

Levi took a breath, wondering why he felt so much more anxious about this than about running into certain death himself, then pushed the thought aside.

"Go."