The Ravager reappeared a few feet away.
It still stood in the same place.
It still grinned.
Ben's heart pounded.
'It is shifting its presence,' he thought. 'It is not dodging.
It is not teleporting.
It is making me perceive its position differently.'
The moment that thought clicked, the Ravager struck again.
WHOOSH!
Ben saw the faintest shimmer.
This time, he did not react to the image in front of him.
He reacted to the air behind him.
CRACK!
His elbow slammed backward and hit something solid.
The small Ravager reeled, clicking in shock.
Ben grinned through clenched teeth. "Got you."
He whipped around, pickaxe flashing, but the Ravager was already gone.
'Damn, it escaped again.
Just how is it doing this?' he thought, eyes tracking the small creature. 'Is it some kind of magic?'
The illusion was not visual.
It was perception itself.
His body was not reacting late.
His mind was processing false information.
