Beyond the Nightmare Gate (17 page)

Cautiously you enter the building and find yourself in a massive hall with tiered balconies looming high above you. You walk past many rows of transparent columns filled with a slow-moving coloured liquid and, in the distance, you see a swirling whirlpool of light.

The light illuminates a grotesque statue, three feet in height and formed of a strange, greenish metal. The statue has the body of a child sat cross-legged on the floor but bears the shrivelled face of an old man. In its open, upturned mouth rests the Threnogem.

If you wish to take the Threnogem from the statue's mouth,
turn to 71
.

If you wish to examine the statue more closely,
turn to 226
.

If you have the Magical Power of Psychomancy and wish to use it,
turn to 39
.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 55
.

‘Of course!’ you shout to Tanith. ‘The Keys! We must use the Keys!’ With an understanding nod, she takes the Keys.

‘Which one?’ she asks.
²³

If you choose the Spider Key,
turn to 98
.

If you choose the Wolf Key,
turn to 251
.

If you choose the Eagle Key,
turn to 68
.

If you choose the Dragon Key,
turn to 281
.

Though you have no idea what the guard is saying to you, you appear to have made the right response. He allows you to pass and you breathe a sigh of relief as you enter the city.

Turn to 175
.

You swerve aside but you are seconds too late. The gigantic hand slaps you from the air like an irritating fly and you are smashed into the ground. There is no chance of survival.

Your quest and your life end here.

You walk forward onto the flagstone. Nothing happens.

If you now wish to trace a course to the stairway,
turn to 256
.

If you wish to make your way to the door,
turn to 204
.

Gingerly you reach forward and take the Wolf Key. Before you are able to insert it into the lock, a long, low growl causes the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end. You peer into the dim shadows of the Neverness where you can just make out the crouched form of a wolf-shape as it glares at you with burning eyes. Then, with a fierce snarl, the huge, grey wolf springs at your throat, its teeth bared.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 178
.

If the number you have picked is 5–9,
turn to 296
.

Your Power of Prophecy shows you what you feared most: Shasarak's Jahksa. Your dark twin is somewhere close at hand and there is terrible evil in his heart. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 1
WILLPOWER
point.

Turn to 228
.

You lose 1 more
WILLPOWER
point as you deepen your trance in the hope of locating the Black Wizard. The vision is a disturbing one, for all you can see is yourself, standing where you stand now in a trance state, searching for yourself. Is the Realm of Paradox able to affect your Power this way?

Your trance is suddenly broken by the sound of your own laughter — but you are not laughing. With dread in your heart, you open your eyes; what you see before you causes your skin to crawl with fear.

Turn to 255
.

You are now the centre of attention. Your clothes and appearance distinguish you considerably from the Elessin and soon a great crowd surrounds you. Their faces are warm and welcoming and you sense no danger. The press of the crowd carries you down the long avenue and ahead you see a huge palace, more beautiful than the other buildings. You head towards it, the Elessin laughing and singing around you.

Eventually, you reach the bottom of a massive glass stairway that leads into the palace itself. Before the entrance at the top of the staircase stands an imposing figure draped in white and golden robes. You climb the steps, leaving the Elessin at the bottom. The man greets you; he has long, golden hair and sparkling blue eyes and holds a jewelled crozier in his hand. He is the leader of the Elessin. With a welcoming gesture, the man ushers you into the palace. Any plan for the secret theft of the Threnogem is shattered and you decide to allow events to run their natural course in the hope that an opportunity will soon present itself. With diplomacy in mind, you bow and follow the golden-haired man into the magnificent palace.

Turn to 241
.

You try to decide on a route back to the stairway, finding the darkness of the other doorway sinister and uninviting.

If you wish to walk to the stairs by stepping on the flagstone that bears one sword,
turn to 89
.

If you wish to walk to the stairs by stepping on the flagstone that bears two swords,
turn to 349
.

You take the Key from the hook and place it in the lock. You have guessed correctly: the Key fits. You unlock the door, push it open, and take a deep breath before entering the Crystal Tower. Suddenly the Serpent Key vanishes into thin air!

If you wish to keep any of the remaining Keys, mark them as Special Items on your
Action Chart
. If you decide to carry them, they must be kept in your Backpack unless you give them to Tanith to carry, in which case note this on your
Action Chart
.
²⁴

Turn to 200
.

The man leads you into a vast hall. Its incredibly high ceiling is supported by hundreds of transparent columns that contain a many-coloured liquid. At the far end of the hall is a pillar of swirling light that illuminates a grotesque but life-like statue of a child.
Welcome,
says a voice in your head,
to the Palace of the Screaming God.
Instinctively you spin round to look at the man with the golden hair. He is a telepath, and since the language of the mind is universal, you are able to understand everything he says.
I am the Guardian of the Threnogem,
he informs you.
And you are Grey Star. Pray tell me, why have you come to the Realm of the Elessin?

Illustration XVIII
—In the palace of the Screaming God there is a grotesque but life-like statue of a child.

If you wish to attack the Guardian of the Threnogem,
turn to 322
.

If you wish to snatch the Threnogem from the statue's mouth and try to break out of the Palace of the Screaming God,
turn to 71
.

If you wish to tell the Guardian your true purpose,
turn to 259
.

‘Wait, dragon,’ you call, as the mighty beast makes to leave. ‘What do you know of these Keys? Which one will open the Crystal Tower? What lies beyond?’

The dragon peers down at you, a wisp of smoke curling from its nostrils and winding around its long, reptilian head. ‘Little Wizard,’ he says in a deep, rumbling voice, ‘thy friend hath mastered a dragon. What more couldst thou seek to achieve?’ You say nothing, and with a weary tone, the dragon continues. ‘Each Key can summon the beast in whose likeness it hath been fashioned. These are not true beasts but spirit creatures. He who can master beasts may master these creatures also, otherwise he will be slain by them.’

‘Which Key opens the door to the Crystal Tower?’ you ask.

‘Of this, I cannot speak, save to tell that the answer lies hidden in the words above the door,’ the dragon answers reluctantly. With these words, the dragon lifts its broad wings and soars into the sky, swiftly disappearing from view.

If you wish to keep the Dragon Key, mark it as a Special Item on your
Action Chart
.

You turn and read the inscription once more:

‘Ware the hunters, beasts of prey,
Five in number, feared by name:
The widow woman, patient weaver;
The tireless runner, shadow-seeker;
Bird of fire, the treasure lover;
Arrow-swift, his keen-eyed brother;
But only he who walks without feet
May pass this door of mystery.’

You must now choose from the remaining Keys.
²⁵

If you choose the Spider Key,
turn to 252
.

If you choose the Wolf Key,
turn to 235
.

If you choose the Eagle Key,
turn to 227
.

If you choose the Serpent Key,
turn to 240
.

‘Now I have you,’ he says with a snarl. He raises his staff to meet your attack, and there is a blinding clash of magical fire that fills the room with light.

‘No, Grey Star,’ Tanith shouts. ‘Do not fight him.’

Jahksa:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 35

You may stop fighting at any time by
turning to 218
.

If you win the combat,
turn to 286
.

If you lose the combat,
turn to 350
.

There is a gargoyle of glass mounted on the wall. You fasten the Rope to it and gently slide down to the deserted street. The Rope is still fastened to the top of the wall and you must leave it there. (Delete this item from your
Action Chart
.) You walk along the street, which leads to a long, crystal-paved avenue.

Turn to 279
.

This was once the realm of the Demon, Steth-Amon, Master of Sound. We, the Elessin, were created his slave singers, a choir of the damned, and long did we labour in his service. His was the music of dissonance, designed to drive his victims insane or to lure them with its enticements. Steth-Amon would sow seeds of discord and clamour in the realms of mortals so that they would join him and then be doomed to lives of misery under his dominion. But we, the Elessin, conceived of a plan to overthrow him, for we desire the beauty of music: harmony and the melody of accord. We created the Threnogem, a tool of silence, for without silence there can be no true music. While he slumbered we dropped the Threnogem into his open mouth and silenced him. Robbed of his power, the power of his mighty voice, he froze as you see him now.

He gestures towards the statue beneath the swirling pillar of light.
We built this place to contain him and called it the Palace of the Screaming God. Each day we sing our song, giving force to the Threnogem so that the Screaming God should remain forever silent. All our power is dedicated to this single act, for his was a great evil. If the Threnogem is removed, the Screaming God will be released. Those who have sent you upon this quest know not of this, or else they do not care. Perhaps they desire to free the Screaming God, or wish your death. However, there is a way for you to fulfil your bargain and do us a great service, too.

Yet another bargain! ‘What is it you wish me to do?’ you ask.

Take the statue with you,
the Guardian replies.
Take it in your flying machine and remove it from this realm. Give the statue, with the Threnogem inside it, to the Academicians. Let them guard it as we have done. It would be just.

If you wish to agree to the Guardian's request,
turn to 182
.

If you do not trust the Guardian and wish to try to overpower him and steal the Threnogem,
turn to 322
.