Beyond the Nightmare Gate (7 page)

With a brave cry you launch yourself at the Elessi. He is surprised by your bold move and you are able to drag him to the ground. Amidst a tangle of thrashing limbs, you attempt to wrestle him into submission. As you are fighting without a weapon, you must deduct 8 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
total for the duration of the fight, unless you possess a Jewelled Dagger, in which case, deduct only 6 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
total.

Elessi Leader:
COMBAT SKILL
 12   
ENDURANCE
 25

If you are still fighting the Elessi after three rounds of combat but have the higher
ENDURANCE
total, and wish to cease fighting,
turn to 99
.

Otherwise, if you have already killed the Elessi after three rounds, or if you continue on and win the combat,
turn to 107
.

You fasten the Rope around a glass gargoyle and slide down to the street below. The Rope is still fastened to the top of the wall and you must leave it there. (Remember to delete the Rope from your
Action Chart
. ) You turn and head down the street. You have only gone a short way when you are alerted by a shout: an Elessi is calling to you. Without hesitation, you run away from him but the Elessi calls for the aid of others and soon a crowd of Elessin are in hot pursuit. You turn the first corner that you come to and find yourself running across a lawn of blue grass. You can see no hiding place. The cries of the Elessin draw closer as you reach an ornate fountain in the centre of the lawn.

If you wish to jump into the fountain,
turn to 225
.

If you wish to keep running,
turn to 335
.

You work your way down the steps of the palace and enter the avenue of crystal that leads from the Singing City. Moving at a painfully slow pace, you finally reach the grove of trees where your flying machine is hidden. You drag the statue on board and turn to the controls. The Ethetron rises up into the air and, using the Gyronome to guide you once more, you soon feel the strange tingling sensation that indicates that you are crossing the realms of the Daziarn.

Turn to 278
.

You take out the Gyronome. To your surprise it is still emitting its familiar, high-pitched note. You are further confused when you discover that the device continues to sound at the same volume wherever you point it. You depress the foot bar. The mist within the glass dome begins to swirl and its ghostly light grows brighter, but there is no sensation of movement, even with the bar pressed all the way down to the floor. You fear that you are stranded — becalmed upon an alien sea.

A thread-like line of white light in the distance gives you fresh hope. Your flesh begins to tingle — an unpleasant sensation that seems to be drawing the strength from your body (lose 2
ENDURANCE
points). The horizon of white light thickens until it splits the darkness in two, and yawns like an infernal chasm. Terrified, you hurtle towards the momentous shaft at an incredible speed.

Illustration VI
—The horizon of white light splits the darkness in two.

If you wish to try to slow your pace,
turn to 74
.

If you wish to continue at the same speed,
turn to 310
.

You are wasting valuable
WILLPOWER
points assaulting the door and decide to return your attention to the five Keys.

If you wish to try the Serpent Key,
turn to 240
.

If you wish to try the Eagle Key,
turn to 227
.

If you wish to try the Wolf Key,
turn to 235
.

If you wish to try the Spider Key,
turn to 252
.

If you wish to try the Dragon Key,
turn to 277
.

The Master explains the route you must take towards a place called the Moaning Mountain. He goes on to reveal that in the side of the Moaning Mountain is a cavern and at the end of the cavern there is a Gate out of the realm that leads to a place called the Vale of Peace. The people of the Vale are wise and friendly and will show you how to reach the Realm of the Moonstone.

He then returns Tanith to you, but your joy is subdued when the Master demands his terms: you may only leave the realm if the Jahksa accompanies you.

Turn to 249
.

Once more you begin the arduous climb. The decorations carved upon the crystal surface of the tower wall have become more intricate and difficult to negotiate. You pray that your luck will hold but it is not enough to save you. With a cry, you slip and fall, crashing to the ground far below.

Your life and quest end here.

At the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points, you fire at the leading bird. Your aim is good. With a distraught cry, the bird drops from the sky, streaming smoke behind it in a coiling plume.

The remaining creatures appear undaunted by their fellow's plight and soon fall upon you. Clinging to the rail of the Ethetron, they strain their long necks to peck at you. The damaged Ethetron can barely support their weight and slowly but surely you are being dragged into the swirling mist below. One of the birds swoops in attack.

Chaos-bird:
COMBAT SKILL
 20   
ENDURANCE
 24

If you win the combat,
turn to 133
.

Gingerly, you set one foot on the first of the palace steps. Your muscles are screaming with the strain of carrying the statue. Suddenly, you trip and fall. You hear the terrified shouts of the Elessin gathered around as you and the statue tumble down the stairs.

The statue hits the bottom with a resounding
crash
and the Threnogem rolls out from its mouth. With dismay you watch it rolling away. The Elessin scream in terror.

Turn to 270
.

Shaking your head, you convey to them that you do not wish to accompany them. They become gently insistent and one takes hold of your arm and gestures towards the city. The laughter subsides. The Elessin are unarmed but you are unsure of their intentions.

If you wish to go with the Elessin,
turn to 45
.

If you wish to continue to refuse them,
turn to 72
.

If you prefer to attack the Elessin with your Wizard's Staff and possess 4
WILLPOWER
points or more,
turn to 21
.

‘Welcome to the realm of the impossible, Paradox, land of contradictions!’ booms a voice from overhead. ‘What gift do you seek from the Chaos-master?’

‘I seek a girl; her name is Tanith,’ you cry, ‘and one who is named Oz-na-Mun.’

‘So be it!’ replies the Chaos-master. ‘The bargain is struck. These things you shall have and then you must return to me and make payment.’

Before you can ask the nature of this ‘payment’, you find yourself standing upon firm ground, looking out across a vast quarry of red soil. Your Ethetron lies close at hand. On the other side of the quarry you can see smoke rising from a rough wooden shack. You push the nightmare visions from your brain and head towards the shack.

Turn to 127
.

The Chaos-birds wheel around the becalmed Ethetron as Tanith chants over the Key. They move to attack, but are thrown suddenly into a panic by the sight of a giant golden eagle, winging towards them.

The fight is terrible to behold as the eagle tears and claws a bloody path through the Chaos-birds. Suddenly, the lifeless corpse of a dead Chaos-bird hurtles towards the craft.

Turn to 290
.

You take out the Pipe, place it to your lips, and blow. The Elessi laughs — he is protected against the effects of the weapon. Unaffected, he carries out his sentence.

Turn to 28
.

You approach the wall of the tower and lay your hands upon its smooth surface. You concentrate and, eventually, a verse appears in your mind:

‘There is no door. You must climb the tower,
Or smite the wall with a Wizard's power.’

If you wish to try to climb the tower,
turn to 264
.

If you wish to search for a door on the right side of the tower,
turn to 206
.

If you wish to search for a door on the left side of the tower,
turn to 56
.

If you wish to examine the crystal wall immediately below the metal plate that bears the inscription,
turn to 223
.

If you wish to attack the crystal wall with your Staff,
turn to 339
.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 347
.

You reach out and pluck the jewel from the statue's mouth. Swiftly, you turn, ready to run but before you can escape, a distant sound reaches your ears. Quiet at first, it develops into a scream and begins to fill the palace. The awful sound is coming from the mouth of the statue and freezes you where you stand.

The ground begins to tremble and cracks appear in the glass walls. You can hear the tinkling of shattering crystal. The hideous wail grows in volume and soon you cannot block out the sound even when you cover your ears.

Within seconds you are crushed beneath shards of broken glass and debris. You have released the Screaming God and the Singing City is doomed.

Your quest and your life end here.

Again you refuse but they will not accept your refusal. Two of the Elessin grab at your arms, obviously intending to force you to accompany them.

If you wish to go with the Elessin,
turn to 45
.

If you wish to fight off the Elessin,
turn to 326
.