Dawn of the Dragons (24 page)
Your Arrow glances off the Dragon's lower eyelid and its tip gouges a furrow of black tissue from the cornea of his eye. He reacts to the sudden, agonizing pain by emitting a ground-shuddering roar. Wildly he stomps his massive forefeet down into the black soil and sends splashes of molten mud and flame soaring into the air.
The pack leader is a ferocious creature, but his will is no match for your highly-advanced Kai powers. You command him to retreat and instantly he obeys your psychic order. The sight of their leader running away with his tail between his hind legs is more than the remaining pack members can bear. With a howl of fear and frustration they, too, turn away and race back to the safety of their pens in Castle Tranius.
From the crystal ring there pours forth a torrent of energy, a crackling vortex of evil power that whirls around and around the wall of the circular shaft as it slowly descends towards you. Tugging the Sommerswerd from its scabbard, you hold the golden blade aloft and brace yourself for the moment the two powers collide. The tip of the swirling vortex is drawn to your blade like lightning to a conductor, and upon the instant it touches the tip, there is a blinding flash. An electrifying jolt runs through your body and a deafening screech splits the air. For a terrifying moment the tip of the Sommerswerd becomes molten and begins to lose its rigidity; then there is another flash, and the power of the ring rebounds from your divine blade and returns towards its source, conquered and repelled by the goodly might of the Sword of the Sun.
For an instant you glimpse the Prince's face — it is a mask of abject terror. Then the vortex reaches him and, in an instant, he is swallowed up by a whirlwind of supernatural fire.
‘So perish all who serve the Dark God!’ you scream, elated by your victory over the evil Prince Lutha.
Gwynian ushers you through into an adjoining chamber where floating bulbs of light illuminate a stone table covered with charts and scrolls.
‘What news have you of Sommerlund?’ you ask anxiously.
‘Grave news,’ replies Gwynian, with an ominous tone. He picks up a chart from the table and traces a finger across the intricate lines and calculations that embellish its ancient yellowed surface.
‘The Dark God Naar has opened a Shadow Gate in the Durncrag Mountains, a corridor between our world and his. By means of this corridor he has sent a host of winged creatures — the Lavas — to assail your monastery. It is his plan to destroy the young order of Kai warriors while you are not able to lead them. The Shadow Gate opened at the time of the last full moon and, since then, the Kai Monastery has been attacked many times. Naar's servants have your stronghold encircled and cut off from the armies of King Ulnar, who has repeatedly sought to break the siege. Your Kai have withstood the attacks well, Lone Wolf, but they are weakening. Only you can save them now.’
‘But how?’ you ask, shaken by Gwynian's account of the events which have occurred during your absence from the monastery. ‘If the armies of King Ulnar are powerless to break the siege, how can I hope to save my brethren?’
‘Do not despair, Lone Wolf,’ replies Gwynian, reassuringly. ‘All is not yet lost. You can save your brave order by closing the gate through which Naar sends his Lavas minions.’
You are about to ask how you could possibly achieve this, how you could close the Shadow Gate, but your urgent question is forestalled when Gwynian raises his hand.
‘Patience for just a moment, Lone Wolf,’ he says and he allows himself a smile. ‘I, humble Gwynian, possess the means by which you can thwart the Dark God's murderous plan.’
Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your fingers to his injured foot (reduce your
ENDURANCE
points score by 3). You feel the warmth of your power begin to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bones, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen comes rushing into the stables with their swords drawn. They see you, and you have barely enough time to draw your weapon before they launch a manic attack.
Castle Guardsmen (impostors):
COMBAT SKILL
48
ENDURANCE
48
If you win this fight,
turn to 159
.
While riding the road to Duadon, you search the bags which hang from the saddle of your newfound horse. Among the things they contain are a spare Eldenoran uniform and rain-cape. You throw the uniform away, but you sling the voluminous cape around your shoulders and fix the clasp under your chin. Mindful of the increased risks of detection the nearer you get to Duadon, this simple black cape serves two useful purposes: it keeps hidden your Kai clothes and gives you the outward appearance of an Eldenoran horseman. (You need not record this cape on your
Action Chart
.)
Among the other items you discover in the saddle-bags are:
- Enough food for 2 Meals
- Mace
- Rope
- Tinderbox
- 8 Lune (equivalent to 2 Gold Crowns)
- Mirror
If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.
During the remaining daylight hours, you frequently see units of Eldenorans on the road, most marching westwards with long pikes over their shoulders. None of them challenge you as you pass them by, for they assume you are a cavalry scout going about his duty. After spending a comfortable night in the loft of a deserted hay barn, you continue your ride at first light and reach the outskirts of Duadon shortly before midday.
The Eldenoran capital is a grey and unlovely place. Its cold stone buildings bear the scars of a city whose history is one of near-continual warfare. The roads leading to the city gates are crowded with regiments on the move, and soon you find yourself caught up to a large body of troops which is snaking slowly towards Duadon's heavily fortified western approach. The mood of the troops is one of studied indifference, a condition which often prevails in those who have become emotionally numbed by the horrors of war. As this sullen mass moves through the west gate, you glance up at the battlements and notice a red-robed figure clutching a long staff of glowing white metal. A tingle of apprehension runs the length of your spine when you recognize the figure to be a Cener Druid. The staff he holds radiates a magical aura and you sense at once that he is scanning the arriving soldiers, using the staff to determine, amongst other things, if any have contracted plague. Suddenly the Cener becomes agitated and he sprints the length of the battlements to sound an alarm bell. Within a few moments, the west gate is sealed by a heavy iron portcullis and panic sweeps through the troops who have been shut outside. You look up at the battlements once more and this time your heart skips a beat; the Cener is pointing his glowing staff directly at your head.
Illustration XVI—You notice a red-robed figure clutching a white, glowing staff on the battlements.
From out of the crowd of panic-stricken soldiers there bursts a unit of Duadon guards armed with spears and throwing nets. They are led by a bearded, one-eyed sergeant who barks an order at you to throw down your weapons and dismount from your horse.
‘Do as I say,’ he growls, murderously, ‘or I'll cut out your liver and feed it to the crows.’
If you decide to do as he says,
turn to 236
.
If you choose to ignore his command and get ready to defend yourself,
turn to 50
.
‘Very well, Grand Master, if this is the way you choose to proceed with your journey, then you are welcome to ride with me.’
You accept Cearmaine's offer and, within the hour, you and he are on the road once more, this time riding north on horseback towards the battle that is raging at the Reloni Bridge. When you are three miles from the river you can see the night sky lit up by the fires of war. At two miles, the sounds of singing steel and dying men can be heard on the wind. At a mile distant, you see fields littered with the wounded and dying recently evacuated from the front, and regiments of young Palmyrion reserves nervously awaiting their turn to go forward. And when at last you catch sight of the bridge itself, your stomach churns as you witness the carnage being wrought there.
The bridge and the surrounding banks of the river are carpeted with dead and dying men, twisted into impossible shapes. Massive engines of war bombard the soldiers on both sides, raining fiery death and destruction upon their heads. You have seen many battles in your time, but none to rival the savagery of the conflict that is unfolding here.
Cearmaine catches hold of a young lieutenant whose face is covered with dried blood. Part of his scalp has been sliced away but he seems unaware of his gaping wound. Cearmaine barks a question and the man answers him by pointing to a regiment of pikemen stationed on a distant hill.
‘There stand the Black Ravens — my son's men. I must away now, Grand Master, so I bid you farewell. The enemy have been repulsed this last hour and are gathering themselves for their next attack. If you are determined to cross the water to their side, you should attempt it now, before they advance again.’ Cearmaine turns his horse about and makes ready to ride off. ‘By the gods, Grand Master, you are brave to have chosen this road home!’ he says, saluting you. ‘I wish you luck — may Kai and Ishir keep you safe. Farewell, my friend. Farewell!’
As the captain gallops away, you look with mounting dread at the slaughter. To cross the river by the bridge is impossible; the only ways across are either upstream to the north, or downstream to the south. To the north you see a dense wall of trees on the far bank, which, judging by the number of arrow-struck bodies lying nearby, you hazard is full of enemy archers. To the south, the far shore is a mass of heavily fortified trenches filled to overflowing with Eldenoran assault troops.
If you wish to attempt to cross the river north of the bridge,
turn to 70
.
If you decide to try a crossing to the south of the bridge,
turn to 181
.
You fall backwards and land heavily among the damp, jagged rocks. The hard fall gashes your head and injures your back: lose 6
ENDURANCE
points.
Your sudden movement alerts a Lavas to your position on the mountainside and it circles around Raven's Eyrie until it is sure that what it has seen is human. Once it spots you lying dazed among the rocks, it gives a piercing shriek. Like a predatory bird, it comes diving out of the sky, its claws extended and its beaked jaw open wide.
Using the Brotherhood Spell
Slow Fall
you are able to control the rate of your descent. Unfortunately, Lord Constable Nathor does not possess this ability and, as you are beginning to slow down, he comes tumbling past you, his eyes and mouth wide with terror.
You stretch out and make a grab for his cloak as he hurtles past. You manage to get a grip and hold on fast, but as you are nearing the ground, the cloak comes unfastened and he falls the last twenty feet to the flagstoned keep. Upon landing, you discover that Nathor is still alive, but his left ankle is badly broken and his face is cut and bruised. Despite his obvious pain he manages a smile, revealing gaps where he is missing two of his teeth.
Bravely Nathor stifles his urge to scream as you take hold of his shattered ankle. You summon your healing powers and transmit them through your fingers to his injured foot (reduce your
ENDURANCE
points score by 3). You feel the warmth of your power start to reduce the swollen tissues and mend the broken bone, but before you can complete the cure, a yelling horde of bogus castle guardsmen come rushing from the gatehouse with their swords drawn. You draw your weapon and crouch in readiness to meet their manic attack.
Castle Guardsmen (impostors):
COMBAT SKILL
48
ENDURANCE
48
If you win this fight,
turn to 93
.
You instruct Captain D'Val to retreat with the regiment fifty yards back along the trail. When he has complied with your order, you move upstream until you can see, at an angle, the source of the ultraviolet beam: it is a small metallic polyhedron, studded with rivets.
You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Lightning Hand
and point the index finger of your right hand at the device. A tingle runs the length of your arm and a crackling arc of power jumps from your finger to the polyhedron. Instantly, there is a violent explosion which peppers the area around the ford with sharp splinters of rock. As the dust of the explosion clears, you signal to D'Val to bring the regiment forward.
‘Thank Ishir you're with us,’ says the captain, as he leads the men across the ford. ‘Without you, this wicked sorcery would have cost us dear.’