EDGE: I, Hero Quests: Dragon Mountain (2 page)

“I choose the ruby on the right.”

With these words, you take the ruby.

Go to 4.

You climb the stone stairs to the door of the keep. You march boldly though it, and straight into a room full of armed elves!

You curse your stupidity and haste. You prepare to fight, but as you do so, you know that even the Ruby of Power cannot help you. Elves are clever and mighty warriors, and they outnumber you. A dozen guards draw back their bows, ready to take you down in an instant. You have no option but to surrender.

Go to 33.

You seize the spear and turn to face the Dragon Lord.

As the dragon rears up, you feel the Ruby of Power fill your body with super strength. You cast the spear like a high-powered javelin at the underbelly of the beast. The weapon pierces the Dragon Lord’s neck.

The enraged beast lunges at you, but you easily dodge, plunging your sword into its throat where the spear pierced the skin. “Come on!” you taunt your foe. The great dragon roars as smoke pours from its mouth and you push your blade deeper. The Dragon Lord gives a shriek of mortal agony and writhes in fury. You raise your sword to give the creature its death blow.

If you heard the legend from the elf captain,
go to 43.

If you did not hear the legend,
go to 26.

You raise your sword again to battle your way out. But without the Ruby of Power, you are no match for the deadly creatures. Their swords pierce your flesh and you drop to the floor.

The death wraiths close in for the kill…

You have failed in your quest. To begin again,
go to 1.

You continue your climb, leaving the woman behind. As the day draws to a close, you see before you a rock in the shape of a dragon with folded wings. You approach it cautiously, but this time you are relieved to see that it is only a rock. Reaching it, you look down into a hidden valley.

On the far side of the valley stand the crumbling towers of the castle of the Dragon Princess.

You look around carefully. All seems quiet. There appear to be no enemies in sight.

To head for the castle at once,
go to 27.

If you decide to wait for darkness,
go to 5.

An elf appears at the door to the keep and stands at the top of the stone steps. You speed up the steps and before the elf can react, you have your dagger to his throat.

“Drop your weapon,” he tells you calmly. “I have only to call, and a dozen of my fellow guards will come to my aid.”

“For you, they will come too late,” you reply. “In any case, I’ve always heard that elves are honourable folk. What are you doing in the service of the Dragon Lord and the Red Queen?”

The elf glares at you. “I know nothing of the Red Queen. As to the Dragon Lord, we are forced to serve him. Our village is in the forest nearby. Our trees and our homes are at his mercy. What is your business with the Dragon Lord?”

“I’m not here for the Dragon Lord, but I must find his captive, the Dragon Princess.” The elf gives you a strange look, and you press the point of the dagger into his flesh. “Tell me how many guards there are in the keep, and where they are positioned.”

“I will tell you nothing,” says the elf. “You had better kill me.”

If you want to kill the elf and enter the keep,
go to 38.

If you decide to release the elf,
go to 25.

You guide the gryphon and she swoops above the rooftops of the village.

As you do, an alarm bell sounds. Villagers rush into the village square. You see archers stringing their bows, and lighting their arrows from flaming torches. You realise that the villagers have mistaken Hergal for a dragon!

The archers shoot and their fiery arrows streak towards you. Before you can take any action to avoid them, the arrows strike, piercing Hergal’s unprotected body.

Go to 47.

You look around the room. The walls are bare except for a single tapestry hanging in a shadowed corner. You look behind it and find a small wooden door. You lift its latch and push. It opens without a sound.

You slip into the chamber beyond and find the great room almost filled with a gigantic dragon. The Dragon Lord is ten times bigger than the dragons you have met so far. He is curled up tightly and asleep, with only his back showing, which is protected by rows of tough armoured scales.

If you wish to shoot an arrow to wake up the dragon,
go to 9.

If you wish to use your sword to stab the dragon’s heart,
go to 21.

“I choose the ruby on the left.”

With these words, you take the ruby.

Go to 4.

“Thank you for your advice,” you say, “but my quest is too urgent to take that long. Despite the danger, I will fly to the castle.”

“Then on your head be it,” the dwarf replies. “Head north and look out for a dragon-shaped rock. The castle is close by. Not that you’ll ever reach it,” he adds.

You realise that it is too dark to set off now, so you spend the night at the tavern.

In the morning, you rejoin Hergal and take to the air. You fly over glaciers and through mountain passes until you spot the rock shaped like a dragon, and the castle beyond. You are near your goal!

Suddenly, you hear wingbeats overhead. You look up to see a flight of dragons appear out of the sun. You urge Hergal to twist and turn in a desperate attempt to flee, but the dragons follow you. There are too many for you to escape! The dragons send streams of flame towards you.

Go to 47.

You listen to the grobblins squabbling around the nearest stew pot and a plan forms in your mind.

You pick up a smooth rock from the ground. Carefully, you lob it into the grobblins’ cooking pot.

“Argh!” The first grobblin leaps to its feet. “You splashed me, you clod!”

“Clod yourself!” cries the second. “You splashed me! I’ll get you for that!”

They begin to grapple and the courtyard soon echoes with the thud and crunch of a fight. Other grobblins join in. Soon the courtyard is a mass of struggling bodies.

The grobblins are too busy fighting each other to spot you as you approach the castle keep.

If you want to head straight through the door of the keep,
go to 11.

If you wish to wait in the shadows and watch for a while,
go to 28.

You step forward and, with all your strength, aim a sword thrust at the dragon’s hide.

But the creature’s tough scales turn the blade. Even the Ruby of Power cannot give you the strength to pierce the Dragon Lord’s armoured skin.

The great beast uncurls itself and raises its wings until it fills the room.

You turn to flee, but more dragons pour through the main iron doors behind you.

If you want to stand your ground and fight,
go to 32.

If you would prefer to dodge and run,
go to 45.

You stare at the rubies. They all look alike.

“Can’t you tell me which one is the Ruby of Seeing?” you ask.

The Princess shakes her head. “Only the worthy will choose correctly,” she says. “Make your choice.”

If you want to choose the ruby on the right,
go to 10.

If you want to choose the ruby on the left,
go to 18.

If you want to choose the ruby in the centre,
go to 50.

You climb the stone steps without a sound and slip though the open doorway into the great hall, keeping to the shadows.

You see that there are several elves on guard in the hall. You slip the dagger from your belt, and throw it across the hall. It lands in a dark corner with a clatter.

The elves give a start. Two of them go to see what has caused the noise. But before you can move you feel the sharp, cold blade of a sword at your throat. A third elf has crept up behind you.