Mydnight's Hero (35 page)

Once you have decided the places where each of you will search for the whereabouts of Prince Karvas, you follow Acraban to the rear deck and enter the skyship's boarding cage. Swiftly it is winched down to the market square where you are met unexpectedly by a pressing crowd of grimy-faced street urchins. They have been gathering here since dawn to stare in wonderment at the
Starstrider
hovering motionless in the cloudless sky above. Acraban scatters a handful of copper coins across the cobblestones and the children scramble to retrieve them. This creates enough room to allow Zinair to open the cage door and the three of you to step out. After agreeing to return here to the skyship no later than sunset, you split up and go in search of your chosen destinations.

Unlike the urchins, the adult population of Mydnight appears less than fascinated by the imposing sight of the
Starstrider
hovering above their city. Few pay it a second glance, yet this seeming lack of interest does not surprise you. For centuries this port has been a refuge for exiles from the many nations of Magnamund who, for their own individual reasons, have chosen to forsake their native lands. They are, by nature, a secretive community. Any overt interest in the affairs of another is most often viewed with suspicion and distrust.

You retrace the route you took last night and soon find yourself at the harbour.
The Azaktana
is still moored at the quayside and you give the crew a friendly wave as you stride across the quayside and enter a wide avenue that leads to the Hall of the Judicars.

By the lowly standards of the city, this hall could almost be considered grand in comparison to the neighbouring hovels. You pass beneath its façade of crumbling marble and walk through a stone archway that leads to a gloomy, torchlit interior. Here you discover over a hundred men and women standing patiently in two separate queues. One line ends at an open window where a clerk is busily exchanging gold and silver coins for linen Torqs, the woven currency that is used here on Sheasu. The other queue ends at a marble-topped desk where a man in the uniform of a reeve-sergeant is listening with bored indifference to a citizen who is reporting the theft of a goat.

If you wish to join the queue for the reeve-sergeant,
turn to 127
.

If you choose to stand in line for the Clerk of the Hall,
turn to 334
.

You use your Magnakai Discipline further to calm the two horses and summon them to approach you and Prince Karvas. Obediently they obey, and quickly you are able to mount them and make good your escape from this passageway into a wider street at its eastern end.

Turn to 67
.

While the horses are drinking, you laugh with Karvas when you recall the startled faces of the militiamen as you galloped through their dithering ranks at Bakhasa's east gate, and you take the opportunity to give him the sword and belt that you took from the sleeping guard at the Tehda Stables. He smiles as he buckles it on his hip and then he unsheathes the blade to gauge its weight and balance.

‘Not the best steel I've ever handled,’ he muses, ‘but better than no steel at all. I'm indebted to you, Grand Master.’
¹⁶

It is an hour past midnight and the passing of another day rekindles thoughts of the road ahead. With only nineteen days to Harvestmas, the city of Seroa still seems a very long way away. But you draw some comfort from the fact that you now have two fine stallions. They are sure to make the long road seem far shorter. You are admiring them when suddenly they stop drinking and become agitated. You scan the surrounding trees yet you detect nothing untoward. Then you hear the sound of approaching hoofbeats and you curse yourself for being complacent.

‘I should have known they would not let us get away with two horses as fine as these,’ you say, as hurriedly you and Karvas climb back into the saddle. You urge your horses across the ford and, as you take to the trail beyond, you look over your shoulder to see half a dozen armed Bakhasians come galloping along the trail towards the stream. They are led by a warrior who is sheathed from head to toe in shiny black armour and he holds a metal staff raised in his gauntleted hand. Beyond the stream the trail narrows as it ascends into the forested hills.

As you reach the crest of a ridge, you glance back to see that your pursuers are gaining on you. The leader aims his staff and a ball of flame hurtles from its tip to come streaking between you and the Prince. This fiery missile fails to strike its target, but the heat and noise of its passing startles Karvas' horse. The Prince controls his mount with admirable skill, yet in so doing he loses speed and is soon left trailing over 100 yards behind. You wave to him, urging him frantically to catch up, and he signals to you to ride on. When you turn to look at the trail ahead, you are shocked to see that it is now blocked by a burning tree. The fiery missile has struck and felled a pine and ignited its inflammable sap. As you gallop towards this blazing trunk, your heart sinks when you see that it blocks the narrow trail: there is no clear way around it.

If you wish to attempt to jump your horse over this blazing pine trunk,
turn to 204
.

If you decide to rein in your horse and turn to face your pursuers,
turn to 60
.

You and Karvas step over the lifeless bodies of the knight and his escort, and hurry out into the corridor beyond. You slam the cell door shut behind you and, with a powerful kick of your heel, you cleave away the dial of the lock to prevent the door from being opened easily.

Once outside, you notice the door to another cell directly opposite and instantly your Kai Sixth Sense alerts you to the presence of your Weapons and equipment. They are being stored in this adjacent cell and you pause for a few moments to work on its tumbler lock. This time your efforts are rewarded. The lock disengages and, when you pull open the door, you discover all of your confiscated equipment lying on the floor of this cell. (You may erase the asterisks [*] from your
Action Chart
now that your arms and equipment have been restored.)

In addition to your equipment you also discover Prince Karvas' sword and belt, together with the following:

• Bow
  
• 3 Arrows
  
• Enough food for 1 Meal
  

Karvas buckles on his sword belt and, before you leave, he unhooks a coil of rope from the wall and slings it over his shoulder. On returning to the corridor, you hurry to the end to where a circular stone staircase ascends to the levels above. With your Kai Weapon back in your hand once more, you begin to climb the steps, retracing the route that you committed to your memory when you were dragged to your cell more than an hour ago.

Turn to 169
.

As the soldier approaches you realize that he is only aware of Prince Karvas. You have not been seen; the darkness and your innate Kai camouflage skills have kept you hidden from sight. Silently you sidestep into the shallow archway of an adjacent house and unsheathe your Kai Weapon. Karvas stands in the avenue, his eyes fixed on the approaching guard so as not to betray your presence. Nervously the soldier approaches the Prince with his spear levelled at his chest. He commands Karvas to state the name of his regiment, and when he refuses to reply, your Sixth Sense suddenly warns you that the guard is about to raise the alarm.

Like an attacking panther, you leap from the shadowy arch and strike the guard at the base of the neck with the hilt of your weapon. Without uttering a sound he crumples at the knees and falls unconscious to the ground. Quickly you and Karvas drag his body away from the avenue and hide it in an alleyway. Before you leave, you make a quick search of the soldier's pockets and backpack and discover the following items:

• 30 Ren (equivalent to 3 Gold Crowns)
  
• Spear
  
• Sword
  
• Dagger
  
• Bottle of Rice Wine
  
• 1 Meal
  
• Ivory Comb
  

If you wish to keep any of these items, adjust your
Action Chart
accordingly.

You hurry away from the alley and continue along the avenue, past grimy two-storey houses of carved hardwood that are silent behind their bolts and shutters. It leads to a stone bridge that traverses the River Tehda and then continues into the heart of the east quarter. Here you almost collide with a patrol of armed guards which is marching towards the river, and hurriedly you are forced to take cover in a timber yard to avoid being seen. You observe the ten-strong patrol as it marches past. These men are clad in black quilted tunics and wide silk leggings, and they are armed with curved swords and hand-axes. All are almond-eyed and they have shiny black hair tied in a knot at the nape of their necks. Their leader, a stocky bull-necked sergeant, wears the emblem of Sejanoz emblazoned upon a scarlet armband. Patiently you wait for them to reach the bridge but, as they do so, another patrol comes marching along the avenue from the opposite direction. The east quarter of Bakhasa is a busy place even at this late hour. Rather than risk being seen and captured, you decide to remain hidden in the timber yard and attempt to get a few hours' sleep before dawn.

Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 340
.

You unbuckle your tunic belt and lie flat on your stomach with your arms dangling over the edge of the hole. You extend your right hand as far as you are able, offering the end of your belt to the Prince, but he is just out of reach and he is unable to grab it with his free hand. You see his fingers slipping and you know that this perilous situation calls for drastic action. If you are to save Karvas from falling to his doom, you will have to climb down into the hole and get him.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 0,
turn to 225
.

If it is 1–5,
turn to 333
.

If it is 6 or higher,
turn to 219
.

The air temperature begins to rise and you sense a benign aura of tranquillity radiating from this spirit. The ghostly knight lowers his broadsword and bows at the waist; you have passed a great test and clearly you have won its respect. Your Sixth Sense tells you that it has looked into the depths of your soul and it approves of what it has discovered there.

As the temperature approaches normal, the apparition shrinks and its vapours are drawn back into the tomb. You hear the bolts being pulled on the chapel door, and then it bursts open and in rushes Baron Lodamos with his Marshal and a dozen of his armed guards. He sees Karvas lying on the floor and he pulls to a halt. ‘Aha! Just as I thought. Another of Sadanzo's assassins.’ Then he notices you standing before the tomb and a look of puzzlement creases his noble brow. The Marshal of the Guard kneels beside Karvas and touches his fingers to the side of his neck, seeking a pulse. ‘He's alive, my liege,’ he says, incredulously.

‘Then it's true,’ retorts the Baron. ‘He really is our Prince returned from exile. Quickly, Guntor, take him to my chambers at once.’

To continue,
turn to 131
.

As you tumble across the decking, you rely on your advanced Kai agility and Sixth Sense to avoid hitting the many obstacles that are strewn in your path. Unfortunately, you are unable to avoid them all and you come to a sudden halt when you collide with a crewman on the middle deck: lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 295
.