Trail of the Wolf (17 page)
Your Kai Mastery warns you that this secret panel is guarded by a magical trap. Your Sixth Sense reveals a way you can open the panel, but in so doing you will trigger the spell that has been placed here to protect it.
If you possess Kai-alchemy,
turn to 122
.
If you do not,
turn to 233
.
Using your advanced mastery of Elementalism, you create a protective bubble of calm air around yourself which serves to protect you from the abrasive dust. This sphere of still air remains intact until you reach the crest of the hill, where you are then able to take shelter at the rocky knoll. As you settle yourself into a hollow beside a pillar of jagged stone, you are startled by a loud screeching caw that echoes in the dark skies above.
You have ascended no more than twenty steps when a crossbow bolt ricochets off the stone parapet and grazes your shoulder: lose 1
ENDURANCE
point. The sudden shock and the stinging pain of your wound spur you to an even greater effort. You force yourself to climb faster, and your legs pound the stairs like steam pistons as you strive to avoid capture by the murderous Drakkarim.
The noise of the explosion is reverberating around the hall as the possessed body of Xaol rises up from the floor and extends its twisted arms towards you. An unholy fire blazes in the eyes of the dead necromancer as his corpse moves across the hall towards you with unnatural speed. You pray to the Goddess Ishir for her protection as this ghastly zombie leaps upon you and attempts to fix its corpse-cold hands around your throat.
Xaol Zombie
(possessed by Zorkaan)
:
COMBAT SKILL
55
ENDURANCE
43
This possessed creature is immune to psychic attack. If your Kai Weapon is ‘Alema’ or ‘Valiance’, you may add the appropriate bonus gained through their unique properties. You may reduce the total damage inflicted upon you by 5
ENDURANCE
points due to the protection you gain from wearing the Platinum Amulet. However, unless you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, you must reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 3 for the duration of this combat.
Conduct this combat in the normal way for three rounds only. If you survive these initial rounds, you may continue by
turning to 260
.
Fearful that this growling dog may draw unwanted attention to your presence, you call upon your Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control and command the hound to cease its growling.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Animal Mastery, add 3 to the number you have picked.
If your total score is now 4 or lower,
turn to 237
.
If it is 5 or higher,
turn to 39
.
Your Kai Sixth Sense tells you that Lone Wolf is somewhere nearby. Encouraged by this feeling of certainty, you close your eyes and take hold of the Platinum Amulet that Lord Rimoah gave you before you left the monastery. Its powers help to focus your concentration as you try to determine which of the three doors will lead you to your imprisoned leader. You sense the faint warmth of Lone Wolf's aura, but it is too weak for you to be sure of the direction you should follow.
If you wish to investigate the left door,
turn to 125
.
If you choose to examine the centre door,
turn to 305
.
If you decide to examine the right door,
turn to 166
.
The creature sees your blade spinning end-over-end towards its face and quickly it crouches down to avoid it. Your Weapon grazes its skull as it streaks past; then it hits one of the narrow stone pillars which support the glass dome. With a loud
Clang!
it ricochets off the stonework and skitters across the floor.
With a quiet, mocking laugh, the Urgaroh rises up and takes aim at you with its crystal rod. Moments later, a fiery missile erupts from its tip and comes speeding across the platform towards your face.
You retrieve the Copper Key from your Backpack and insert it into the keyhole. It fits, and when you twist it anticlockwise, the winch handle unlocks. You take hold of the handle and hurriedly you wind it until the drawbridge is fully raised. Then you relock the winch and pocket the key as you hurry across the bridge. On reaching the opposite platform, you stop to check that the coast is clear before entering the citadel of Gazad Helkona.
You pull aside the mouldering tapestry that covers the arch, and you discover a tunnel that leads to Xaol's private chambers. The walls, ceiling, and floor are all constructed from dull volcanic stone, and several pieces of black wooden furniture are scattered haphazardly around the room. Beside a heavy wooden door there stands an ebony bookshelf that is filled with stoppered vials. Carefully you rest Lone Wolf down upon a divan before you examine the individual contents of these glass containers.
If you possess Herbmastery,
turn to 234
.
If you do not,
turn to 130
.
Your killing blow brings Xaol staggering to his knees, gasping hoarsely. He drops his serpent staff and the instant it leaves his grasp, it shrivels up into a tight ball that hisses, smokes, and bubbles. Xaol falls to one side, his gaunt shaven head striking the bone-littered floor with a dull thud. Through blood-flecked lips he utters a curse, vowing one day to return from beyond the grave to wreak bloody vengeance upon you and the Kai. Then his dark eyes flicker and glaze over, and his thin frame convulses for a moment and falls still.
You leap over the withered remains of the necromancer and his cursed staff, and rush towards Lone Wolf. Slowly your master raises his tousled head and fixes you with his steely blue eyes. You sense that he has been greatly weakened by his ordeal. He has suffered much since his abduction, yet he has found the strength within himself to resist his cruel tormentors. Inspired by his resolute courage, you ask how you can free him from the prison-sphere. Lone Wolf mouths a reply, but you cannot hear him. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Divination you try to detect telepathic communication, but you sense that it is futile. No mind speech can penetrate the milky grey walls of Lone Wolf's hovering prison. Then your leader glowers at the crystal sphere that is fixed atop a pedestal beside the throne of bones, and instantly you fathom his meaning. Slowly you mouth the words: ‘Must I destroy the sphere?’ Lone Wolf nods approvingly. Fired up by his directive, you raise your Kai Weapon and approach the crystal sphere. But before you come to within striking distance, a powerful gust of freezing air hits you in the chest and sends you reeling backwards to the floor.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–3,
turn to 204
.
If it is 4–6,
turn to 7
.
If it is 7–9,
turn to 238
.
While leaning over to examine the brambles, you accidentally brush the back of your left hand against a cluster of buds. Within seconds, the skin erupts into a mass of painful yellow blisters: lose 2
ENDURANCE
points.
Fortunately, your Magnakai Discipline of Curing rapidly counters the effect of the poisonous irritant contained within the purple buds. Cursing the poisonous fruits of this desolate forest, you turn away from the brambles and follow the trail northwards towards Gazad Helkona.
To continue,
turn to 120
.
You retreat a few paces from the head of the stairs and unsheathe your Kai Weapon in readiness to defend the observatory platform from these determined foes. Then the assault trooper leader looms into view with his jagged black sword raised to strike. He pauses for a few moments to allow his comrades to catch up with him; then together they charge up the last remaining steps and hurl themselves upon you with a reckless fury.
Illustration XI—The assault trooper raises his jagged black sword in readiness to strike.
Drakkarim Assault Squad:
COMBAT SKILL
45
ENDURANCE
40
If you win this combat,
turn to 143
.
You retrieve an item from your Backpack and hurl it at the gap between the obsidian pillars. There is a loud
Crack!
and a brilliant flash of blue-white light illuminates the hall when your item hits and discharges the magical force field. (Erase from your
Action Chart
one Backpack Item of your choice.)
The explosion of violent energy is followed by an abrupt and total silence. After a few moments, you detect a faint humming sound emanating from the pillars and your Kai Sixth Sense warns you that the force field is recharging.
Your Kai Weapon tumbles through the air and strikes the Urgaroh squarely between its ghastly eyes. The force of the impact sends the creature somersaulting backwards to land in a twisted, untidy heap. You rush across the platform and tug your weapon from the Urgaroh's skull. As the blade comes free, the body of the fell creature spontaneously ignites and burns fiercely, giving off a choking black smoke.
Above the noise of the wind that rushes through the shattered glass dome, you hear angry cries and the stomp of booted feet. The Drakkarim have regrouped and are storming the stairs once more, their numbers swelled by a score of Giaks and Hammerland bandits. Driven by instinct, you sheathe your Kai Weapon and pick up the Urgaroh's crystal rod which lies near your feet; then you turn and rush to the head of the stairs. You can feel the evil power that is held within the rod's slender shaft, but you are unsure how you may unleash it upon the enemy who are now racing up the stairs.
If you possess Telegnosis,
turn to 298
.
If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 42
.
Suddenly the dial disengages from the lock and spins loosely on its spindle. Then your throat tightens with fearful anticipation when your Kai Sixth Sense warns you of impending danger. You hear a brittle noise in the hall behind, and when you glance nervously over your shoulder, you see that the dusty skeletons are coming stiffly to life. Their bony eye sockets glow with a baleful blue light as they close in and stab at you with their rusty weapons.
Illustration XII—The dusty skeletons come stiffly to life, their eye sockets glowing with a baleful blue light.
Xaol's Skeleton Guards:
COMBAT SKILL
45
ENDURANCE
35
This enemy is immune to all psychic attacks. If you possess the Kai Weapon ‘Alema’ you may add the bonus gained from its unique properties during this combat.
If you win the combat,
turn to 266
.
Your killing blow punctures the warhound's heart and the beast howls pitifully before collapsing in an untidy heap at the bottom of the stone steps. As you leap over its twitching body, you hear the sound of footfalls coming from the balcony above. Moments later, two Drakkarim warriors appear. They are armed with spears and have been alerted by the yelps and growls of the Akataz. When they see their pet lying dead on the ground, they bellow with rage and come charging down the stairs towards you.
Helkona Drakkarim:
COMBAT SKILL
32
ENDURANCE
35
If you win this combat,
turn to 66
.