Flight from the Dark (12 page)
Read Flight from the Dark Online
Authors: Joe Dever
Tags: #Fiction, #Fantasy, #Lone Wolf, #Magnamund
You search all of the cupboards in the small cottage but do not find anything of use or value. You decide that you have wasted enough time here and must press on without further delay.
Your skill enables you to recognize the boots and leggings of a King's soldier. You can sense that the man is wounded and in need of help.
If you wish to aid him,
turn to 88
.
If you would rather leave him here,
turn to 264
.
You have been spotted by the guards who level their crossbows at you.
If you wish to raise your hands above your head and walk slowly towards them,
turn to 318
.
If you wish to run for cover in the trees,
turn to 51
.
They see you raise your weapon, and they instantly attack you.
If you decide to fight them, you must fight them one at a time.
Leader:
COMBAT SKILL
15
ENDURANCE
22
Soldier 1:
COMBAT SKILL
13
ENDURANCE
20
Soldier 2:
COMBAT SKILL
12
ENDURANCE
20
If you kill all three of them,
turn to 62
.
If you wish to evade combat,
turn to 22
.
Instinctively you duck, and dive to avoid the crossbow bolt. The bandit fires and you feel the sleeve of your jacket tear as the missile grazes past your left arm. You thank the gods for your good fortune and sprint on.
None of the other bandits have bows and they soon give up the chase. As you sprint off into the distance, you leave them all far behind.
You stop just long enough to strap up your wounded arm and then continue along the road towards the outer defences of the capital.
Three rangers gallop past the river bank, closely followed by the Giaks on their snarling mounts — the Doomwolves. But your Camouflage skill has saved you from being spotted. The pack of evil Giaks continue on their chase without even glancing at the river.
The officer orders his men to halt and asks you your business. You tell him who you are, and how the monastery has been destroyed. He is deeply saddened to hear your news. He offers you a horse and asks you to accompany him to Prince Pelathar, the King's son.
If you accept,
turn to 97
.
If you decide to decline his offer,
turn to 200
.
The caravan is out of control and is bumping wildly through the rough ground that borders the highway. With difficulty you eventually steer the frightened horses back onto the road and halt the caravan.
A quick search of the interior reveals 40 Gold Crowns, a Sword, and enough Food for 4 Meals. If you wish to keep any of these items, mark them on your
Action Chart
.
The fatigue of your ordeal finally catches up with you. You must eat a Meal after which you fall into a deep sleep.
You narrow your eyes and scan the trees for some sign of the hidden archer. Your wait is not a long one, for a moment later a sharp pain tears through your chest and you are thrown back by the force of three arrows. Two of the black shafts have sunk deep into your rib cage, and the third has pierced your thigh.
The last thing that you see is the canopy of fern trees above and a large green dragonfly as it settles on your belt buckle.
Your life and your mission end here.
The Kakarmi disappear into the dense undergrowth and you soon find yourself lost. After nearly two hours of walking you hear the sound of running water. You decide to investigate a little closer.
Two furry faces appear over the top of the trunk. Both pairs of eyes stare at your weapon and the two creatures let out a shriek of fright. Leaping from the trunk, they disappear into the forest.
If you wish to follow them,
turn to 186
.
If you wish to let them go and continue,
turn to 228
.
You can see the shadow of the Kraan getting larger all around you. It suddenly strikes, pitching you forward onto your face with the power of its attack.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have picked is 0–6, the Kraan has ripped away your Backpack. You have lost the Pack and all the Equipment that was inside it.
If the number picked is 7–9, your Backpack is intact but you have been wounded in both arms. Lose 3
ENDURANCE
points and run to the trees.
Now
turn to 303
.
You thank your Kai training and your quick thinking, for that bog could have proved as deadly as any Drakkarim or Kraan.
You are worried about losing time, and push on further into the trees towards the south. Ahead of you, you see a wide path that also leads south.
You walk for three miles along the water's edge until you chance upon a wrecked river barge. It appears to have served as shelter for someone, as you can see a bed and some cooking utensils through a hole in the deck.
If you wish to search the barge,
turn to 20
.
If you wish to press on,
turn to 273
.
The bodyguard unsheathes a large scimitar and strikes at your head.
Bodyguard:
COMBAT SKILL
11
ENDURANCE
21
If you win,
turn to 24
.
If you wish to evade more combat during the fight, you can jump from the speeding caravan by
turning to 234
.
You see the razor-fanged mouth of a Doomwolf and hear the hideous cries of the Giaks. Two of them are coming straight for you. You are saved from certain death when your horse jumps at the approaching beasts, knocking them both to the ground. You lash out at the Giak and open a large wound in his head … and then suddenly, as if by a miracle, you're through and racing on down the highway, clear of the rest of the pack.
But a shadow follows you. It is a Kraan and it has started to dive. Its target is you.
If you veer off the highway towards the cover of the trees,
turn to 171
.
If you press on regardless of the Kraan and gallop flat out down the highway,
turn to 120
.
The beast and its rider lie dead. You notice a Scroll tucked into the Giak's belt. You may take this if you wish, but remember to mark it on your
Action Chart
. The other Doomwolves are charging along the path towards you.
If you wish to fight them,
turn to 253
.
If you wish to escape into the woods,
turn to 126
.
You sprint towards the wagon. People are running everywhere in panic as the Kraan make their attack, carrying their poor victims off into the darkening sky. A large Kraan is hovering above the wagon and three snarling Giaks drop from its back onto the startled horses. You must fight them or leave the wagon and run to the safety of a nearby farmhouse.
If you wish to fight the Giaks,
turn to 208
.
If you wish to run to the farmhouse,
turn to 148
.
Wiping the bear's blood from your weapon, you notice the mouth of a cave hidden behind the rock from which the bear attacked.
If you wish to investigate this cave further,
turn to 59
.
If you wish to press on,
turn to 106
.
You follow the man into a small library off the main hall. He pushes one of the many books on the shelves which line all four walls, and you hear a metallic
click
. One section of the bookcase slowly slides back to reveal a hidden passage.
If you wish to follow the man into the passage,
turn to 332
.
If you do not want to enter the dark corridor, leave the guildhall and return to the street.
Turn to 144
.
The Drakkar lies dead at the bottom of the ferry. He has a Short Sword and 6 Gold Crowns which you may keep if you wish. You push the body into the water where it floats for a few seconds before disappearing into the icy depths.
Grabbing the pole, you steer to the other side of the lake and abandon the ferry.
You can sense that there is someone else behind the screen. There is a lingering aura of wickedness around this shop. Be on your guard — something is wrong here.
If you wish to return to the street,
turn to 7
.
If you wish to examine the goods in the glass counter,
turn to 152
.
Most of the cupboards and drawers are empty. Whoever lived here took nearly everything they owned with them, but you do manage to scrape together enough fruit in the cellar for one Meal. You may mark this on your
Action Chart
.
Night is starting to close in. The shadows of the forest are growing longer and darker. Just as you are about to stop and rest, you see through the trees a line of people moving south along a wide highway. Moving closer, you notice a large merchant's caravan in the centre of the dusty turnpike. It is drawn by six large horses and is moving much faster than any of the other traffic. This could be your chance to reach the capital as quickly as possible.
Illustration XII—You notice a large merchant in the centre of the dusty turnpike.
If you wish to use the Kai Discipline of Camouflage to hide in among the packing cases strapped to the roof,
turn to 168
.
If you wish to jump onto the caravan,
turn to 78
.
You follow the rough track for nearly an hour when you notice ahead of you another wider path branching off towards the south.
If you wish to turn south along the new path,
turn to 238
.
But if you wish to head east,
turn to 15
.
Or if you wish to go west,
turn to 130
.
Urging your horse forward, you gallop down the long stretch of highway towards the capital. After only a few minutes your horse suddenly slows and finally limps to a halt. You dismount and examine its raised right foreleg. You curse your ill luck, for you see that it has thrown a shoe and injured its hoof quite badly. You will have to leave him here and proceed on foot as quickly as you can.