Flight from the Dark (9 page)

Immediately the horse senses your communication. He calms down. You walk towards the beautiful animal and stroke his head reassuringly. You sense that he is frightened and confused. Mounting him, you lead him off to the path and head south once again.

Turn to 206
.

As the creature dies, its body slowly dissolves into a vile green liquid. You notice that all of the grass and the plants beneath the smoking fluid are beginning to shrivel and die. A large valuable looking Gem lies on the ground near to the decaying body.

Further along the track you can see a large war party of Giaks running towards you.

If you wish to take the Gem,
turn to 304
.

If you would rather leave it and run,
turn to 2
.

Inside the box you find 15 Gold Crowns and a Silver Key. If you wish to keep the key, remember to mark it on your
Action Chart
.

You can continue to investigate the tunnel by
turning to 211
.

Or you may leave and descend the hill by
turning to 106
.

The path opens out into a large clearing. You notice strange claw prints in the earth. Kraan have landed here. By the number of prints and by the size of the area disturbed, you judge that at least five of the foul creatures landed here in the last twelve hours.

You see two exits on the far side of the clearing. One leads west, the other south.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Tracking,
turn to 301
.

If you wish to take the south path,
turn to 27
.

If you wish to take the west path,
turn to 214
.

You ride deeper and deeper into the forest. Silently you thank the Prince for such a fine horse, for although the ground is a tangle of briars and roots, he never once falters. The Doomwolves are soon left far behind and you bring your horse to a halt. The light has faded fast and it is almost night.

If you wish to press on ahead,
turn to 46
.

If you wish to bear left (the same direction as the path you left far behind) then
turn to 143
.

After an hour of marching, the Drakkarim suddenly halt as a large, grey scaly creature approaches along the track. As the beast draws closer, you can smell its fetid breath on your face. It lets out a roar and grabs your head in its powerful webbed hands. The last thing you hear is the sharp crack of your spine snapping.

Your quest ends here.

Carefully parting the dense foliage, you are horrified by the sight that meets you. In a small clearing ahead, three Giaks have tied a man to a wooden stake and are setting fire to a mass of brushwood bundled at his feet. You recognize his tunic as that of a Border Ranger, one of the King's men who police the kingdom near the Durncrag Mountains of the west. He has been badly beaten and is nearly unconscious.

If you have the Kai Discipline of Hunting,
turn to 297
.

If you do not, you must attack the Giaks now in order to save the ranger's life.
Turn to 336
.

You reach the main gates of the capital, and stare in awe at the height of the city's walls. Two hundred feet high, the walls of Holmgard have withstood the ravages of both time and the Darklords. You and the officer race through the tunnel of the inner gatehouse, one hundred yards in length, and finally halt outside the doorway of the main watchtower. Great crowds of soldiers and civilians are running to and fro.

If you wish to continue following the officer,
turn to 3
.

If you feel that you stand a better chance of making your way to the King's citadel on your own,
turn to 144
.

You soon reach a small clearing in the woods. A bench, carved from a fallen tree is set in the centre of the clearing. You are hungry and must now eat a Meal here.

When you have finished, if you decide to leave the clearing by the south way,
turn to 28
.

Or if you prefer the smaller track that leads eastwards into the forest,
turn to 201
.

You have covered about a quarter of a mile when you hear shouting and a noise like thunderclaps ahead. Edging nearer, you soon make out a clearing that you recognize to be the site of the ruins of Raumas, an ancient forest temple.

A war party of Giaks, some twenty-five to thirty strong, are attacking the ruins from all sides. Many more of the Giaks are dead or dying among the broken pillars of marble, but still they assault whatever is hidden inside. Suddenly, a bolt of blue lightning rips through the front rank of Giaks sending the armour-clad creatures tumbling in all directions. A Giak, taller than the others and dressed from head to foot in black chainmail, curses at his troops as he whips them forward with a barbed flail.

With weapon ready, you move to the edge of the clearing, under cover of the thick foliage, and try to catch a glimpse of the defenders. To your amazement, the ruins are being defended by a young man no older than yourself. You recognize his sky-blue robes, embroidered with stars. He is a young theurgist of the Magicians' Guild of Toran: an apprentice in magic.

Illustration IX
—A young theurgist of the Magicians' Guild of Toran.

Five Giaks charge forward, their spears raised to stab the apprentice as he hurriedly retreats deeper into the ruins. You see him turn and raise his left hand just before a bolt of blue flame shoots from his fingertips into the snarling Giak soldiers. Close to where you are hidden, you see a Giak scuttle past and climb one of the pillars of the temple. He has a long curved dagger in his mouth and he is about to jump on the young wizard standing below.

If you wish to shout a warning to the wizard,
turn to 241
.

If you wish to run forward and attack the Giak when he jumps,
turn to 55
.

If you wish to pick up a chunk of temple marble and throw it at the Giak's head,
turn to 302
.

Or if you would rather turn and leave the battle area and run back into the woods,
turn to 101
.

The bodyguard looks at you with great suspicion and slams the door. You can hear voices chattering inside the caravan. Suddenly the door swings open and the face of a wealthy merchant appears. He recognizes your Kai cloak and apologizes for his servant's behaviour.

He says that they have been attacked several times since they left Toran: by Kraan, by bandits, and by robbers. They thought you may have been a bandit. Inside, the caravan is full of silks and spices. The merchant offers you food which you gratefully accept. After your sumptuous meal, the fatigue of your ordeal finally overcomes you and you slip into a deep sleep.

Turn to 64
.

As you approach the statue, several cracks appear in its stone surface. It suddenly explodes before you as a real Winged Serpent breaks free of its stone mantle and attacks you.

You must fight the creature.

Winged Serpent:
COMBAT SKILL
 16   
ENDURANCE
 18

(This creature is immune to Mindblast.)

If you win the fight,
turn to 266
.

Using your skills, you detect Giak tracks around the perimeter of the clearing. The prints are fresh and you can tell that these cruel minions of the Darklords were in this area less than two hours ago.

Forewarned by this knowledge, if you decide to investigate the huts,
turn to 305
.

If you would rather avoid the clearing,
turn to 40
.

Peering over the steep undercut of the river bank, you can see a tangle of driftwood along the water's edge. A large tree trunk has grounded on the clay bank next to a small canoe.

If you wish to use the log to float down the river,
turn to 223
.

If you wish to use the canoe,
turn to 4
.

The Giaks get nearer and then crouch down as if preparing themselves to pounce. You can see the sharp serrated points of their spears and hear their low guttural speech. The larger of the two creatures screams,
‘Orgadak taag! Nogjat aga ok!’
and attacks you.

You must fight each of the Giaks in turn. Add 1 point to your
COMBAT SKILL
during this fight, as you have the advantage of the higher ground in your favour.

Giak 1:
COMBAT SKILL
 13   
ENDURANCE
 10

Giak 2:
COMBAT SKILL
 12   
ENDURANCE
 10

If you win,
turn to 313
.

As the last of the foul creatures die, so the greenish light starts to fade. You notice that in each of the broken skulls lies a Gem. You take these 20 Tomb Guardian Gems before darkness engulfs the chamber. Remember to mark these on your
Action Chart
as a single Backpack Item.

You quickly leave the dead Crypt spawn and press on.

Turn to 23
.

You prepare your weapon and advance to meet the enemy. There are two Mountain Giaks and you must fight them one at a time.

Giak 1:
COMBAT SKILL
 13   
ENDURANCE
 10

Giak 2:
COMBAT SKILL
 12   
ENDURANCE
 10

If you win,
turn to 291
.

The inner courtyard is a bustle of activity. Cavalry scouts are waiting beside their nervous horses for messages from their unit commanders inside the Great Hall. They take orders with great speed to the defenders of the outer fieldworks. No sooner do they gallop off, than other scouts return, many of them breathless and wounded.

You have taken less than a dozen steps across the courtyard when you hear a deep voice boom out. ‘Stop that man!’

Turn to 66
.

You are in a clearing where several trees have been cut down to make a rickety watchtower. Below the tower are three paths leading off in different directions.

If you take the south path,
turn to 14
.

If you take the east path,
turn to 252
.

If you take the southwest path,
turn to 215
.

If you decide to climb the watchtower,
turn to 36
.

Your Sixth Sense has warned you that some of the creatures that attacked the monastery are searching the two paths for any survivors of their raid, but you can avoid both tracks by making your way through the undergrowth of the woods.

If you wish to head south,
turn to 56
.

Or if you wish to cut through the heavier foliage towards the northeast,
turn to 333
.