Legion of Shadow

by Michael J. Ward

  745

  ‘Stop!’ You duck beneath one of the inquisitor’s hasty swings and back away, raising your guard. ‘It is not what you think, he was controlling me!’

  ‘A likely story,’ growls Mathis, advancing once again.

  In desperation, you spin away from the inquisitor and charge towards Zul. Your only chance to convince Mathis of your innocence is to defeat this shadowy sorcerer. As you leap onto the palanquin, Mathis skids to a halt, confused by your actions.

  ‘So, it has come to this,’ grins the mage, meeting your gaze calmly. ‘You cannot hope to defeat me, you do know this, don’t you?’

  You give your answer, in a flurry of magic and steel:

  Special abilities

  Black lightning: At the end of each combat round, you automatically take 4 points of damage from the mage’s lightning attack. This ability ignores armour.

  Heightened magic: You cannot use sidestep, evade or vanish in this combat.

  If you defeat Zul, turn to 541. If you are defeated, turn to 732.

  746

  The shadowstalker charges towards you, a magical sword in one hand and a curved dagger in the other. From the black markings along his fingers you see a set of black claws quickly distend, forming a third deadly weapon.

  You must now battle this powerful assassin:

  Special abilities

  Shadow infusion: If Snaide absorbed the shadow magic, he can increase his brawn by 2 for the duration of this combat.

  Dark claw: If Snaide rolls a double (before or after a re-roll) then he can use his claw special attack, immediately inflicting 4 damage, ignoring armour.

  If you win the combat, turn to 751. If you are defeated, then you must begin this boss encounter from the start. Restore your health and armour, then turn to 764.

  747

  You cut, blast and pummel your way through the skeletons that block your passage. They are slow and cumbersome fighters, their reactions no match for your abilities and prowess. Soon, you find yourself on a rocky series of crags. To your left you can see Nyms, expertly twisting and dodging the attacks of a band of necromancers as he slices them down with his twin blades. To your right, you can see Lansbury and Tulcas. The latter is now holding the battle standard of Redguard’s battalion, while the medic blasts the surrounding undead with her powerful magics.

  Then the ground shakes as more powerful explosions rip into the earth. You turn your attention skyward, to see a flock of giant crows soaring over the battlefield. On their backs are archers, firing black-glowing arrows towards the surviving defenders. You look around desperately for the flying mages, but they are still fending off the bone wyverns to the east of your position.

  You scramble for cover as another blast hits the ground nearby, leaving a smouldering black crater where you had once been standing. If you are a mage or have a bow or flint-lock pistol equipped, turn to 559. Otherwise, turn to 579.

  748

  The monstrous beast turns to face you, its half-human, half-demonic visage contorted with rage. ‘Nevarin!’ it snarls. ‘Destroy the mages – now!’

  You do not slow as you charge forwards, your grim expression a clear indicator of your intent.

  ‘What is this!’ hisses the hunter. ‘Stand down, now!’

  With the nearby mages now forgotten, the beast moves to meet you, its blades forming a deadly blur of steel as they spin expertly in its hands.

  ‘Traitor!’ it growls. ‘Your betrayal is a sign of weakness!’ From the hunter’s back, its taloned appendages claw hungrily at the air, their serrated lengths dripping with black poison. ‘Prepare to die, traitor!’:

  Special abilities

  Whirling blades: You cannot use sidestep, evade or vanish in this combat.

  Black poison: Once you have taken health damage from the mage hunter, at the end of every combat round you must automatically lose 2 health.

  If you win the combat, you must continue this quest with the health that you have remaining. Turn to 631.

  749

  The guards move to intercept you, but your angry stare is enough to force them to reconsider. They edge back warily, letting you pass straight through and into the large pavilion tent. Inside, a number of men and women are gathered around a table of charts. The largest has a number of wooden markers placed on top of it, showing troop movements.

  Ravenwing is speaking at the head of the table, with Mathis at his side. ‘The king’s army is only a day’s march away. Once they arrive we will have a force nearly two thousand strong. At least then we will have a better chance of taking back the city.’

  ‘Take it back?’ protests one of the female officers. ‘But there is nothing left to take. Some ruins? The surviving civilians are already evacuated and headed for Merino.’

  ‘An assault will be futile,’ interrupts Mathis, his deep voice carrying the length of the table. ‘As long as the shadow gate remains open then . . . You!’ He stops mid-sentence, his hand going straight for his sword. ‘How did you get in here?’

  You step up to the table, ignoring the astonished gasps and glares. ‘Where is Avian Dale?’ you demand, making no attempt at formality.

  ‘Shadow spawn!’ hisses Mathis. He starts towards you, but Ravenwing places a hand on his arm, restraining him.

  ‘Avian isn’t here, as you can see,’ states Ravenwing guardedly. ‘This is a private meeting – if there was anything else?’

  ‘Anything else?’ You glower. ‘As a matter of fact, there is. I have a message for him. Avian himself sent me on a mission, as well you know. I completed that mission – and I have an important message for him from Jenlar Cornelius.’

  There are agitated mutterings from around the table.

  ‘Jenlar, who is now dead I understand,’ snaps Mathis darkly.

  ‘And you think that I . . .?’

  ‘Avian has gone,’ interjects Captain Redguard, stepping around the table to stand by your side. ‘He left before the battle against Zul.’

  ‘Gone! Gone where?’ You look around furiously at the assembled soldiers, your eyes coming to rest on Ravenwing.

  ‘I tried to stop him,’ states the grey-bearded warrior with a heavy sigh. ‘But he insisted. The mages were able to drop the shield, for just a moment – enough for him to slip inside and . . .’

  ‘He has gone into the city?’ you balk in surprise. ‘Jenlar said that he would try and close the gate . . . but it will fail! I should have got here sooner!’

  ‘To stop him, I suspect,’ growls Mathis, his voice raised. ‘It would not be in your best interests would it – for Avian to prevent more of your precious legion coming through the gate?’

  You draw your weapons, fury washing through you. The mark along your arm flares into purple life, flickering and pulsing with dark energies. ‘I told you I am not . . .’

  From outside the tent you hear a commotion – voices raised and the sound of a horn blowing three times in quick succession. Then a guard races into the tent, his whole body trembling with fear. ‘It’s the legion! The . . . the shield is down . . . they’ve broken through!’ Turn to 755.

  750

  When you open your eyes, you look around as if seeing the world for the first time. Your entire body is crackling with energy, and you feel it growing inside you – becoming something you can no longer contain.

  You spring from the palanquin, gliding effortlessly over Mathis, Redguard and the others, who are watching you in both amazement and horror. They seem so small to you now, so insignificant . . .

  But a small part of you remembers – remembers what it is you came here to do. When you land, you see shadow energy radiating out in a circle from your point of impact. It slams through the lines of skeletons and ghouls, turning them to grey ash. You are dimly aware of Ravenwing’s soldiers, fleeing from you as you advance towards the remaining masses of Zul’s army.

  ‘Get out of my way,’ you scream, with a voice that no longer sounds your own.

  You raise your hands and from their p
alms black fire spirals out into the ranks of undead, blasting them, crushing them, lifting them up into the air and driving them into the ground. This is power . . . this is true power.

  Then you stagger and fall. The magic is too much to contain, it is spilling out from your body now, rippling in tentacle-like waves as it is released back into the air.

  ‘GET AWAY!’ you scream.

  You see regiments of men throwing down their standards and weapons, and running full pelt for safety – the undead now forgotten.

  Then you open up your arms and release the magic – all of it. You feel a rushing wave of power flowing out across the battlefield. Then there is silence. You fall backwards, your head hitting the hard-packed earth. The last thing you remember is a single bolt of white light arrowing across the sky. A victory flare perhaps . . . Turn to 732.

  751

  You absorb the defeated warrior’s shadow essence, feeling the wash of energy healing your wounds and knitting together your damaged armour. You may restore your health and armour to their starting values. You may also help yourself to one of the following rewards:

  Duellist’s blade

  Duellist’s shiv

  Duellist’s band

  (main hand: sword)

  (left hand: dagger)

  (ring)

  +3 speed +5 brawn

  +2 speed +4 brawn

  +2 magic

  Ability: hamstring

  Ability: expertise

  Ability: ensnare

  (requirement: warrior)

  (requirement rogue)

  (requirement: mage)

  When you have made your decision, turn to 760 to continue the battle.

  752

  The necromancers have fled the chamber, however the mortician has remained behind, watching the battle from the sidelines. With a maddened screech he rushes towards you – a bloody scalpel held in one hand and a syringe in the other.

  ‘My beauty! You killed my beauty!’ he hollers insanely. ‘You’ll pay for what you did – you’ll pay in body parts! It’s operation time!’

  Special abilities

  Mad scientist: Before Dr Lichenstein rolls for damage, roll a die to determine the nature of his attack:

  or: The doctor accidentally stabs himself with his own syringe. The sedative slows him down, meaning that he doesn’t roll for damage this round and his speed is reduced by 1 for the next combat round.

  or: The doctor stabs you with his syringe. He rolls for damage as normal, but in the next round of combat your speed is reduced by 1.

  or: You are cut by the doctor’s deadly scalpel. He can roll 2 dice for damage instead of only one.

  If you manage to overcome your mad assailant, turn to 642.

  753

  You step into the ring to face the tall swordsman. He watches you intently with his cold blue eyes, his thin features twisting into a grim smile. ‘I should warn you,’ he says. ‘I won’t go easy on you.’

  ‘I wouldn’t expect you to,’ you reply, drawing your weapons. There are gasps from the assembled crowd as they eye up your rare and hard-earned battle gear.

  Nyms raises an eyebrow in approval. ‘Flashy weapons are all well and good,’ he says as you both circle each other, ‘but it’s what you do with them that counts.’

  In a lightning-fast blur, he spirals through the air, spinning his blades in a deadly cutting arc. You barely have chance to block the attack, stumbling backwards from the force of his blows. Baring his teeth, the swordsman follows up with another flurry of attacks, giving you no quarter in his desire to defeat you:

  Special abilities

  Double danger: Nyms attacks with his twin magical blades. When he wins a combat round he rolls 2 dice for damage instead of only one.

  Lightning reflexes: You cannot use sidestep, evade or vanish in this combat.

  If you manage to defeat Nyms, turn to 698. If you lose the combat, then you promise the swordsman you will return when you have had more practice. Turn to 553.

  754

  As you land your final blow, the elemental breaks apart – the furious wind that once held its spinning form together, dying down to a faint breeze. The rocks and other debris that previously formed its body scatter across the scorched sand, including a number of rare treasures that must have been picked up by the whirling tornado.

  You discover 50 gold crowns – and one of the following rewards:

  Tempest’s fury

  Sands of time

  Fall of angels

  (main hand: staff)

  (talisman)

  (left hand: mace)

  +2 speed +5 magic

  +1 speed

  +1 speed +5 brawn

  Ability: windblast

  Ability: time shift

  Ability: windblast

  Once you have updated your hero sheet, return to the quest map to continue your journey.

  755

  You hurry outside, accompanied by Redguard and the other leaders. To your horror you see that a section of the magic shield has gone and spilling out of it is a howling mass of shadowy creatures.

  ‘How the hell did that breach happen?’ shouts Ravenwing, grabbing the nearest passing soldier.

  ‘One of the m . . .mages collapsed sir. Fr . . .from exhaustion,’ he stutters.

  All around you, the camp is mobilising as guards stumble out of tents, strapping on armour. Already you can see that a mob of the shadow creatures have piled into the camp – their savage cries mingling with those of the frantic defenders.

  ‘We have to get that shield restored, as soon as possible!’ commands Ravenwing, hurrying towards the breach. Turn to 764.

  756

  As you clear a space around you, Nyms points down the tunnel. ‘The packmaster! Get the packmaster!’ he shouts.

  You look up to see the man you saw earlier, standing at the entrance to the tomb. He has a whip in one hand and a knife in the other. He snarls, revealing jagged teeth as sharp as the ghouls’. Then he charges towards you, hissing with a bestial rage:

  Special abilities

  Whiplash: For eachresult that the packmaster rolls for attack speed, his whip lashes around you, causing 2 damage. This ability ignores armour.

  If you defeat the packmaster, turn to 620.

  757

  You approach Ravenwing, who is wiping the blood from his blade. He looks up and offers you a smile. ‘I saw you fighting,’ he says. ‘We’re lucky to have you on our side.’

  You brush aside his comment with an intent glare. ‘I need you to drop the shield.’

  The general starts in surprise. ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘I need to go after Avian. I may already be too late.’

  Ravenwing makes to turn away, but you put out a hand out to restrain him. ‘Listen. You said that the mages were able to drop the shield, for just a second, to let Avian through. I need to follow him – to stop him. He’ll try and close the gate . . . and if he does he’ll set off a trap, some kind of spell.’

  Ravenwing turns back, his brow creasing. ‘Is this what Jenlar told you?’

  You nod.

  ‘And what makes you think you can reach him in time?’

  ‘This.’ You raise your arm, turning your shadow mark to face him. ‘I will be able to pass through the city unharmed – they will think me one of their own.’

  The general gives a grudging nod of approval. ‘OK – I’ll admit it could work. Besides . . .’ He glances over at a group of his men. ‘No disrespect, but having you around is making everyone a little uneasy, Mathis especially. It would be in your best interests to . . .’

  ‘Disappear,’ you add, with a wry smile. ‘I understand.’ You pull your sleeve down to cover the shadow mark. ‘I will always be judged because of this. I accept that.’

  Ravenwing studies you in silence, then places a hand on your shoulder. ‘I am proud to have fought with you. Thank you.’ He looks over to the mages, standing like silent sentinels around the shield. ‘Come, let’s get this plan of yours under
way.’ Turn to 675.

  758

  Four bone giants march out of the north passageway. (Remember which rod you placed here, to help you with this battle.) Each one is over six metres tall, made from the animated bones of a myriad of creatures. One has the skull of a giant lizard, another has curling bull horns and thick spikes; the largest, who could be the leader, has four arms and two ridged tails. Each one presents a different nightmarish mixture of bone and magic. However, they do all have one thing in common – they are all strong and menacing, wielding dull blades and mighty hammers:

  Special abilities

  Knockdown: If you take health damage from the giants, your speed is reduced by 1 for the next combat round.

  Body of bone: The bone giants are immune to bleed and venom.

  If you manage to defeat the bone giants, turn to 730. If you are defeated, turn to 723.

  759

  The walls of the room shake, as the fearsome giant topples to the ground dead. Before the dust has even settled, you are at Caeleb’s side, helping him to stand. Thankfully, apart from his injured pride, the burly warrior appears unharmed.

  ‘Thank you,’ he says, getting back to his feet.

  Nyms returns to the chamber, his twin swords dripping with ghoul blood. ‘Did you miss me, people?’ he asks, with a wry grin. When he sees the dead corpse of the golem, he gives a low whistle. ‘By the looks of it, I guess not.’

  You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

  Spinal tap

  Spiked bone guards

  Bone bracers