by Joe Dever
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 11.
If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 349.
If you do not possess these skills, or if you choose not to use them, turn to 234.
133
Hastily you retreat into the forest of flames and pray that your Kai psychic and camouflage skills will keep you safe from Tzor's dread gaze.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE score is 16 or higher, add 1 to the number you have picked. If your current ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, deduct 1.
If your total is now 2 or lower, turn to 262.
If it is 3 or higher, turn to 338.
134
You leave the causeway and advance through the knee-deep mire towards the shattered heap of grey stone slabs. Only moments before you reach the pile, you hear a buzzing sound which makes you freeze in your tracks. Through a gap in the stones you see a host of winged insects swarming around a large, pear-shaped hive. Glinting scarlet-tipped stingers protrude like small knives from their tails, leaving you in no doubt that these insects could prove deadly if provoked. You are about to turn back when they detect you and become enraged. Moments later this host of angry insects comes pouring from out of every gap in the rocks.
If you possess the Discipline of Assimilance and have reached the rank of Kai Grand Guardian or higher, turn to 238.
If you do not possess this skill, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai Mastery, turn to 156.
135
You raise your right hand and utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell Lightning Hand. Moments later a bolt of crackling energy leaps from your palm and hits the towering warrior squarely in the chest. He shudders momentarily, but the power and impact of the spell prove insufficient to topple him from this narrow beam of rock and he quickly recovers.
The warrior retaliates by raising his black sword and releasing a crackling surge of electrical energy from its tip. It passes over your head and earths itself to the end of the stone beam, at the place where it joins the chasm wall. You feel a jolt beneath your feet as the beam cracks and breaks away from the wall and, to your amazement, you watch as this solid spar of rock curls up and slowly rolls in towards you, like a snake's tongue returning to its mouth.
The coiled beam retracts towards the mouth of the dragon-gate, forcing you nearer and nearer to the fearsome black warrior. As he watches your reluctant approach he swings his mighty sword above his head, slicing and stabbing at the air with it in eager anticipation of the coming fight. When you are pushed to within ten yards of the gate itself, you reach for your own weapon and brace yourself for a fight that seems unavoidable.
If you possess the Sommerswerd or Skarn-Ska, turn to 254.
If you possess neither of these Special Items, turn to 147.
136
Unfortunately, the swooping Lavas see you attempting to take cover and they spiral down to the ground and surround your hiding place. In less than a minute their cries of alarm attract more than two dozen of their kin to this area of derelict ground. At a given signal they close in and attack you mercilessly with spears and tridents. You fight back bravely, dispatching more than ten Lavas before you succumb to their blows and are overwhelmed by their sheer weight of numbers.
Sadly, your life and your quest end here.
137
Using your Kai skill, you command the hesitant creature to abandon its thoughts of attacking you and run away. The beast's evil eyes widen with uncertainty and then, in a moment of sheer terror, its nerve breaks and it scrambles back up the ramp. You watch it disappear through the archway before you turn your attention to the portal and examine its surface in an attempt to find a way to open it. Using your advanced Kai skills you are able to decipher enough of the runic text to discover the secret code which keeps it secure. Confidently you press a section of the surface and it moves inwards with an audible clunk! Moments later, the portal creaks open and you hurry through before it slams shut with a resounding boom.
Turn to 210.
138
Out of a sense of duty and respect for the memories of these three brave men, you pray to the God Kai to release them from their torment (reduce your ENDURANCE score by 4). As you intone the hallowed words of your prayer, you feel an aura of peace and tranquillity descend upon their tortured souls. The twisted and pained faces which adorn the surface of the fiery comets gradually soften and fade until, with an overwhelming sense of release, you detect that they are no more. Through your presence here, and the power of your prayer, the God Kai has been able to penetrate the darkness of this domain and retrieve their souls. It is with a great sense of satisfaction you detect that they have at last found eternal peace upon the Plane of Light.
The comets, now devoid of soul-energy, are drawn back into the orbit of the distant star cluster. You, too, are drawn towards these glowing stars, and as you pass through them at an incredible speed, you glimpse a wondrous sight in the void beyond. A vast rainbow bridge of colour arcs across the immeasurable darkness to a titanic plateau of fire. Your spirits soar when you detect that this is the Bridge of the Damned, the exit that you seek from this astral domain. Yet as you approach the magnificent bridge, you detect a less-welcoming presence. The shadowy riders are returning, and this time they are escorting a creature that sets your pulse racing with fear.
Turn to 272.
139
You hook a link of the chain upon the tip of your weapon and wrench the amulet free from Nza'pok's frozen lip. The amulet ceases to glow the moment it is cut free, and you sense that it is now safe to touch. When you pick it up, you notice that on the facing side is engraved Nza'pok's name and on the reverse side you discover a runic number.
Record this Nza'pok Amulet on your Action Chart as a Special Item, which you keep in your pocket. The runic number on the reverse side is a six. Make a note of this number in the margin of your Action Chart for future reference.
To continue, turn to 314.
140
You notice an open archway at the base of the squat tower. When you focus on this opening, you detect a flight of steps leading down. It occurs to you that with a little luck, helped along by your Kai hunting and camouflage skills, it may be possible for you to slip past the Lavas and escape down these stairs unseen.
If you decide to try to reach the tower stairs, turn to 308.
If you decide that it is too risky, you can stay where you are by turning to 278.
141
With mounting unease you watch as the distant shadow rumbles nearer and nearer. You magnify your vision and note that the approaching shape looks similar to the front of a gigantic beetle, but one with hundreds of stubby legs that are moving in waves like those of a millipede. You sense that it is a living creature and that it is travelling too fast to be able to stop before it reaches you. Unless you take immediate steps to avoid it, you could be run down and flattened when it passes through this section of the tunnel.
Desperate for a place to hide, you scour the tunnel walls but detect no cracks nor crevices large enough to accommodate your body. Then you notice the supporting beams which criss-cross the ceiling. They protrude no more than a foot or two from the roof of the tunnel, but they could just provide you with a way of escaping out of the path of the approaching juggernaut.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the Kai rank of Grand Crown or higher, turn to 73.
If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to attain this rank, turn to 251.
If you do not possess Kai-alchemy, turn to 166.
142
You notice that there is a reptilian guard standing on the wide parapet of the bridge. It is leaning on its trident as it stares idly at the river of bubbling lava which flows through the base of the chasm a mile below. As you observe this creature it occurs to you that if it were to fall into the chasm, this unfortunate mishap would be sure to catch the attention of the handful of creatures who are crossing the bridg
e at this time. Such a distraction would certainly increase your chances of crossing the bridge unseen.
If you possess a Bow and wish to use it, turn to 317.
If you do not, turn to 9.
143
You drag yourself to your feet and use your Kai healing skills to massage the life back into your numbed arm. As the feeling returns, you take another Gold Crown (remember to erase the one you have just lost) from your pouch and approach the portal once more. This time you are grimly determined to make the door open.
If you wish to insert your second Gold Crown into the circular slot, turn to 195.
If you decide to insert the coin into the square slot, turn to 103.
144
The trek to the distant crater is a difficult and perilous journey, fraught with danger every step of the way. Despite your natural agility and Kai skill, during your trek you incur several painful injuries to your feet and legs.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If the number you have picked is 0–4, reduce your current ENDURANCE points total by 4. If the number you have picked is 5–9, reduce your current total by 5.
If you survive the trek, you may continue your quest by turning to 86.
145
Lord Rimoah summons a meeting of a secret council at the hall of the Magicians' Guild in Toran. This gathering is attended by Magnamund's wisest men, many of whom have aided you in the past. Among their number you recognize Guildmaster Banedon, Gwynian the Sage, Baron Medar, several of Dessi's High Council of Elders, and the inner circle of magicians of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star.
Under Rimoah's direction, these distinguished and gifted men deliberate how best they can help you to retrieve the Moonstone from the Plane of Darkness. A Shadow Gate has long existed in the dungeons below the Guildhall and it is quickly established that the High Council of Elders can, by pooling their ancient skills, use this portal to convey you to Naar's forbidden realm. The thought of journeying once more to the Plane of Darkness fills you with a sense of dread, yet this daunting voyage could prove to be but one of the lesser perils you will have to face if you are to fulfil your vow. You are sorely aware that once you arrive upon Naar's domain, not only will you have to survive the attentions of his loathsome followers, but you must also locate the Moonstone and then return with it to your home world.
The members of the secret council consider these problems at great length. Reassuringly, they are able to offer you some practical help in overcoming them.
Turn to 223.
146
Your fear of this supernatural creature is fast transforming into sheer terror. You sense the colossal power that she is capable of wielding and you have no doubts that her intention is to slay you, but not quickly. It is clearly her desire to enjoy your slow demise.
To engage the Tormentress and her huge escort of Shadow Reavers in combat would be a brave yet suicidal action, for you have no experience of the nature of combat upon this astral realm and you could be quickly overwhelmed by your enemy's sheer weight of numbers. You sense that your only chance for survival is to evade the Tormentress and her minions by crossing the Bridge of the Damned.
If you possess Grand Nexus and have attained the Kai rank of Sun Prince, turn to 225.
If you possess Telegnosis and wish to use it, turn to 99.
If you do not possess these skills, or if you have yet to attain the required level of Kai Mastery, turn to 313.
147
The towering warrior bellows a curt phrase in the Dark Tongue and suddenly his broadsword is sheathed with a black fire that crackles and spits venomously. Then the cruel dagger clenched in his left hand begins to glow red. When its poisoned tip becomes white hot, it emits a trail of noxious steam.
You yell your battle-cry and launch a swift attack, hoping that a speedy and agile attack will give you the edge you need to defeat this formidable foe. You strike the first blow with enough force to knock the warrior several paces back towards the glowing dragon-gate. But he recovers quickly, and when he expertly counters your second blow upon the hilt of his black sword, you suddenly realize that you are now embroiled in a desperate fight to the finish.
Zantaz: COMBAT SKILL 52 ENDURANCE 50
This warrior is immune to all forms of psychic attack.
If you win this fight, turn to 186.
148
To your dismay you sense that the dragon is convinced that it has a stowaway amongst its cargo. It does not alert the accompanying Lavas, as you had feared, but it does reduce its height. Rather than continuing its flight towards the construction area, it banks towards some broken rocks and derelict dwellings that are located close to the edge of the chasm.
Turn to 161.
149
You sense that the beast has detected your presence among its cargo, and you know that you must act swiftly if you are to prevent it from screeching a warning to the Lavas flying close by. Defiantly you return the dragon's stare and use your Kai skill to command the creature to forget that it has seen you.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If your current ENDURANCE score is 10 or lower, deduct 1 from the number you have picked. If it is 20 or higher, add 1.
If your total score is now 3 or lower, turn to 284.
If it is 4 or higher, turn to 31.
150
You soar across the shimmering span of this colossal bridge towards a new and terrifying realm. Ahead, you see a sprawling plateau burning with magical flame. At its centre there is a vast crater of cinder and ash and, rising like a towering spike at the heart of this desolate bowl, you glimpse a titanic fortress.
As you traverse the great Bridge of the Damned, you consult the Tome of Darkness and it confirms your highest hopes and your deepest fears. Ahead lies the realm of Naar and his dread stronghold of Dazganon. The Tome warns those who would voluntarily seek to enter Naar's fortress that they must possess three magical artefacts: the Nza'pok Amulet, a Künae Ring, and the Scarab of the Wingless Dragon. The final page of the Tome lists the names of Naar's closest minions who dwell within Dazganon and one who dwells without whose name is ‘Tzor, The Guardian of the Plain of Despair, Keeper of Evil Souls’. The text of the final page states that there is no secret name to bind Naar and, most chillingly, that there is no exit from his dread fortress.
As you close the Tome it suddenly ignites and is consumed by voracious tongues of blue flame. You drop the blazing book and it disappears below, to be swallowed up by the fabric of the bridge. (Erase this Special Item from your Action Chart.)
To continue, turn to 248.
151
Relying on the element of surprise, you leap through the entrance and rush towards a gap in the line of advancing horrors. They immediately try to close ranks but their reactions are deathly slow and you are easily able to barge your way through them. Unfortunately you do not get very far; a heavy weight hits you squarely in the back and knocks you to your knees. As you struggle to stand in the thick mud you are engulfed by a coarse rope net dropped from above. Frantically you scrabble to untangle yourself, but a second net smothers the first and delays you long enough for the ghoulish horde to close in and pin you down. Two of the winged flyers descend close by and hurriedly they thread ropes through the edges of the nets. When their task is completed they shriek loudly and suddenly you feel yourself being hoisted aloft.
Pick a number from the Random Number Table. If the number you have picked is 0–4, you lose 1 Backpack Item of your choice as you are lifted into the air. If the number you have picked is 5–9, your money pouch spills open and you lose all of your Gold Crowns.
After making the necessary adjustments to your Action Chart, you may continue by turning to 63.
152
Your masterly construction of a strong defensive mental barrier deflects all of the combined psychic energies that are ranged against you. The full power of their attack rebounds upon them with devastating effect. The Lieutenants of Night fall screaming to the floor where they w
rithe in agony like wounded snakes. The Demoness reels and totters backwards, slumps down heavily upon her throne, and then grips her disfigured head with both hands as she struggles in vain to regain control of her mind.
Seizing your advantage, you unsheathe your weapon and rush forward. With two swift and deadly blows you dispatch the lieutenants in passing and then rush towards Shamath's gigantic throne. Through the red haze of the agony that fills her head, the Demoness sees you approaching.
Immediately she slams her right hand down upon the arm of her throne, to where a glowing opal is set into the stone.
‘Gnekasha!’ you scream, giving voice to her secret name, and she freezes as still as a stone statue. But not before her clenched fist has struck the glowing gem.
Suddenly you hear a terrible sound: it is the screams and cries of Shamath's vengeful legions. With dread you glance over your shoulder and look to the source of the cacophony: the chamber of tunnels beyond the archway of the Throne Room. What you see there sends an icy cold shiver of fear coursing down your spine.
Turn to 201.
153
The column of fire speeds across the hall and roars through the body of your double before impacting harmlessly against the surface of the closed portal. Aware now that the Lord of Decay seated on the right-hand throne is Jantoor, you shout his secret name and immediately the creature becomes immobile. The sight of his frozen form — and the sudden cessation of mind contact — throws his brother-lord into a state of panic and confusion. In a blind rage he utters a curse and, to your horror, you see the maggot swarm emerge from the shadowy recesses of the hall. As the larvae writhe towards you they begin to swell grotesquely in size.