The Heart of Fire

by Michael J. Ward

  The phoenix spirals towards the ground, skimming the hills of windblown heather. You are finally low enough to let go, landing in a crumpled heap amidst the long stems of grass. Twisting around, you watch as the black clouds swallow the cursed tower, its walls and spires breaking up into clouds of rubble. There is a pulse of dark light, then everything seems to implode inwards, as if pulled back into some other space, leaving behind an empty moorland. There is no evidence, no trace, that the tower was ever there.

  Lying next to you is the smoking remains of the toy master’s box. You scramble over to retrieve it, finding an identical wooden box resting inside. Opening it up, you discover a purse of gold (you have gained 20 gold crowns) and a ring fashioned from black onyx. You may take:

  Black hole

  (ring)

  +1 brawn +1 magic

  Ability: dark pact

  Shouldering your pack, you give the now-empty valley a last wary glance, before turning and heading back towards Raven’s Rest. (Return to the quest map to continue your journey.)

  478

  There is a cry from up ahead. Two figures are wrestling with each other – then there is a crack of magic as one is blown back, crumpling against the wall. As the dust and smoke start to settle, you get your first glimpse of the two combatants. If you have the word hallowed on your hero sheet, turn to 740. Otherwise, turn to 665.

  479

  Your weapons sear through the gun barrels, your magic blowing the hunter backwards across the ground. As he skids to a halt he reaches for a pistol, struggling to free it with trembling hands. You advance towards him, ready to dodge the shot – but it never comes. Suddenly, you hear a snarl from behind you – then a striped shape dives past, barrelling into the hunter and sending the pistol skidding away across the ground. You avert your eyes as the tigris finishes off the hunter.

  Black Patch rolls away from the body, breathing hard. You note several wounds marking his striped white fur. You kneel by his side, as the tigris works to focus on you with his pale, green eyes.

  ‘Sheva win this day,’ he gasps. ‘Shonac would be proud of battle. Now we hunt . . . together . . .’

  His body jerks and then stiffens, the light of his eyes finally dimming. You rise to your feet, surveying the wasted compound. Yes, a victory has been claimed, but at what cost?

  You search the remains of the hunter. You find 50 gold crowns and one of the following rewards:

  Leather long arms

  Buckmaster’s jerkin

  Dark vine pith

  (gloves)

  (chest)

  (head)

  +1 speed +2 brawn

  +3 brawn +1 armour

  +1 speed +2 armour

  Ability: sure grip

  Ability: cunning

  (requirement: warrior)

  Ability: thorns

  (requirement: mage)

  White Cloak is standing on the edge of the compound. She is the only tigris to have survived the battle. You join her – and for a while, nothing is said. You both watch the flames as they consume the last of the wooden fort.

  ‘They will return,’ you say at last. ‘There will always be hunters here.’

  White Cloak shifts her gaze to the jungle. ‘I am last of Sheva. My kin are no more.’

  ‘What will you do now?’ you ask. ‘Will you rejoin the Khana – try and cross the marsh to the mountains?’

  White Cloak shakes her head, her whiskers bristling. ‘No. This is my land. I stay. And I will find new kin and bring them together. Make new pack.’ The tigris glances sideways at you, her teeth bared in a smile. ‘Will you join me, bright claw?’

  You return a grin, but raise a hand in refusal. ‘I have my own hunting to do.’

  White cloak faces you, beating a bloody paw against her chest three times. ‘Then Shonac be with you, bright claw.’ You watch as she bounds away into the trees, disappearing like a ghost back into the jungle. (You may now restore your health. Return to the quest map to continue your adventure.)

  480

  At last you manage to corner the spirit against one of the pillars, thrusting your weapons into its black form. With a pitiful whimper its cloaked body crumples to the ground, then begins to melt – forming thick droplets of liquid-darkness.

  You hop out of the way as the dark water races across the cracked stone tiles, towards the foot of the shaman’s staff. The liquid smokes and sparks, and then disappears – seemingly absorbed into its glowing runes.

  ‘You did it!’ laughs Boom Mamba, shaking his fist in the air. ‘Fear my boom stick, Mortzilla!’

  (By defeating Umbra, the shaman’s staff has gained the shadow shift ability. Make a note of this on your hero sheet.)

  If you are a warrior, turn to 556. If you are a mage, turn to 534. If you are a rogue, turn to 255.

  481

  ‘Oh, how exciting!’ Bea claps her hands together excitedly. ‘I do love passing my teachings on to others, so they might do the same – that’s what Saint Mary wanted us to do, after all.’

  The pilgrim proceeds to teach you a basic set of inscriptions that will provide healing and protection. Using a metal tool, its length glowing with holy script, Bea shows you how to carve these into your possessions. As you scratch the designs into the steel of your weapon, you sense some part of yourself flowing through the tool and into the glowing inscription. It leaves you feeling faint and nauseous.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ smiles Bea. ‘You’ll get used to it. They only draw on a small part of the inner kha. Nothing close to what the abbots have to endure, I promise you.’

  If you wish, you may now learn the pilgrim career. The pilgrim has the following abilities:

  Charm offensive (co): For each item with the charm ability that your hero is wearing, you can add 2 to your damage score. (If you had four items with charm, you could add 8 to your damage score.) You can only use charm offensive once per combat.

  Blessed blades (mo): (requires a sword in the main hand and left hand.) You can heal yourself anytime in a combat for the total brawn modifier of your two weapons. You can only use blessed blades once per combat.

  Thanking Bea for her time, you return to the courtyard. Turn to 260.

  482

  Although smoke is quickly obscuring the battle, you decide that the sniper could still present a worrying problem. If you are using brawn for this battle, then you will need to climb the ladder of the lookout tower to reach him. This means that in the first round of combat, the sniper automatically wins and can apply damage – you cannot use special abilities in this round. If you are using magic, then you may fight the combat as normal:

  (Note: You cannot heal after this combat. You must continue this quest with the health that you have remaining. You may use potions and abilities to heal lost health while you are in combat.)

  If you defeat the sniper, then turn to 243. If you are defeated, turn to 664.

  483

  Another grin spreads across the shaman’s face. ‘You not want to fight spirits? They got treasure. We not the first to come here. Many, many brave warriors try to beat this place but they all fail.’ Boom’s eyes flick to the staff in his hands. ‘None have a boom stick.’

  You shake your head, concerned that time is slipping away. ‘I must pursue the demon. I can’t let him get ahead of me.’

  ‘So, you know where he went?’ asks Boom, raising a dark eyebrow.

  You reply with a sullen glare.

  ‘I didn’t think so. You not find demon by running around without the answers. Mortzilla has answers. And we make him talk with my boom stick.’

  You still look unconvinced. With a sigh, Boom straightens and walks over to you. ‘Hold this.’ He hands you his staff, then proceeds to remove his necklace of charms from around his neck. ‘Without this I am nothing. I carve life into charms. Tell story of where I come from.’ He exchanges the staff for the necklace, letting you observe the silver and bone fragments dangling from its coils. Each fragment is covered with tiny lines of symbols,
almost unreadable with the naked eye.

  ‘Ya keep this as trust yes? Give it back when we complete spirit walk.’

  You look again at the intricate script on the charms, finding it almost impossible to imagine the care and patience needed to complete such work. This is a rare and personal gift that you have been entrusted with. You have gained the following item:

  Mamba’s memory stones (2 uses)

  (backpack)

  Use any time in combat to

  restore 4 health

  You realise it would be wrong not to repay this shaman’s trust. ‘Ok,’ you nod grudgingly, your fist clenching around the necklace. ‘I’ll help you.’ Turn to 399.

  484

  You make a quick decision – and charge towards the iron golem. The creature lets go of Joss, raising its fists to meet your attack. Sharpened blades spring out of the metal gauntlets, shining in the hellish light.

  ‘No!’ Joss screams and runs at you, a crazed look in her eyes. She grabs you by the arm and tries to pull you away. ‘No! Don’t hurt him! Don’t you dare hurt him!’

  The iron golem strides forward, knocking her out of the way. Joss sprawls onto her back, a fresh cut bleeding from her lip. ‘Don’t hurt him! Please. It’s Adam!’

  You hesitate, distracted by the ranger’s words. But the iron golem is now charging in, spiked fists raking the air. ‘Me Maximus. Maximus gives death.’ It is time to fight:

  Special abilities

  Dismantle: If you win a combat round, instead of rolling for damage you can choose to lower the golem’s armour by 3. You can do this as many times as you wish, lowering its armour by 3 each time.

  Body or iron: Maximus is immune to bleed, thorns and thorn cage.

  If you are able to defeat this mighty warrior, turn to 498. If you are defeated, turn to 464.

  485

  Eva leads you into a vast cavern. A fire burns at the centre, its thick columns of black smoke spiralling up through the holes and fissures in the high ceiling. Amongst the shifting firelight you see dozens of Wiccans. Some are basking in the warmth of the fire, singing or humming along to a musician who is eking out a sad tune on a fiddle. Others are attending to various chores about the cave – tanning hides, sharpening weapons, mending clothing. It seems that this is part of a thriving community. Side tunnels snake off into other sections of the cave system.

  As you glance around the cavern, you see the rogue who saved you from Durnhollow. He is teaching a young child to fight, offering advice as he watches them thrust and pivot with wooden stumps for weapons. Elsewhere, a line of warriors are having their bodies painted with coloured dyes. Eva takes your hand and points to a set of carved stairs, leading up to a shelf of rock.

  ‘Damaris waits for you there.’ Bowing her head, the woman leaves your side, joining a group of women who are daubing paint on the wall of the cave, adding to a long frieze of colourful scenes.

  Will you:

  Speak to the rogue? — 389

  Examine the painted warriors? — 116

  Take a closer look at the frieze? — 299

  Climb the stairs and speak to Damaris? — 126

  486

  ‘This is Baba,’ smiles the girl, raising her arm so that you can get a better look at the purple-scaled serpent. ‘Look Baba, we have a customer.’ The serpent’s wedge-shaped head twists around, regarding you with black, glassy eyes. Then it lunges forward with a sharp hiss, its fanged jaws stretched wide. You step away, hands raised defensively.

  ‘Oh, don’t be frightened,’ giggles the girl. ‘I think she likes you.’

  ‘Really?’ you splutter, maintaining your distance.

  ‘Well, she’s been a little bad-tempered today; she gets that from her mother.’ The girl kneels beside one of the larger baskets, carefully lowering the agitated snake back inside. ‘Perhaps one of the others will be more to your liking.’ She pauses, studying you thoughtfully. ‘Yes, the fer-de-lance – or even the monarch. Hmm, we’ve got some options to play with. If you have the time, that is.’

  If you are a venommancer turn to 467. Otherwise, you swiftly decline the offer and resume your journey. Turn to 571.

  487

  ‘Everyone is born with an inner kha – a soul,’ explains the priest, tapping the centre of your chest. ‘But very few know how to truly open up to their kha and draw on its power. Judah taught us this – that the holy light is a gift from the One God; a gift inside each and every one of us.’

  With Benin’s help you discover that you can concentrate on this point of force within yourself, carefully nurturing it from the faintest embers into a steady white flame.

  ‘Good. An impressive start . . .’ Benin removes a silver necklace from around his neck and hands it to you. ‘Here, this will help you to channel that energy – to do the work that the One God wills.’

  You may now take:

  Benediction

  (talisman)

  +1 magic

  Ability: acolyte career

  Using the talisman, you discover that you are able to summon the flame more easily. With practice the flame quickly becomes a fire, which finally bursts into a raging torrent of white heat, flowing through your body and filling it with power.

  The acolyte has the following abilities:

  Bless (mo): This ability can be cast at any time on yourself or an ally to heal 6 health and increase one attribute (magic or brawn) by 1 for the remainder of the combat. Bless can only be used once per combat.

  Last rites (pa): Once an opponent has 15 or less health, you can instantly cast this spell to lower your opponent’s speed and armour by 1 for the remainder of the combat. Last rites can only be used once per combat.

  Thanking Benin, you leave the chapel and return to the courtyard. Turn to 260.

  488

  ‘I brought you south – to the Saskat prairies,’ explains Virgil. ‘Not an easy journey with the roads such as they are.’ He scratches at his chin with a gloved hand. ‘I had to get you to Modoc as quickly as possible in order to,’ he pauses, his eyes studying your impressive scars, ‘preserve you.’

  ‘Preserve me?’ You glower, trying once again to push yourself up. ‘You make me sound like a museum exhibit.’

  The witchfinder chuckles. ‘Well, you are a rarity and incredibly precious to us – be grateful that makes you worth the effort. Besides, we have need of your powers.’

  Turn to 494 to ask another question, or turn to 433 to continue.

  489

  You leave the horses and continue on foot, clambering up the sheer slope to reach the causeway. Damaris leads the way, a feathered staff held out before her, its pale light helping to push back the lingering shadows of dawn. Behind her towers the giant, Conall, his twin axes crossed at his back. You and Murlic bring up the rear, the rogue hissing curses beneath his breath.

  ‘We should not have come here,’ he growls, casting scathing glances at his surroundings. ‘Duerdoun is cursed. A place of evil.’

  As you pull yourself up onto the stone causeway, you get a glimpse of the place known as Duerdoun. Your first impression is one of jagged black teeth, stabbing through the morning mist. The teeth are actually needles of rock, lining both sides of the causeway – some still intact, others broken and crumbling. They stretch away into the curling mist, to where you can dimly make out a temple-like building, carved into the side of a dark mountain.

  ‘What was it used for?’ you croak, choking on the black dust thrown up by the wind.

  ‘It was an entrance way to a dwarf city,’ explains Damaris, looking back over her shoulder. ‘A place overrun with goblins and demons. It was sealed long ago, like most of their great holdings.’

  The giant makes a rumbling sound, deep in his chest. You note his concern, as the needle-like pillars either side of you start to glow with silvery-white runes. The warrior draws his axes, falling into a crouch as their own runes flash into being.

  ‘This is not good,’ sighs Murlic, his narrowed eyes scanning the swirling mist. ‘
This place does not want us here.’ Turn to 392.

  490

  Anse frowns when he finds you standing at his side.

  ‘You have a thing for numbers,’ you remark, thinking back to the conversation in the taproom. ‘I’m guessing two are better than one, right?’

  The fire giant rears up before you, revealing the many wounds that scour its molten skin. Anse has clearly been busy – his previous attacks have seriously weakened the monster. Perhaps you have a chance to defeat it after all. It is time to fight:

  Special abilities

  Fury of the furnace: You must take 3 damage at the end of each combat round from the creature’s intense heat. This ability ignores armour.

  Holy vengeance: Anse adds 3 to your damage score for the duration of this combat.

  If you are able to defeat this enraged elemental, turn to 431. If you are defeated, turn to 464.

  491

  The dean’s face hardens. ‘They are a disease, a plague on this land, corrupted by demons and foul magics. We have chosen to end this – to stand alone against their evil and purge it from existence.’

  Ventus flexes his inscribed fists, sending white sparks dancing across his knuckles. ‘Indeed, the Wiccans are stronger now,’ he adds with derision. ‘The tribes used to be disorganised, unruly. But lately they have become united under a single figurehead. They call him Conall – the giant we met on the moors. A puppet, some believe, for that dark witch and her own schemes.’ He shakes his head. ‘Who leads them doesn’t matter – they will strike and it will be soon.’