The Heart of Fire

by Michael J. Ward

  Deft hands

  (backpack)

  (backpack)

  (gloves)

  Use any time in combat to

  restore 10 health

  Increase your speed

  by 4 for one combat round

  +1 speed +2 brawn

  Ability: stun, steal

  (requirement: thief)

  If you left any items in the hollow of the travellers’ shelter whilst exploring the dark interior (act 2), then you discover these inside the imp’s bags. You may now retrieve these items, if you wish, and add them to your backpack. When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to 696.

  643

  Legendary monster: Anansi

  Sometimes you just can’t stop yourself. Curiosity is a dangerous thing and it seems you weren’t the first to venture into this earthy burrow, looking for treasure. As you brush aside the cobwebs you see the bones and skulls of other wayward travellers glinting back at you from the dark. You know you should turn back – that would be the sensible option – but your stubborn steak once again rises to the fore, taking you ever deeper into the warren.

  Your enchanted weapons illuminate the ridged walls, which curve round in a tight spiral, to finally converge on a black abyssal hole. Its rim is covered in hundreds of skeletons, their bones wound tight in silken strands, twisted into anguished, tortured shapes.

  Then you hear the shuffling, scratching sound, getting louder and louder, echoing all around the cave. Suddenly black hairy legs thrust out from the hole, thick as tree trunks. They scrabble across the rocky ground, dragging a huge black body into view. It is led by a pair of glittering fangs and a gruesome crescent of red glowing eyes.

  You are frozen in horror as the immense spider pushes itself out of the hole, then rears up on its back legs, displaying a crimson underbelly. As you prepare to take on this fearsome enemy, you can’t help but wonder if you will become the next skeletal statue to adorn this spider queen’s lair. It is time to fight:

  Special abilities

  Leaping attack: At the end of every combat round, Anansi will use her leaping attack. This attack does 15 damage, less the value of your hero’s speed. (If your hero has a speed of 8, they would take 7 damage). This ability ignores armour.

  Necrotic venom: Once you lose health from Anansi’s damage score (i.e. her ordinary attacks), she automatically inflicts you with necrotic venom. This venom does 2 damage at the end of each round and also lowers your brawn and magic by 1 each round. Affected attributes cannot be restored until the end of the combat, even if the venom is removed.

  If you are able to defeat this multi-legged horror, turn to 465.

  644

  Not wishing to put your faith in an old and rotted bridge you skirt the edge of the gorge, looking for an alternate means of crossing. However, after nearly an hour of clambering over rocks and knotted roots, you see no other hopeful signs of navigating the gorge. As you peer over the edge at the raging river below, you contemplate whether jumping might be an option – then you catch sight of a narrow ledge below, winding down the face of the gorge. If you hadn’t been looking over the side you would have missed it. Elated at your find, you carefully lower yourself onto the ledge and start inching your way along it, trying to ignore the sound of the crumbling rocks skittering down the sheer walls. Turn to 658.

  645

  Avian walks over to one of the staked corpses, passing the light of his staff over its splintered remains. ‘Our world and the shroud are separated by an invisible wall, a barrier. It keeps us safe and the demons out.’ He tilts his head, meeting the gaze of the lopsided skull grinning down at him. ‘Terrible acts of violence . . . of magic . . . can weaken that wall – cut through it, like a knife. That leaves an open wound. Sometimes they heal, but often they are left to bleed. It means bad things can pass between.’ The mage looks back at you with a heavy sigh. ‘I’m talking spirits, demons. And worse.’

  Return to 590 to ask another question, or turn to 766 to continue your journey.

  646

  For attempting to rescue the tigris, you have gained the following special ability:

  Strength in numbers (mo): For each cart that was successfully destroyed (freeing its tigris captives), you may increase your damage score by 1 when attacking opponents in the hunter’s camp.

  (Special achievement: If you managed to destroy all four carts, turn to 697). Otherwise, turn to 686.

  647

  Cernos rocks back on his hooved feet, blood oozing from a myriad of wounds. With effort he raises his blackened face, lips curling back from his teeth. He sucks in a deep breath, then looks about to speak . . .

  But his words are silenced by a bright barrage of magic. Avian has his white staff pointed at the beast, his face cold and impassive as he sends wave after wave of magic spilling from his staff. Cernos is slammed back against the stone door, pinned there by each successive blast.

  Then the magic ceases, leaving a howl of pain echoing around the chamber.

  The demon is left a smoking ruin. And yet – there is still life there, beating beneath the ravaged flesh. Pitifully, Cernos gropes for the iron casket, pulling it protectively towards his chest.

  ‘What were you thinking, demon?’ demands Avian, advancing with his staff raised. ‘Tartarus was sealed by the dwarves. They feared what had been awoken by Barathar’s magic. That place should stay in darkness . . .’

  Cernos spits a stream of blood in answer, then drags himself back to his feet. ‘Too late, mage,’ he growls. ‘You’re too late.’

  His free hand moves behind him. You notice a circular device carved into the stone – forming part of a central beam that partitions the door into two separate panels. Resting inside the device is the key that Cernos retrieved from the Lamuri city. He twists it sharply, eliciting a dull click.

  Suddenly the two panels of the door rattle aside, sliding into hidden wall cavities. The demon tugs the key loose, then backs through the open doorway. ‘This is my destiny . . .’ he growls through broken lips. ‘I will have Ragnarok!’

  The cavity where the key had once rested flickers with a pale light, then the door panels start to grind closed.

  ‘No!’ Virgil lurches into a sprint, loosing bullets from his pistols. Twin sprays of blood fountain from the demon’s chest. Then the stone panels meet with a thunderous boom – and Cernos is lost from sight.

  The witchfinder skids to a halt, glaring angrily at the circular panel. ‘He took the key!’

  Avian joins him at the door, his eyes roving across the runed patterns. ‘These are powerful wards. I’m afraid I’ll need time.’

  Virgil holsters his pistols with a sigh. ‘We’re not going anywhere.’ He tilts up the brim of his hat, revealing the hard planes of his narrow face. ‘Knock yourself out.’

  The mage proceeds to tap his staff against the different runes, observing the flashes of light that ripple from each point of contact. His constant head-shaking suggests that his examination is not achieving the desired results.

  You watch in quiet frustration. Since they arrived, neither Virgil or his staff-wielding companion have shown you a shred of interest. After all that you have been through in the jungle, you had been expecting more of a hero’s welcome. Eventually, your anger boils over. Snatching up the metal ball, you call out for attention. ‘Hey! Does anyone remember me?’

  Virgil turns his head, his gem-studded eye-patch catching the silver light. ‘This is not the time . . .’

  ‘Oh, am I surplus to requirements now?’ You stalk towards him, shaking the ball in your fist. ‘Care to tell me what this is? I don’t remember agreeing to carry your little toys!’

  Avian continues to study the runes. Virgil merely grunts. ‘I wasn’t even sure it would work. That’s an Elven beacon stone. You could be more grateful . . .’

  ‘Grateful?’ Your voice rises by several octaves as you hurl the ball at the nearest wall. Virgil winces as it smashes like glass, sending splinters tinkling across the ground. ‘What a
m I?’ you snarl. ‘Just an experiment to you? I had Cernos . . . I was about to take his heart! Then that ridiculous ball starts flashing and-’

  The witchfinder raises a gloved hand. ‘I’d cool that anger of yours. The demon-blood is volatile.’ His steely gaze takes in your transformation. ‘Soon, you will—’

  ‘Become like him! Say it! I’m becoming a demon – the very monster I was sent here to kill!’

  ‘Look, we’ll find Cernos,’ replies Virgil coolly. ‘He won’t have got far.’

  You gesture wildly at the two men. ‘And this is what you call aid? Did you not think to bring an army?’

  Avian addresses you for the first time, speaking over his shoulder. ‘The beacon would not transport so many. Besides, you can’t lead an army into Tartarus . . .’ He taps another rune. All of a sudden, the whole spiral of markings flash with a brilliant red glow. The mage leans away, then steps back – waiting for the runes to settle back to their dormant state. ‘Ah, this is impossible!’ he mutters angrily. ‘The weaves are too complex. I’ve never seen their like before.’

  Virgil removes his hat and scratches at his close-cropped hair. ‘And Cernos had the key . . .’

  As you study the markings on the door, you are reminded of the dwarven device from Duerdoun which led you through the forest of thorns. You turn over your palms, revealing the grooved runes that were burnt into the flesh. An idea forms – a desperate one, but it might be possible.

  ‘Out of my way.’

  You walk over to the door. Avian turns in surprise. ‘Don’t tell me you’re serious . . .’

  Ignoring the mage, you stoop to examine the circular device. There is a line of runes spiralling around to a missing section at its centre, where you assume the key was meant to be inserted. You place your hands, palm outwards, into the cavity – feeling the scarred tissue fit around the subtle depressions in the rock. Then you twist your hands, moving them slowly – rotating them to the left as Cernos had done with the key. The rock moves with you, the runes flickering to life with a soft glow. A second later there is a click, followed by a deep rumbling. The doors start to open.

  Avian gives a snort of disbelief. ‘Unbelievable!’

  Virgil plants his hat back on his head, a wolfish grin spreading across his face. ‘We’re in!’ He tugs a pouch loose from his belt and tosses it to you.

  ‘What’s this?’ You ask, snatching it out of the air.

  ‘It’s a doggy bag,’ he replies, his grin widening further. ‘You looked hungry.’

  You open the bag and look inside. You may now take any/all of the following items:

  Flask of healing

  (1 use)

  (backpack)

  Use any time in combat to restore 10 health

  Elixir of swiftness

  (1 use)

  (backpack)

  Increase your speed by 4 for one combat round

  Rune of fortune

  (special: rune)

  (special: rune)

  Use on any item to add the special ability charm

  With your hands absent from the device, the doors start to close.

  ‘It’s time to move!’ shouts Avian. ‘Come on!’

  Quickly, the three of you hurry through the doorway – making it through with only seconds to spare. However, celebration is far from anyone’s mind. Ahead of you lies Tartarus, the infamous city of the dwarves. Until now its gate has been closed for thousands of years, sealing away its secrets . . . and its past.

  You draw back in horror at the gruesome sight that lies before you. ‘One God have mercy, what happened here?’ You struggle for breath, your mouth dry from the suffocating heat.

  ‘Ragnarok,’ states Virgil grimly. ‘That’s what happened.’

  You may now turn to 590 to begin the Act 3 green quest, The bridge of screams.

  648

  The man puts up a fierce fight, but he is weak and malnourished. Your repeated blows soon silence his bestial snarls. Stepping over the body, you scan the contents of the cabin. Resting on the bed is a leather cord with a pendant attached to it, shaped like a boot. You lift it up, discovering that the boot contains a small inscription on one side: Walk proud. Forever. Yootha. If you wish to take the pendant, make a note of the word restless on your hero sheet.

  You quickly scan the rest of the squalid mess, doubting there is anything here that would warrant your interest. However, as you move to leave, your foot knocks into a basket jutting out from under the bed. You stoop to examine it, finding a variety of brightly-coloured mushrooms packed inside. They look freshly-picked and succulent. If you wish to try the mushrooms, turn to 814. If you would prefer to leave the cabin, turn to 618.

  649

  Using your chosen reagents you craft a runed stave, its jewelled headpiece raging with elemental fury. If you wish, you may now lay claim to:

  Occulus, eye of pain

  (main hand: staff)

  +2 speed +5 magic

  Ability: focus, lightning

  (requirement: mage)

  If you wish to craft another item, turn to 755. Otherwise, return to the map to continue your adventure.

  650

  As the last mandrill hits the floor the monkey king leaps straight out of his seat, alighting on the back of his throne. Raising his fist in the air, he mutters some arcane gibberish – and suddenly a long red staff appears in his hand, its gold end-pieces crackling with magic. You charge forward, your weapons sweeping down to smash through the staff – but the monkey somersaults away, your blows ringing harmlessly against the gold throne.

  Twisting around you see the monkey is now whirling the magic staff above his head, creating a tornado of swirling light. It quickly surrounds him in a bright halo, his body becoming a dark shadow that starts to expand – growing larger and larger.

  When the staff stops and the tornado subsides, you find yourself facing a giant monkey – now grown to ten times his normal size. As you back away, trying to comprehend this sudden change of events, you see the monkey make a peculiar gesture, pinching the side of his chest. Then you realise he is actually pulling tufts of hair loose and scattering them across the stones. Wherever the hairs land there is a flash of magic – and a small monkey rises up out of the ground, long-limbed and black like a spider. Within seconds you are surrounded by a dozen of the spindly creatures, which immediately leap straight at you, snapping and biting. You struggle to bat them away, their combined weight threatening to drag you to the floor. But these spider-monkeys are merely a distraction. Through the chaos of grappling bodies, you glimpse the giant monkey stomping towards you, his staff raised to strike. It is time to fight:

  Special abilities

  Clinging claws: The spider monkeys are clinging onto you in order to slow you down. You must reduce your speed by 1 for the duration of this combat. If the spider monkeys are defeated this ability no longer applies.

  Monkey magic: The king’s power comes from his staff. Once he is reduced to zero health the combat is not over – the king is merely weakened and he must now be disarmed. From now on, when you win a combat round, roll a die. If the result is or more, you have disarmed him – winning you the combat. Otherwise, your attempt failed and you must win another combat round to try again. Hanuman can still attack as normal if you lose a round.

  In this combat you roll against Hanuman’s speed. If you win a combat round, you can choose to apply your damage to Hanuman or the spider monkeys. If you manage to disarm Hanuman (see monkey magic), the spider monkeys are also automatically defeated.

  If you manage to defeat the monkey king, turn to 737. Otherwise, you have failed to assault the temple. Restore your health and turn to 449.

  651

  The last elemental crumbles to dust, its broken runes fizzing weakly. Lorcan sheathes his weapons and steps away, his eyes roving across the lake of magma. You notice the golden staff resting in a harness against his back – the staff he used previously to escape.

  ‘I suppose I should offer you my th
anks.’ You watch him closely, still wary of his sudden reappearance. ‘Twice now. I’d say this is becoming a habit.’

  Lorcan cracks his knuckles. ‘I do what I’m told. Nothing more.’ He glances around, then nods towards the smoking rubble. ‘We should salvage what we can – may as well take something from this experience other than bruises and platitudes.’

  (Each hero may now help themselves to one reward.) For warrior rewards, turn to 637. For rogue rewards, turn to 830. For mage rewards, turn to 873.

  652

  As soon as you near the foot of the stairs the four warriors come alive, their rigid bodies snapping into battle-ready stances. For several heartbeats there is silence – broken only by the flames, crackling and spitting in the braziers – then the four warriors surge forward with shrieking hollers, their swords igniting into blazing torches of flame. It is time to fight:

  Special abilities

  Searing blades: You must automatically take 2 damage at the end of every combat round from each surviving sun maiden. This ability ignores armour.

  In this combat, choose a maiden to attack. If you win the combat round, you must strike against your chosen maiden (or multiple maidens if you have an ability that lets you do so). If you lose the combat, your chosen maiden will strike against you as a single opponent. Once you have defeated all four maidens, you win the combat.

  If you manage to defeat these four fiery maidens, turn to 699. You can flee this combat at any time by leaving the ziggurat and heading through the open doorway. Turn to 595.

  653

  You soon lose control of the raft as you are buffeted through the chaotic tumult of logs and stone. Finally the raft crashes against a line of rocks, splitting through its base. You cling to the wood, almost willing it to stay together, but it is too late – the raft breaks apart, pitching you into the churning waters.