Mydnight's Hero (21 page)
The pitiful shrieks and groans of fallen men echo in your ears as you struggle to get back on your feet. ‘Stay with me, sire,’ you say to Karvas, as you scurry across the paddock and take cover behind a fence post. There is a lull in the carnage when your cowardly attackers pause to reload their crossbows, and you take full advantage of this momentary respite. You signal to Karvas to follow as you leap up and sprint from the paddock to the open doorway of the stables close by.
As you rush through the doorway you are brought skidding to a halt when you are confronted by seven armoured knights. Your stomach churns when you see that they wear the eagle's-head emblem of Sadanzo upon their surcoats. Their presence here makes you realize that they have been following your trail ever since your daring escape from Cavalia. The delay that you experienced at Varedo bought them the few hours they needed in order to get ahead of you and set up their deadly ambush.
‘Farewell, Prince Karvas!’ growls a knight, his guttural voice partially muffled by the iron strips that criss-cross the visor of his iron helm. He raises his gleaming axe and all seven warriors rush forward and attack you simultaneously.
Sadanzo's knights:
COMBAT SKILL
45
ENDURANCE
38
You cannot evade this combat, but you may add 5 points to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this fight as Prince Karvas is fighting at your side. If you possess the Kai Weapon ‘Kaistar’ you may add the appropriate
COMBAT SKILL
bonus for fighting at night.
If you win the combat,
turn to 108
.
You run past the gate guards and through the open archway into a flagstoned concourse. By keeping low and hiding in the shadows, you and Karvas are able to cross this open plaza undetected and make your way along an empty avenue which bisects the city's west quarter. Grimy two-storey houses of carved hardwood pass by on either side, silent behind their bolts and shutters.
The avenue leads to a stone bridge that traverses the River Tehda and then continues into the heart of the east quarter. Here you almost collide with a patrol of armed guards which is marching towards the river, and hurriedly you are forced to take cover in a timber yard to avoid being seen. You watch the ten-strong patrol as it marches past. These men are clad in black quilted tunics and wide silk leggings, and they are armed with curved swords and hand-axes. They are almond-eyed and they all have shiny black hair tied in a knot at the nape of their necks. Their leader, a stocky bull-necked sergeant, wears the emblem of Sejanoz emblazoned upon a scarlet armband. Patiently you wait for them to reach the bridge but, as they do so, another patrol comes marching along the avenue from the opposite direction. The east quarter of Bakhasa is a busy place, even at this late hour. Rather than risk being seen and captured, you decide to remain hidden here in the timber yard and attempt to get a few hours' sleep before dawn.
Unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.
To continue,
turn to 340
.
You smile at the knight and pull open the flap of your Belt Pouch to reveal some of the coins inside.
‘Perhaps I may offer a donation, my lord?’ you say. ‘Call it a gesture of our gratitude for the fine work you and your men are doing to ensure that the highways of Cavalia are kept clear of cut-throats and robbers.’
You scoop some coins from your pouch and cup them in your hand.
If you possess any Torqs,
turn to 236
.
If you do not,
turn to 19
.
‘It is I, my lord Marshal,’ says Karvas. ‘Do you not recognize me?’
‘Prince Karvas! By the gods, how can this be?’ exclaims Marshal Phedros. ‘This wine must have addled my brain, for Karvas dwells in exile. You cannot be him. This is another of Sadanzo's foul tricks, I'll be bound.’
Karvas pulls up the sleeve of his tunic and advances towards Phedros to show him the crescent-shaped birthmark on his wrist. But Phedros, his senses wine-dulled, mistakes his advance for an attack. ‘Seize them!’ he bellows, and immediately four of the Marshal's bodyguards emerge from the shadows of the mess hall. Two of them wrestle Karvas to the ground, while the others come rushing at you with their swords drawn. Rather than risk the Prince's life by resisting these guards, you raise your hands in surrender. Karvas begs Phedros to believe that he truly is the Crown Prince of Siyen. He asks that he be allowed to explain how he returned to his homeland, but Phedros refuses to listen to his pleas. He calls for more guards and he commands them to confiscate your Weapons and equipment. Then you are both taken to the barracks' cells where you are placed in irons.
It is in the early hours of the morning when the cell door bangs open and in shuffles Marshal Phedros in the company of Baron Sadanzo and a dozen of his robber knights. The Baron cackles with glee when he sees Karvas chained to the wall. He takes a glowing green gem from the pocket of his ermine robes, and immediately your Sixth Sense warns you that this stone is radiating strong psychic energies. Through its use, Sadanzo is able to exert a powerful control over Phedros' mind.
‘So, Marshal Phedros,’ says Sadanzo, in a quiet, silky-smooth voice that is chillingly evil, ‘this is the impostor and his accomplice. Pray tell me, my lord, what is the punishment for impersonating a member of the Royal household?’
‘It … is … death,’ croaks Phedros. By the forced sound of his voice you can tell that the Marshal does not speak of his own free will.
Prince Karvas rails against his shackles and shouts out in protest, but the gem flares in Sadanzo's hand and instantly Karvas ceases to speak or move. Your Sixth Sense tells you that your psychic Kai defences are preventing you from succumbing to the power of this evil gem, a power that has rendered Karvas incapable of speech or movement.
‘Well, my loyal knights,’ says Sadanzo, addressing his gloating henchmen, ‘did you not hear the Marshal? The punishment for their crime is death.’ The Baron looks at you and Karvas and a malicious smile spreads slowly across his taut, cadaverous face. ‘By the power invested in me as King of Siyen, I sentence you both to death. Sentence to be carried out … at once!’
And with these fateful words ringing in their ears, the robber knights unsheathe their swords and move forward to carry out the Baron's order of execution. Mercifully, death is swift for you both.
Tragically, your life and your quest end here in the cells of the Royal Cavalry Barracks of Siyen.
You reach the top of the wall and are settling your feet securely between the spikes in readiness to leap into the training field that lies beyond, when suddenly you see a guard standing directly below. Alerted by the sound of your feet scraping the crumbling brickwork, he has come to investigate. A dagger is raised in his hand and, the moment your eyes meet, he hurls this blade at your chest.
If you possess Magi-magic,
turn to 216
.
If you do not possess this Discipline,
turn to 107
.
Your Kai Sixth Sense prompts you to retrieve the horn from your Backpack. The pain in your head is growing more intense, and you can see that Prince Karvas is so badly affected that he is close to falling from his saddle. Yet, the moment you blow the horn, the pain subsides. No sound issues from this golden horn, yet your senses detect it has the power to counter the psychic assault you are suffering. Prince Karvas revives and he is able to pull himself upright on his horse. The hunters, however, do not fare as well. The psychic assault that they inflicted upon you is turned back on them by the power of your horn. You watch with grim satisfaction as they wheel their horses about and gallop away, desperate now to put distance between themselves and the piercing sound of your horn which is filling their heads with an agonizing clamour.
‘Well met, my lords,’ calls the ginger-haired magician as he waits on the quayside for you and Lord Zinair to disembark. As you descend the gangplank, you are struck by the young man's resemblance to Melchar, the journeyman whom you met in Caeno during your long voyage south to the Isle of Lorn. As you step ashore, the magician greets you with a broad smile and a firm handshake.
Illustration X—The magician greets you with a broad smile and a firm handshake.
‘I am Acraban, of the Brotherhood of the Crystal Star. I had not expected we would rendezvous so soon. I arrived here myself only this morning aboard my skyship
Starstrider
,’ he says, earnestly. His facial similarity to Melchar is so striking that you feel compelled to ask if he knows of the journeyman. ‘Why, yes, Grand Master. Melchar is my brother. On his return from Caeno he told me all about your escapades at the races there. I have looked forward to meeting you in person.’
Then the young magician excuses himself before turning away to face his flying ship. He raises his right hand and a shimmering blue flame suddenly engulfs his open palm. From the rear deck of the hovering skyship you see a flashing pinpoint of light. It is an acknowledgement of Acraban's signal to his watching crew that you have arrived.
‘Come, my lords, let us return to the
Starstrider
. We have much to discuss and time is precious.’
You run your eye over the items stored on the dusty shelves, and note that their prices are displayed on small scraps of parchment attached to them by twine. Only the following items are worthy of your interest:
- Meals — 4 Lune (each)
- Arrows — 4 Lune (each)
- Rope — 8 Lune
- Lantern — 8 Lune
- 1 Potion of Alether — 12 Lune (increases
COMBAT SKILL
by 2 for the duration of one combat only) - Quarterstaff — 20 Lune
- Bow — 32 Lune
The trader will accept Gold Crowns in payment for any of the above items, at the rate of 1 Gold Crown for 4 Lune. He will not accept Ren.
If you wish to purchase any of the above items, make the appropriate adjustments to your
Action Chart
.
To leave the trading post,
turn to 58
.