Shadow on the Sand (23 page)
The delicious smell of freshly brewed jala wafts from an eating-house halfway along the avenue. Chattering voices mingle with the clink of glasses, and the wailing cry of a hungry baby fills the air.
If you wish to enter the eating-house,
turn to 296
.
If you wish to continue along the avenue,
turn to 227
.
You are jerked backwards in the saddle as the Itikar leaves its perch. It shrieks and caws, its wings beating as loud as thunder. A handful of Drakkarim are scattered as if they were rag dolls as the great black bird emerges from the pen and takes to the sky. You catch a glimpse of a Drakkar, his death-mask slashed in two by the bird's razor-sharp talons, as he pitches from the landing platform and tumbles to his death in the palace gardens far below.
Illustration XX—You catch a glimpse of the Drakkar, his death-mask slashed in two, pitched from the landing platform.
The golden domes of the Grand Palace grow smaller as the Itikar gathers speed. Soon, you have passed over the city wall and are heading out towards the shimmering salt-flats of Lake Inrahim. The land below is bathed in beautiful orange twilight, as the sun slowly sinks behind the Dahir Mountains to the west. Elated by your escape, you throw back your head and give voice to a triumphant yell that is carried away on the chill evening wind.
As if in answer to your cry, an echoing chorus of shrieks pierce the sky. Fear returns to your heart as you catch sight of a flock of Kraan, hideous leathery-winged fliers. Each carries a Drakkarim warrior on its back. They are over a mile behind you, but they are quickly closing the gap. Less than an hour of light remains; if you can evade them a little longer, you may be able to lose them when night falls.
You must decide in which direction to fly, for you are now above the centre of Lake Inrahim — consult the
map
before making your decision.
If you wish to steer the Itikar south towards the Dahir Pass,
turn to 264
.
If you wish to head east towards the town of Chula,
turn to 244
.
The old man's face is a mask of putrescent green sores. The pupils of his eyes are yellow, and his ragged grey lips hang in tatters. He suffers from vaxelus, an infectious disease that rots the skin and attacks the nerves, resulting in hideous mutilation and deformity. He has been cast from his community, banished to this cave where he must eke out his last few years of life in misery and solitude.
If you possess some Oede herb and wish to give it to the poor vaxeler,
turn to 321
.
If you do not have any Oede herb, or if you do not wish to give it to this unfortunate wretch, flee the cave and
turn to 270
.
You glimpse the silhouette of Darklord Haakon in the hall below, his spiked fist raised. There is a deafening crack as a bolt of blue lightning streaks from a stone in the Darklord's hand and hurtles towards you. You dive for cover behind the body of the Drakkar as the bolt explodes. In a flash of light, the Drakkar is gone. Only cinders and the rotten odour of scorched flesh remain.
You scramble to your feet and sprint along the passage. Another bolt hurtles from the hall, tearing into the ceiling with shattering effect. Splinters of razor-sharp marble whistle down, slashing your cloak and tunic. You race down some stairs, through a silver archway and along a balcony that overlooks the lower palace. A peal of bells and the crunch of iron-shod boots echo in your ears — the Zakhan has sounded the alarm, his guards close in on every side.
At the end of the balcony are another arch and a staircase: both look deserted.
If you wish to escape through the arch,
turn to 381
.
If you wish to race up the stairs,
turn to 317
.
By the side of the street, an old man is selling assortment of rugs and carpets from the back of a wagon. Banedon approaches him and the two converse for several minutes. Finally, the wizard hands the old man a ring; his wrinkled face beams with joy. Banedon returns to you with good news.
‘The house with the blue door — at the end of the alley we passed a short while ago. Tipasa lives there.’
As you retrace your steps and enter the dingy passage, you hear the old man shriek with disappointment: the ring has just dissolved on his finger.
At the end of the alley you find the house with the blue door.
Wincing from the pain of your wound, you snatch the reins back and urge the Itikar to climb higher. The Drakkar is now over a hundred feet below, but he is bringing the shrieking Kraan around for another attack.
You wheel to the south to avoid being caught between the two converging squadrons of Kraan-riders. Your sudden change of direction increases the distance between you and your pursuers, but your feathered mount is badly wounded and you are close to despair; the Itikar is losing so much blood that it could become unconscious at any moment, and drop you like a stone onto the distant surface of Lake Inrahim below.
Suddenly you spot something in the distance. It is a sight that renews your faith in miracles.
Suddenly, you catch sight of Banedon. His arm is raised above the armoured parapet of the platform, and in his hand he holds a slender blue rod. A torrent of water gushes from the rod, arcing into the sky to meet the deluge of liquid flame. There is a tremendous explosion as the elements collide, and a massive whirlpool of flame and water spirals towards the Vordak.
The Vordak shrieks with terror but it is too late — its fate is sealed. The whirlpool consumes the Zlanbeast and its rider in a massive burst of sun-like brilliance.
The golden blade sings in your hand, a crackle of pure energy spreading along its razor-sharp edge. You strike a tremendous blow, splitting the Vordak's skull to the teeth. It releases an awful howl of unearthly evil, pain, terror, and death. As it falls, its skeletal body dissolves into a smoking green fluid, shrivelling the plants on the ground beneath.
The Drakkarim hesitate as the golden light of the sun-sword glints on their shiny black death-masks; you see your chance and run straight at them, slashing to left and right. A Drakkar raises his shield, but your blade slices clean through the iron-sheathed wood, severing his arm at the shoulder. Wheeling round, you catch another Drakkar in mid-attack, tearing open his black armour with the sword as if it were merely parchment. He screams in agony, but you disappear into the dense foliage before his body falls lifelessly to the soft earth.
As you break cover, another burst of energy leaps from the Darklord's fist. It explodes into the base of the pillar, severing it from the floor, and the roof above caves in with a tremendous roar. The shock wave throws you to the floor, flattening you against the cold marble flagstones. You lose 3
ENDURANCE
points. Erase the Sommerswerd from your
Action Chart
.
Haakon's laugh can still be heard above the crash of falling stone. In rises in pitch until it fills your head with agonizing pain.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield,
turn to 253
.
If you do not possess this Kai Discipline,
turn to 369
.
As you approach the door, Banedon offers you a word of advice. ‘Take care to guard your gold, Lone Wolf. Nothing tempts the Ikareshi more than a full purse. You can trust their honour, but if you trust their honesty they will steal the hair from your head.’
Inside, the mood is one of celebration. Tables have been drawn together to form a large semicircle in front of which stands a small, broad-shouldered man dressed lavishly in an embroidered costume. A gold-mounted sword hangs by his side, its blue velvet scabbard as vivid in colour as the man's silk pantaloons. Affectionately, the man embraces his companions, kissing the friends and relatives who have travelled so many miles to celebrate his wedding. At his side sits his bride, her face concealed behind a veil of shimmering pearls. Suddenly, the tavern is filled with music as the guests take the floor for the wedding dance.
On the far side of the floor you see the owner of the tavern, a stout old lady dressed in sombre black. She watches the festivities with tears in her eyes.
If you wish to approach her and ask where Tipasa the Wanderer may be found,
turn to 276
.
If you wish to leave the tavern and continue along the street,
turn to 202
.
Beyond the portal lies a vaulted corridor leading to a grand stairway. You narrowly avoid confrontation with a dozen Drakkarim, saved by your lightning reactions. As the enemy rush from an archway on the second floor landing, you dive behind a statue of the recently deceased Zakhan Moudalla. They are so intent on their chase that they fail to notice your hiding place and hurry down the stairs, grunting in their heavy armour as they run. Silently, you give thanks that Zakhan Moudalla was a very stout man and that his statue casts a very large shadow in which to hide.
At the top of the stairway you discover a hatch, which gives access to the roof. You climb through it and follow a path of sun-bleached tiles that wind in and out of the domes and turrets, eventually leading to a bell-tower.
You are exhausted and need to rest, your mind still full of the shock of your encounter with Darklord Haakon. The sound of his terrible voice repeating the words ‘
Book of the Magnakai
’ echoes again and again in your mind.
With desperation sapping your will, you peer out through a grille in the bell-tower. The sight before you renews your flagging hope, for it inspires a daring escape plan.
As you slay the last of the Crypt Spawn, Haakon reels back as if weakened by the death of his creatures. You raise the Sommerswerd, willing the blade to discharge a bolt of power that will burn the evil Darklord from the face of Magnamund forever. The blade shimmers with golden fire, but no searing blast issues from its tip. Suddenly, you realize what has happened; you are beneath the earth, and there is no sun from which the sword can draw its power.
Illustration XXI—You raise the Sommerswerd, willing the blade to discharge a bolt of power at Haakon.
Haakon utters a terrible laugh that shakes the floor. A beam of blue flame is growing from the stone in his hand, forming a fiery blade that crackles and spits as it cuts through the dust-choked air. The stench of death and decay fills your nostrils as the Darklord prepares to attack.
Darklord Haakon:
COMBAT SKILL
28
ENDURANCE
45
Unless you have the Kai Discipline of Mindshield, reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 2 for the duration of this combat.
If you win the combat,
turn to 400
.
You throw yourself to the deck, but the axe blade strikes your thigh, drawing a crimson line across the skin. You lose 2
ENDURANCE
points. Suddenly, a deafening
bang
rings out and the Drakkar is flung backwards, his breastplate torn open by dwarf shot. He gives a long, agonizing death-cry as he disappears from sight, tumbling into the darkness that surrounds the speeding ship.
From Barrakeesh, a roll of thunder rumbles across the darkening plain. It is full of brooding menace, as if the city itself were cursing your escape. Banedon appears at your side, his face line with concern for your condition. As he offers a shaky hand to help you to stand, you notice that the makeshift bandage that binds his wound is soaked with blood. He is pale and weak, and close to collapse.
If you have the Kai Discipline of Healing,
turn to 377
.
If you do not possess the skill,
turn to 339
.