War of the Wizards (12 page)

You clamber up the slope once more but as you reach the top you see a horde of demonic creatures heading towards you from the west. Quickly you and Tanith duck down below the ridge. The demons will be upon you soon.

If you wish to try to flee the approaching horde,
turn to 89
.

If you wish to remain where you are and surprise the horde as it approaches,
turn to 126
.

Taking advantage of the demons' confusion, you release another charge of magical flame, sending it arcing towards the toad demon. This action costs you 2
WILLPOWER
points. Thick, black blood drips from the demon's wound but it is not slain. It gives a low growl before it and the other demons vanish. You breathe a sigh of relief: both you and Tanith are unharmed. You release the spell of protection from the Moonstone and its light fades, returning to its grey, rather than black, state.

Turn to 140
.

Your body glows with an eerie blue light, your Staff blazes with a blinding white incandescence and your heart pounds with the fury of battle as the great white stallion carries you into the screaming fray of the demon line. Many clawed hands reach out to rend and tear your flesh but you remain unharmed. Others reach for the stallion's bridle in an attempt to stop the mad galloping rush of its charge.

If you wish to fight the demons all around you,
turn to 193
.

If you wish to continue your charge and attempt to escape the evil clutches of the demon pack,
turn to 207
.

Standing at the top of the stairs, you look down on the mass of monstrous beings. They are stunned by your unexpected attack, and the protective aura of your necromantic spell causes them to cower before you. The light of the Moonstone shines upon them and they attempt to shield their eyes from its bright light.

If you wish to hold your position and try to intimidate them further,
turn to 30
.

If you wish to release another blast of power at long range with your Staff,
turn to 74
.

If you wish to charge them,
turn to 293
.

Your call for aid goes unheeded by the element of earth. Either you have made a demand it does not understand or one it cannot fulfil. Whatever the reason, your attempt has failed.

Turn to 275
.

They are moving faster now. Some gurgle obscenely; others growl and roar with crazed expressions. It is a grisly host of horrors: twisted faces with bulging eyes; beasts with long, fleshy tentacles or waving insect feelers. A parasitic insect with a hard, chitinous shell hangs on to the back of a tusked reptilian with tiny suckers, draining the reptile of nourishment but providing it with the armoured protection of its own body. All these and hundreds more seek you out, their courage growing by the moment.

Illustration VI
—Some gurgle obscenely — others growl and roar with crazed expressions.

If you wish to ride to the other end of the valley, using the high ridge above the slopes, and attempt to close the portal without combating the demons,
turn to 233
.

If you wish to charge the demon horde,
turn to 218
.

If you wish to attack the demon horde with a long-range burst from your Staff,
turn to 204
.

As you have already located the door mechanism, it is a simple matter for a Thaumaturgist to exert sufficient magical force to trigger it. With a minimum of effort you set into motion the sequence of pulleys and weights behind the door. The use of this spell has cost you only 1
WILLPOWER
point.

Turn to 32
.

No sooner have you slain the demon than three others of its kind launch themselves at you. As you fight, another of the creatures attempts to slay your horse, while in the distance you glimpse the entire demon horde. Even at this distance you can hear their blood-curdling howls. The stallion neighs and rears to attack his assailants with his hooves. You must fight the three ape demons that beset you.

Three Ape Demons:
COMBAT SKILL
 24   
ENDURANCE
 25

If you wish to evade combat after the first round,
turn to 155
.

If you do not evade in the second round of combat, you must fight to the death. If you win,
turn to 168
.

You close your eyes and sink into a trance state. Reaching out to the Elemental Plane, you summon the aid of the Water Elementals at the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point. After a short pause you hear the sound of rushing water at the bottom of the well. Then, suddenly, a whirling column of water rises out of the well, carrying on its tip a large clay bowl. You reach out and take the bowl: it is brim-full of water. The waterspout subsides.

Turn to 25
.

Pain sears your body as the black fire hits you: reduce your
ENDURANCE
total by half, rounding fractions up to the nearest whole number. All the while the foul laughter of Agarash the Damned fills the hall. At the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point you strike Shasarak's head with a powerful blow. His tortured scream fills the air, and he grabs at your Staff. He will not let go, and a shimmering burst of fire travels from Shasarak's hands up the length of your Staff. Shasarak is using it as a bond between you. He is attempting to pit all his remaining strength against yours.

If you wish to continue this duel of life-forces,
turn to 310
.

If you wish to evade this combat by wrenching your Staff from Shasarak's hand,
turn to 129
.

With bated breath you wait below the crest of the slope. When you consider that sufficient time has passed you spring to your feet, Staff ablaze, ready to strike. Your timing is perfect. The pack is almost upon you but your sudden appearance brings them to a halt. You wonder if you have taken on too much, for you can see that the pack numbers almost a hundred. They are a monstrous gathering of creatures: subhuman malformations and unnatural mixtures of bestial and human features. Before the pack realizes that you are alone, you charge, falling upon the leading demon, a large, slimy reptile with a twisted human face.

Reptile Demon:
COMBAT SKILL
 21   
ENDURANCE
 22

If you win the combat,
turn to 13
.

You change direction and attempt to increase your pace, but the heat is too intense. Soon you are panting for breath and your body is soaked with sweat. After a short time you are forced to stop for rest. You look around but can see no sign of the distant figure. It has disappeared, although there is nothing to hide behind. Your efforts in the fierce sun have cost you 1
ENDURANCE
point. You wonder if the sun is having as bad an effect on your mind.

Turn to 14
.

You thunder into the demon line, riding one of them down in a stampede of dust, blood, and flashing hooves. As you sweep past, another of the demons, a vile, rat-like creature with the body and legs of an ape, grabs at your saddle. It vaults onto the Simar's haunches and clutches at your throat. Deduct 2 points from your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of the struggle as the demon is attacking you from behind. You must remain mounted as the Simar Horse gallops across the plain.

Rat Demon:
COMBAT SKILL
 19   
ENDURANCE
 20

If you win the combat,
turn to 136
.

With a mighty effort you drag the Staff from his hand before the life-force is drained from you. Shasarak drags himself to his feet and begins to run towards the wall of fire.

‘Come, come to me,’ Agarash whispers. ‘I will be free.’

Shasarak stops. ‘No, you will not have me,’ he rasps savagely. ‘I'll take him yet’ He reaches up and pulls a long, black Staff from thin air and brandishes it at you. ‘Come … We will fight!’ He lashes at you with his Staff. You must duel with your arch-enemy.

Wytch-king Shasarak:
COMBAT SKILL
 10   
ENDURANCE
 20

If you win the combat,
turn to 180
.

You teleport but as your body begins to rematerialize you are filled with terror. You have reappeared inside a wall beside the doorway. Your body is racked with a brief but severe pain before you die, half-embedded in a solid wall of granite.

Your life and your quest end here.

Without warning you charge while Shasarak crouches in a hunched combat stance.

Illustration VII
—Shasarak crouches in a hunched combat stance.

‘It is better this way,’ Shasarak snarls, twisting his Staff in his hand.

Wytch-king Shasarak:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 30

If you win the combat,
turn to 180
.

With a mental effort that requires 2
WILLPOWER
points you float into the air, hovering above the heads of the shrieking demons as they reach out at you with flailing limbs. Although you are now safe from their evil clutches, Tanith remains on the ground. A demon reaches for her, a grotesque creature with a hunched back and the body of a huge, purple beetle. She backs away, nimbly avoiding the clutch of its razor-sharp pincers. While there is still a short distance between them you must strike.

If you wish to fire a long-range attack at the beetle demon with your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 143
.

If you wish to release your power of levitation and drop down on the creature from above,
turn to 248
.

You command the Shadakine warrior to ride towards you; the warrior obeys. The use of this spell has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points.

Turn to 186
.

The portal is near enough for you to be able to attempt to close it. Unfortunately, when you cast the shining power of the Moonstone onto the burning gate you will reveal yourself to the evil host that lurks in the valley below.

If you wish to remount your Simar steed before making the attempt,
turn to 139
.

If you prefer to make the attempt from your hiding place at the edge of the valley behind the ridge,
turn to 153
.