War of the Wizards (13 page)

You are looking into a long, broad hall, dappled with pools of faint orange light. The source of the light is a series of square, slanting shafts high in the tall, vaulted ceiling. At the far end of the hall are two staircases, each leading to the first of many galleries that run along each wall. Archways line the balustraded galleries, each one leading into an ominous pool of darkness.

Your footsteps echo loudly as you walk across the tiled floor covered with the dust of centuries. The air is musty and tainted with the faint aroma of attar. Each stone is draped with cobwebs. You move towards a dais in the centre of the hall. Mounting the steps, you see that it contains a wide, circular opening. A thick, iron bar is suspended across the opening and mounted on each end is a large handle. Attached to the handles and passing through a hole in the middle of the bar is a length of thick rope.

‘This must be a well!’ exclaims Tanith, excitedly.

If you wish to turn one of the handles and draw from the well,
turn to 3
.

If you wish to examine the well,
turn to 48
.

With a backwards jerk, you thrust the butt of your Staff into the creature's ribs. It yammers in pain and falls from the horse: it is dead before it hits the ground. Over your shoulder you see the line of demons recede into the distance. They try to pursue you but the fleet-footed stallion runs as fast as a speeding arrow and the demons soon pass from sight.

Turn to 142
.

Springing to your feet, you hurl a cascading rain of magical fire onto the head of the demonic horde below. Many fall dead and the evil mass is thrown into an uproar of startled shrieks and wails. This magical attack has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points. The scuffles of webbed and clawed feet tell you that a group of demons is rushing for the stairs that lead up to the galleries. The only way to the hall is by those stairs and you can leave the tomb only by the entrance to the hall.

Turn to 236
.

Your call for aid goes unheeded by the element of water. Either you have made a request that it does not understand or one that it cannot fulfil. Your attempt has failed.

Turn to 275
.

Sitting astride the beautiful white stallion, you trot to the edge of the valley overlooking the flaming archway of the portal and draw out the Moonstone. You focus all the power of your will onto the stone and the closing of the portal. A chorus of inhuman moans ripples across the valley. You hold the Moonstone above your head as slowly it fills with power and light. The demons draw nearer and your horse paws the ground and stamps nervously.

Suddenly the flaming archway ignites. Its fire swirls and writhes with great intensity, spitting gouts of liquid orange flame in all directions. You have used 1
WILLPOWER
point
¹⁶
in your attempt to close the portal but now it seems imbued with a new force, a power strong enough to resist even the ancient might of the Moonstone of the Shianti. Your Simar steed rears up on its hind legs and you are almost thrown. The horde stops as if paralysed, cowering and gibbering pitifully. Your heart misses a beat as a huge pair of monstrous eyes appear within the flames of the portal.

Illustration VIII
—Your heart misses a beat as a huge pair of monstrous eyes appear within the flames of the portal.

Turn to 158
.

Night falls over the silent Plain of Lissan and the waters of the river are black and mysterious. Although relieved that your ordeal against the foul demons is over, you are apprehensive at the horrors that a night in this forsaken country might bring.

Turn to 201
.

Abruptly you turn to face the oncoming horde of malformed beasts. The leading demon, a large reptilian beast with a twisted human face, lets out a chilling scream.

If you wish to unleash a long-range attack with your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 221
.

If you wish to stand and receive the charge,
turn to 160
.

The sun is high in the sky: it is past noon. At last a range of hills comes into view: the Hills of Tilos. You have suffered no further attacks nor have you sighted any other demons in the last two hours. Where can they be? Samu said they numbered in the high hundreds. Why have they not sought to prevent you from reaching the Hills of Tilos, home of the portal that is the sole gateway to their world?

If you are versed in the Higher Magick of a Visionary and wish to expend 2
WILLPOWER
points using it,
turn to 249
.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it at the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point,
turn to 266
.

If you do not possess either of these Powers, lack sufficient
WILLPOWER
points to use them, or do not wish to use them,
turn to 279
.

You take aim and release a ball of magical fire that rains down on the hellish creature before it can strike. With an anguished wail it falls to the ground, a great smoking wound in its side. The magical attack has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points. The demons that remain cringe beneath you now. You raise your Staff and prepare to strike again but, before you can do so, the demons vanish, dematerializing in the space of a heartbeat.

Gradually you lower yourself to the ground. Unfortunately you release the power too soon and fall to the ground in a tumble of arms and legs. Tanith giggles. You clamber to your feet with a shrug. ‘Well, it's the first time I've ever levitated,’ you say, dusting off your robe and blushing scarlet.

Turn to 99
.

The man demon falls dead and his body rolls back down the slope and into the pack of demons below. They begin to back away. Your display of power is enough to hold the fearful beasts at bay for the moment.

Turn to 112
.

You hurl a ball of white, glowing power at Shasarak.
¹⁷
He flinches and falters. The voice of Agarash cackles. ‘Beware the bauble the Shianti holds,’ it cries between gulps of perverse laughter. ‘It bites! Fight on little wizards, fight on. Such sport you provide. Who could ask for more?’

Turn to 320
.

Holding the Moonstone aloft you begin an incantation of protection that should discourage any evil creature from attacking. The Moonstone flares and is transformed into a white radiance. The use of this Magical Power has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points. You continue and make good progress as the shadows lengthen.

Turn to 23
.

You thunder across the plain at great speed, stopping only to check that the demons are still in pursuit. After an hour of this relentless pace, you estimate that you are halfway to the pass: only forty miles until you reach the cover of the forest. Looking up, you see a small black speck, high in the air. As it grows closer, you see that it is a large, winged serpent with broad, feathered wings. It has sharp talons and small, clutching forelimbs.

Illustration IX
—It is a large, winged serpent with broad feathered wings.

If you wish to attack the Flying Snake at long range with your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 66
.

If you wish to wait to see what the beast does,
turn to 59
.

You have never attempted teleportation before. Be careful not to teleport yourself into a stone wall or tree. If you do make this mistake your body will not be able to function and you will die instantly. It is safest to teleport to a place you have seen or already visited so that you can visualize it accurately in your mind. In cases like this, where you have not seen the place you are teleporting to, you must try to imagine your arrival point.

Closing your eyes, you prepare to travel. Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the silver charm of Jnana the Wise, add 1 to this number. If you possess the Magic Talisman of the Shianti, add another 1 to this number. You may also add 1 for each of the following Magical Powers that you possess: Sorcery, Prophecy, Psychomancy, Visionary, and Telergy.

If your total is 5 or less,
turn to 130
.

If your total is more than 5
turn to 55
.

The winged reptile is still some way off and the rolling gait of the stallion makes aiming a little difficult. You raise your Staff and release a bolt of power at the beast.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess the Silver Charm of Jnana the Wise, add 1 to this number. If you have the Magic Talisman of the Shianti, add another 1 to this number.

If your total is now 5 or less
turn to 171
.

If you total is now 6 or more,
turn to 182
.

A dazzling whirl of deadly strokes from your Staff fells the grisly creature at last. All around you hear the sound of battle as the brave Masbaté challenge the malevolent fury of the demon horde. The warriors are superb fighters and the demon ranks are soon thrown into disarray. Some of the demons dematerialize by magical means. Those that do not are swiftly slain by the fierce Masbaté.

At last the battle is over: no demons remain alive. To your amazement, the Masbaté have suffered no casualties, though they number only fifty men. Sheathing his long broadsword, one of their number walks towards you. Far off in the distance, you see that the Masbaté man who lay tethered by the lake has been released and a few of his brother warriors are helping him up the slope.

Turn to 100
.