War of the Wizards (15 page)

A lethal beam of force streaks towards the beast but, unfortunately, it is just off-target, exploding into a cloud of orange flame in the sky. The use of this magical attack has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points. The creature is now upon you, its great claws outstretched towards you.

Turn to 161
.

The miles pass by slowly. Though the Lissan Plain is monotonously flat and should be relatively easy to cross, the fierce heat of the afternoon sun drains your strength. Tanith looks very tired. You decide to rest and you both stop beneath the shade of a large, solitary tree. As Tanith wipes sweat from her brow she turns and gives you a searching look. ‘Have you noticed?’ she says.

You have no idea what she means and tell her so. ‘There are no birds, no beasts, no wild creatures of any kind,’ she replies.

Her observation explains the strange stillness of the plain and adds to the sense of evil that pervades it. Suddenly Tanith jumps to her feet. ‘Look!’ she cries. ‘Something is moving out there.’

You look in the same direction. In the distance you can see a small figure moving at great speed, though it is too far away for you to be able to distinguish any details. The figure is moving south.

If you wish to investigate,
turn to 222
.

If you wish to continue on your way,
turn to 257
.

You loose a bolt of energy that spirals towards the rider. Unfortunately the rigours of your escape have left you fatigued and your concentration is not good. The attack goes wide and the horseman is unharmed. Your ill-aimed attack has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points. He is almost upon you now and you brace yourself to receive the charge.

Turn to 269
.

At the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points, you hurl a splash of lethal magical flame at the heads of the leading demons. With agonized shrieks, three of them fall to the ground. The horde falters on the stairs in an uproar of startled howls and screams. Before they can gather their wits, you rush along the gallery and down the stairway to confront the pack where they stand in confusion.

Turn to 119
.

You raise your Staff and fire at the bridge. The cost of this attack is 9
WILLPOWER
points. If you do not have 9
WILLPOWER
points then you must use
ENDURANCE
points at a rate of 2
ENDURANCE
points for every 1
WILLPOWER
point you lack (i.e. 2
ENDURANCE
points = 1
WILLPOWER
point).

If you are still alive after this attack,
turn to 252
.

You are weak and tired and lack the mental strength to resist the incalculable might of a Demonlord. Effortlessly Agarash takes hold of your mind, possessing you utterly. He summons you towards the portal and, like a puppet, you obey. While Agarash looks on, laughing maniacally, you pass through the gate of doom, the doorway to damnation, to a realm of nameless and eternal horror.

Your quest has failed; your adventure is over.

You take up the Moonstone and, focusing your power, gaze into it. The impenetrable blackness that formerly filled the stone disperses and a light kindles there. Soon the stone is filled with spinning colour. The spinning stops and you are looking at the Lissan Plain. Four creatures come swiftly into view. Each creature is horribly misshapen: the leading creature is a large, toad-like being with glistening green skin and a long tail. All four lope, hop, and shamble along as their ghastly forms allow. There is a menacing purpose to their walk and you are sure that you are their prey. The use of this vision has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points.

If you have the Magical Power of Necromancy and wish to use it to chant an incantation against evil,
turn to 146
.

If you wish to continue moving and perhaps escape your pursuers,
turn to 213
.

If you wish to head towards your pursuers,
turn to 9
.

A lethal blow from your Staff strikes the demon's bony skull. It crumples and drops to land in a cloud of dust. The beast is dead. The pace of your Simar steed does not falter as you continue across the plain towards the demon portal in the Hills of Tilos.

Turn to 142
.

You unleash a beam of magical fire that hurls one of the creatures to the ground in a blaze of smoke and flame. This attack costs you 2
WILLPOWER
points. A commotion of shrieks and wails breaks out and the evil beasts rush away from you in fear. Some vanish into thin air, intimating the dark magic of their nature.

Turn to 53
.

You bring down the Staff to deliver a death-blow but, as you do, Agarash shouts out. ‘No! This shall not be.’

You feel a wave of power emanate from the wall of fire and your Staff grows warm in your hands. Both your Staff and Shasarak's explode into flame, to fall in ashes on the floor. Shasarak begins to crawl on his hands and knees towards the fiery wall, muttering in choked breaths. ‘You shall not have me. You shall not have me.’

He stands and reaches out his hands. ‘Agarash, our bargain!’ he screams. Agarash laughs once more. A plume of flame snakes out from the wall and wreathes itself around Shasarak.

If you wish to allow Shasarak to step through the flaming wall,
turn to 350
.

If you possess 3
WILLPOWER
points, and wish to fill the Moonstone with your power and hurl its power against the wall,
turn to 316
.

The Power of Physiurgy gives you the ability to manipulate most of the prime elements of matter, though you can never create them yourself. After a brief pause while you gather your powers of concentration, you focus on the stone door, twisting the natural shape of the stone and tugging at the atoms and molecules of which it is made. A series of cracks and fractures appears and soon it collapses in pieces at your feet. The use of this Higher Magick has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points.

Turn to 156
.

At the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points, you throw a well-aimed beam of force at the Winged Demon. Your uncanny accuracy inflicts a fatal wound in the creature's head and it plummets from the sky. The pace of your Simar steed does not falter as you continue across the plain towards the demon portal in the Hills of Tilos.

Turn to 142
.

A final blow fells the creature. As it falls lifeless to the ground, three reptilian beasts appear in the doorway. Many more creatures crowd behind them in the corridor outside. The only possible escape from the Masbaté tomb is through the entrance to the hall five floors below. Somehow you must fight your way down.

If you wish to attack the demons standing in the doorway with a long-range shot from your Wizard's Staff,
turn to 189
.

If you wish to charge the demons,
turn to 219
.

The Winged Demon arcs and wheels, spiralling up into the air and preparing for another attack. It has suffered a large, weeping wound from your last attack and its flight path is erratic and slow. It gives a wailing, defiant screech and dives at you once more. If you have recently drunk a Potion of Invulnerability or are protected by the earlier casting of the Higher Magick of Thaumaturgy, ignore all
ENDURANCE
points lost by yourself during the combat.

Wounded Winged Demon:
COMBAT SKILL
 15   
ENDURANCE
 12

If you kill the creature,
turn to 178
.

If you and the Winged Demon are still alive after one round of combat,
turn to 214
.

You peer down into the darkness of the well, and, at the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points, you summon up a tall, swirling waterspout. On the tip of the waterspout is a large, clay bowl. Tanith reaches out and takes the bowl and you allow the waterspout to subside with a great splash.

Turn to 25
.

Unsuspecting, the warrior rides towards you. He wears a plumed helmet of black metal and you know that underneath the helm his head is shaven, except for a long, plaited pig-tail. Like all Shadakine, his most notable feature is his eyes, which are completely white, without iris or pupil. He is clad in the furs and steel of the Shadakine and carries a spear. A crossbow is slung over his back.

Illustration X
—Unsuspecting the Shadakine warrior rides towards you.

If you still have your Simar stallion,
turn to 37
.

If it has been killed,
turn to 45
.

Your heart pounding, you wait as the gibbering, snarling creatures approach. As they draw closer, they move more slowly until finally they lapse into a cowering, nervous creep. Your stand obviously intimidates them, for although you are gripped with fear, you display a confident menace. Suddenly they fall upon you in a wild, slavering flurry of kicks, blows, and bites.

Turn to 264
.

The Demon Master is weakening. Suddenly, in a desperate bid to escape the dazzling blur of magical flame that wreathes its body, it spreads its wings, and attempts to fly out of range. In that instant you swing a tremendous blow at the monster's heart. With a terrible roar, it convulses in mid-air, arms flung out and clawed fists clenched with pain. It drops like a rock. Before you are able to dodge aside, the creature's body falls directly on top of you, hurling you to the ground with terrific force. You lose hold of your Wizard's Staff and it clatters on the stone floor, just out of reach. You try to drag yourself from under the dead weight of the Demon Master but, dazed and confused by the fall, you are unable to scramble free.

Tanith rushes forward to grab your Staff. As she does, the demon minions that surround you let out a pealing cry of crazed glee and surge forward. Tanith manages to pick up the Staff before being forced to back away. She holds her dagger before her in readiness but against so many she cannot hope to prevail. Slowly she edges towards you. The Staff is tantalizingly out of reach. Tanith dares not turn her back on the advancing horde to give it to you. The position looks hopeless. Then, amid the whirl of your thoughts, you hear the cries of human voices and the clash of steel. You turn to look in the direction of the sound. Pouring through the entrance of the tomb comes a mass of tall warriors, swords bared, reaping a deadly harvest amongst the demonic ranks.

Turn to 38
.

Raising your Staff, you unleash a beam of fire that tears into one of the creatures. It screams horribly as it falls dead in the doorway. The remaining creatures give vent to pealing cries of fear and begin to edge backwards, their twisted features writhing. This attack has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points.

Turn to 219
.

You throw the light of the Moonstone against Shasarak. He recoils in pain, and then straightens, producing a long, black Staff from thin air. With a hideous scream he charges at you, his Staff whirling, rage contorting his already twisted features.

If you wish to exert 1
WILLPOWER
point to continue the protection of the Moonstone,
turn to 307
.

If you wish to meet Shasarak's attack with your own Staff,
turn to 323
.