War of the Wizards (25 page)

At the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point you summon a wind of your own design. It blows through the treetops of the Forest of Fernmost and sends the dense cloud above swirling across the sky. The cloud disperses to reveal the moon once more.

‘My thanks,’ Sado says with a grin. You turn your attention to the Shadakine Army once more.

Turn to 230
.

You call on your own elemental powers and, at the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points, concentrate on a stretch of flat land that lies in the path of the oncoming chariots. At first nothing happens. Then the earth trembles and small cracks appear in the ground. Stones crumble and the chariot horses of the Shadakine neigh with fright. A low rumbling sounds from below the ground.

‘Away!’ you cry to Sado and his men. ‘My work is done here. The Shadakine are doomed.’

The soldiers do as they are commanded. Suddenly a vast chasm opens in the land. The Shadakine scream as they are swallowed by the pit, falling to their deaths far below. You and the men of the Freedom Guild leave the rise and go to rejoin the main army.

Turn to 329
.

The blast is totally absorbed by the Moonstone but its light is extinguished. Shasarak screams at you like a caged animal. He climbs to his feet, his Staff held high, ready to attack. You bring up your own Staff to fend off the blow you know must come.

Turn to 323
.

You turn and run from the warrior, who stops and throws his spear. It thuds into your back and you drop to your knees, crying out in pain before falling face-down in the dirt.

Your life and your adventure end here.

Your Alchemist's eye tells you that many unusual plants grow in the forest, some of which are of great use. You borrow some empty vials from a healer in the army's employ. While Sado and his men watch for the approach of the Shadakine Army, you pass the day searching for various herbs and plants and preparing potions. It is evening by the time you have finished. You have the choice of making and keeping any of the following items for future use. Remember that your Herb Pouch can hold up to eight items, and any other potions may be stored in your Backpack.

• 2 Potions of Laumspur (Each Potion restores up to 6
  ENDURANCE
  points when swallowed before or after combat. One potion equals one dose.)
  
• 1 Potion of Alether (Increases
  COMBAT SKILL
  by 2 points when swallowed before an attack.)
  
• 2 Tarama Seeds (Swallowing one seed enables a wizard to use his Wizard's Staff or Magical Power without losing any
  WILLPOWER
  points. They take up no room in your Herb Pouch or Backpack.)
  ²¹
  
• 1 Calacena Potion (A useful aid to the casting of spells of Enchantment.)
  
• 1 Potion of Mustow (Creates a foul, choking gas.)
  
• 1 Potion of Ezeran Acid (A metal-eating acid.)
  

If you have some Phinomel Pods,
turn to 355
.

If not,
turn to 359
.

You mount and ride with all speed to the site of the battle at the northern edge of the camp. You arrive to see Sado with a hundred cavalry upon a low rise overlooking the battle. As many as a thousand Shadakine foot soldiers are charging towards you.

‘Good morning to you, Grey Star,’ Sado calls. ‘The morning begins with battle. Have a care to stay by me, for you know not the strategy I have in mind and you must be sure to move when I do.’

You glance behind the line of Sado's cavalrymen and see a line of soldiers armed with crossbows, busily loading their weapons. The warriors are kneeling to conceal their presence. When the Shadakine have drawn but two hundred paces away, Sado barks a command. At his word, the line of horsemen parts to allow those bearing crossbows to step forward. Sado shouts again and the crossbowmen release a deadly hail of arrows that flies towards the Shadakine host. Many fall dead in the face of this lethal volley. But incredibly the survivors continue.

‘These Shadakine are strong of heart. Brave but foolish,’ Sado murmurs.

The crossbowmen reload and release another shower of arrows. As the bolts find their targets, many more Shadakine fall dead. More than half their number have now fallen. You look back to the camp: it is still a chaotic mass of rushing men, trying to order themselves and leave. Samu and his Masbaté have already left in good order but they have the advantage of smaller numbers and a strong leader to command them.

The Shadakine continue to advance, their faces set with grim determination. There is no time for the crossbowmen to reload their weapons before the remainder of the Shadakine, almost five hundred men, fall upon the Guild's ranks. At Sado's command, the cavalry charges down the rise at the Shadakine. A furious mêlée ensues but the Shadakine maintain the upper hand and the cavalry are forced to retreat in disorder. It will not be long before the Shadakine are fighting against the bulk of the army of the Freedom Guild, who are still attempting to flee into the forest. Looking to the distant hills, you see the reason for this early raid by the Shadakine. A line of Shadakine chariots has appeared. From earlier encounters with the Shadakine, you know that sharpened blades adorn the wheels of the chariots. You shudder to think of the harm they could inflict on the disordered lines of the retiring Freedom Guild.

If you are versed in the Higher Magick of Physiurgy and wish to expend 2
WILLPOWER
points using it against the chariots of the Shadakine,
turn to 333
.

If you are versed on the Higher Magick of Telergy and wish to expend 2
WILLPOWER
points using it against the Shadakine,
turn to 327
.

If you wish to lead the main army group of the Freedom Guild into the Forest of Fernmost,
turn to 343
.

You go into a trance state, calling to the Elemental Plane for aid. You tell the elemental spirits that dwell there of your need for light. Deduct 2
WILLPOWER
points for your use of this Magical Power.

If you wish for the aid of the element of earth,
turn to 120
.

If you wish for the aid of the element of water,
turn to 138
.

If you wish for the aid of the element of air,
turn to 341
.

If you wish for the aid of the element of fire,
turn to 349
.

Overcoming your fear you charge, your Staff exploding into flame. The tall shapes are towering rocks with stony faces resembling humans'. You cast magical flames at all seven of the stone creatures in a frenzy of energy, but the attack has no effect. With a great roar, you are assaulted on all sides by a terrible force that seizes your brain. You are flung into a deep, dark void from which you never return.

Your life and your quest end here.

‘This shall be done,’ comes the reply. ‘Look into the Moonstone and your wish shall be granted.’

You obey and gaze into the stone. Gradually the colour of the stone begins to change. It darkens until it contains a grey mist. The heart of the mist clears and a hazy image appears. You are looking upon a huge, grim city that overlooks the sea. Its looming walls are built of black stone and granite from the mountains of Jazer. The image shifts and you feel as if you are being drawn into the city with its tall, crenellated walls and towers. You guess that this is the fortress city of Shadaki, Shasarak's home, and the heart of the Shadakine Empire. The scene shifts to a high tower, and suddenly you are looking down into a wide, round hall, full of darkness and foreboding. At one end of the hall is a throne, rudely carved from stone; at the other end is a wall of fire. Kneeling before the wall of fire is the crippled figure of Shasarak, who looks as if he is pleading with someone. A pair of eyes stares out from the wall of fire. Suddenly the picture fades.

Turn to 326
.

A strong wind begins to blow. The dense cloud in the sky begins to move and soon the moon is revealed once more.

‘This is your doing?’ asks Sado, amazed.

You nod, blushing with pride, and return your attention to the Shadakine Army.

Turn to 230
.

You come to the Morn Pass and cautiously enter the long, barren trail that runs between the mountains. Your senses scream a warning at you; every nerve is taut. Looking down, you see that the Moonstone has turned black and you sense a terrible evil, sorcerous in nature. The hairs on the back of your neck rise and your blood runs like ice in your veins. Ignorant of the torment you suffer, Sado looks over to you, a broad smile splitting his face. His eyes shine with the joy of his victory over the Shadakine. If only he knew what it is you must yet face. You hope his confidence in you is not misplaced.

A faint tremor shakes the ground. Horses rear and whinny their distress as the land cracks and splits. All eyes look in horror at the shapes now heaving out of the ground, twisting blindly with skeletal claws outstretched. Humans, horses, all manner of beasts, crawl out into the light from their graves beneath the pass. Shasarak, the master Necromancer, has summoned the legions of the dead that lie beneath this old battlefield. Hundreds of gnarled shapes rise up, blocking each end of the pass. The army is trapped and you with it. A skeleton shape stands before you, its frozen smile leering savagely. It has a rusty sword in its hand and leans forward to strike.

Illustration XIX
—The twisted shapes of the undead heave up from the cracked earth.

Skeleton Warrior:
COMBAT SKILL
 20   
ENDURANCE
 25

If you win the combat,
turn to 12
.

You ride among the army camp, calling to all. ‘Follow, follow. We go to the Fernmost. I will lead you there. There is nothing to fear.’

Many of the Guildsmen nearby shake their heads. The legends of the forest are steeped in legend and dark mystery and the soldiers are filled with a superstitious fear of it. You look around in desperation, willing someone to follow you.

Turn to 312
.

The light from your Staff is making you an easy target for Shadakine crossbowmen and you decide that you might be better off without it. The fighting is coming closer.

If you wish to head towards the sound of the fighting,
turn to 216
.

If you wish to try to find Sado,
turn to 242
.

Staff clashes against Staff and the hall is filled with flame as you fight. Agarash's unholy joy ripples through the room in peals of mocking laughter, the black, fathomless eyes following every move. You are locked in a duel with your arch-enemy.

Wytch-king Shasarak:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 25

If you win the combat,
turn to 180
.

It is a foolish decision, for the army is forced to advance out of the forest later anyway, with a raging fire at their backs and a ravening horde before them. They are panicky and disordered, and in no state to fight the Shadakine warriors. Though the Kazim retrieves the stone that is its heart and kills the Shadakine Wytch that once owned it, the loss of their leader is not a sufficient blow to their morale to stop the Shadakine from continuing their battle with the Freedom League. The ranks of Sado's men are completely decimated and, though you are the last to fall, you are slain by the triumphant Shadakine horde, and your head is taken to the fortress city of Shadaki as a gift to the Wytch-king, Shasarak.

You have failed in your quest; your adventure ends here.