The Eye of Winter's Fury (85 page)

You find in the room three
frost orbs
, three
shadow orbs
, two
tremor orbs
and one
lightning orb
. You may have collected additional orbs on your travels, which you can also use. Each orb does the following:

Frost orb
Slows one guardian, meaning it stays on its current square for an extra round instead of moving to the next.

Shadow orb
Inflicts a curse on one guardian, inflicting 10 passive damage at the end of each turn for the duration of the challenge/combat. (Each guardian can only be affected by this once.)

Tremor orb
Inflicts damage depending on how many guardians are in the square. (One guardian = 100 damage, two = 50 damage each, three guardians = 30 damage each, four guardians = 20 damage each.)

Lightning orb
Reduces one guardian’s
armour
to 2.

Decide where you want to place your orbs (using a symbol or colour to denote each type). Once placed, orbs cannot be moved. Their magic can only be used
once
. When the orbs have been placed – the challenge begins! (Remember, you cannot engage the guardians in ordinary combat until they have reached the final arrow.)

    If you manage to defeat these powerful guardians, turn to
642
. (Special achievement: If all four guardians are defeated before they reach the final arrow, turn to
513
.)

601

A man knocks into you, seemingly by accident. You draw away as he grunts an apology, then you feel the sharp pain coming from your arm. Looking down you see a cut and black blood oozing out onto your sleeve.

    The man stops, a burly-looking figure swathed in furs and leather. He lifts a knife to his nose, sniffing the blood on its blade. ‘So, I found ya,’ he says gruffly. He shifts round, his bearded face glistening with frost. A pair of black glasses cover his eyes, mirroring your surprised expression. ‘Yeah, no mistakin’ that stink – and corpse blood too.’ In various straps and belts you see an array of weapons – pistols, daggers, short swords.

‘You have me mistaken,’ you reply, taking a step away. Your eyes scan the rest of the alley. All of a sudden it has gone quiet – empty. You can smell trouble.

‘White Wolf Trading Post,’ he scowls, tossing the knife aside. ‘You’re the one who dusted old Jackson. Bounty on yer ’ed now – and I’ll be the one takin’ it.’ The man draws two short blades from his trappings, then springs forward with surprising speed, slicing his weapons through the air. It is time to fight:

	Special abilities
	Daring duellist : If you use a speed or combat ability, roll a die. On a or result, the hunter deflects your attack. This cancels your ability (it can no longer be played during this combat) and inflicts 1 die of damage to your hero, ignoring armour . Passive and modifier abilities can be used as normal.

If you manage to defeat this mean mercenary, turn to
201
.

602

Skoll turns his head, taking in the extent of the destruction. Deep cracks now run across the ground, having torn through the panelled floor. The left side of the hall has collapsed inwards, the ceiling little more than a skeletal framework of toppled beams. Wisps of snow fall from the exposed winter sky, dusting the wreckage with a glistening sheen.

‘Drokke.’ Aslev falls to one knee, his head lowered in reverence. He speaks in Skard, his words guttural and sharp. You sense their meaning, an apology for having failed his leader – for breaking his vow to protect Vindsvall.

Skoll answers in common, perhaps for your own benefit. ‘Silence your words, einherjar – save them for the songs of this day. Look around. I see only stone and wood. This is not the flesh of our people. This is not the blood of the Ska-inuin. We have lost nothing to cause
us shame.’ He strides past the kneeling einherjar, his gaze shifting to the struggling figure trapped beneath the statue.

‘What is this?’ he barks with contempt.

‘Gurt Bloodaxe, my lord,’ slobbers the flabby man. ‘I lead the einherjar – if it wasn’t for my actions, this hall would have fallen long ago. My bravery, my skill has . . .’

Skoll lifts a hand. ‘Silence!’ His thick fingers explode into golden light. With a flick of his wrist the wooden statue is sent flipping through the air, shattering to pieces against the far wall. The freed warrior lies panting and sweating on his back, eyes bulging from his piggish face.

‘Th . . . thank you,’ he dribbles. He struggles to get up, his legs kicking feebly beneath his rotund belly.

‘You are free to leave,’ says Skoll coldly. He glances back at Aslev. ‘This one is nameless. Be sure he does not return to Vindsvall or I will hang his craven soul from the tree.’ He continues to the doors of the hall, his crowned helm glowing with runic script. ‘Walk with me, prince of Valeron.’

Ignoring Gurt’s squeals of protest, you fall into step beside the half-giant warrior. ‘I will take my leave also,’ you state quickly. ‘My task here is done.’

You follow Skoll out onto the glacier. The warrior stoops, cupping his hands into the nearest drift of snow. He lifts it to his face, scrubbing the sweat and grime from his scarred face. ‘Is it finished?’ he asks, taking a deep breath of the chill air.

It takes a moment for you to grasp his meaning. ‘I came because of Sura. I wanted to help.’

‘But these are not your people,’ states the warrior. He looks back at you, then his eyes flit to the hall, and Anise – who is still standing in silent reflection over the demon’s body. ‘You will name her,’ he says matter-of-factly.

‘Her name is Anise,’ you reply, frowning.

‘That is not a warrior’s name.’ He lifts another handful of snow, watching it spill between his open fingers. ‘And what of you, prince of Valeron? That is not a true name. Not a name earned in battle. A name should sing of great deeds. I would call you Bearclaw, for I see you have the spirit of Nanuk.’

He rises to his feet, drawing himself to his full imposing height. You
note the dark welts cutting across the warrior’s pale skin – a reminder of the terrible wounds he suffered in the Norr. ‘Understand my words. The witch will not spare your people or my people. The blows she has dealt us, they are as nothing to what is coming. Her mind is set to dark purpose, to free Jormungdar, the world serpent. When that happens, our realm – your kingdom – will be split asunder.’

You stare incredulously at the Skard. ‘Do you really believe such a thing exists?’

Skoll continues. ‘Once I knew only despair. I thought the battle lost. I travelled to the Norr to find answers, to find a way of matching the witch’s strength.’

‘Fimbulwinter,’ you nod, remembering back to the broken shield.

‘Yes. It was forged by the Titans in the frost fire of Mount Skringskal. If remade, it might be the weapon to defeat the witch. If we do not do this – if our courage fails – the cost will be more than our lives, Bearclaw. It will be the end of everything.’

603

You head deeper into the hive, the tunnel twisting and bending past numerous side passages. Concerned you may have led yourself into an endless maze, you finally catch sight of a light ahead: a sickly yellow glow, accompanied by the sour stench of rot and decay.

The tunnel opens out into a large cavernous chamber, its walls and floor heaped with large bloated maggots. They are all hungrily chewing on various remains – both animal and humanoid. The yellow hue is coming from the maggots themselves, seeping out of the spiracles along their bulbous bodies.

You pass over the sea of squirming shapes, aiming for a tunnel in the opposite wall. However, as you reach the centre of the chamber
you hear a revolting squelching noise coming from below. Something is rising up out of the detritus, pushing itself past the layers of writhing maggots. A giant head emerges, eyeless and scarred, its yellow flesh dripping with filth and rancid secretions.

It is too late to swerve aside. The colossal monster lifts itself straight into your flight path, the head splitting open to reveal a cavernous maw of teeth. You are left with no choice but to battle your way past this disgusting abomination. It is time to fight:

	Special abilities
	Infestation : Once you have taken health damage from Maggorath’s damage score, you are immediately inflicted with infestation. You must lose 2 health at the end of the first combat round you are infected. This damage increases by 2 every round for the duration of the combat.
	Fire at will : You may use your nail gun or dragon fire ability in this combat.