The Eye of Winter's Fury (9 page)

38

With the spectral guardian defeated, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to
339
.

39

The sides of the shaft are pitted with holes and crevices – providing just enough foot- and handholds to make the climb. However, navigating the circular tunnel will not be easy, as you will need to spread your weight between the narrow walls as you push yourself higher up the shaft.

To reach the top, you will need to complete a
speed
or
brawn
challenge, using whichever attribute is highest:

If you are successful, turn to
83
. If you fail, then turn to
323
.

40

You stand over the last of the downed creatures, its strange bulbous brain flickering with magic. Teeth gritted, you drive your weapons through the bloated flesh, turning your head as a bright spray of fluid fountains into the air.

Caul leans on his spear, forcing a grin past his pained exhaustion. ‘Those things have been hounding me for days. Never thought I’d see the last of them. I offer you my thanks, friend.’

You kneel next to the creatures’ remains. ‘If it’s all the same to you, I’ll settle for a knife.’

Caul tugs one of his blades free, then steps forward to hand it over. ‘Ain’t much left. I think we can assume they’re dead.’

‘I know. But I want a trophy.’ You set about cutting through the flesh and scales, extracting whatever magic and armour you can find. If you wish, you may now take one of the following rewards:

When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to
115
.

41

On reaching the top of the tower, little more than a flat stone platform circumventing a peak-slatted roof, you are met by a scene of both horror and destruction. One of the fortress walls has fallen inwards, spilling chunks of rock across the courtyard. The whole west end of the main hall has also collapsed. Dust hangs heavy in the air – and so does the miasma of blood.

Over the wall and through the breach, black-scaled bodies spill into the yard. Reptilian monsters of all sizes and shapes, some wielding mighty swords and axes, others using whatever they can get their
hands on – splintered wood, rocks, human body parts . . .

‘What are they?’ you shout to Segg, who is looking down at the scene with the same wild-eyed disbelief. ‘Did they cause the quake?’

‘Nisse . . . they’re Nisse,’ gasps the mage. ‘Creatures of the underworld.’

Winged shapes soar overhead, filling the smoke-hued sky with hellish shrieks. You try and follow them as they pitch and dive through the air, swooping on the beleaguered soldiers below. A group of the beasts peel off, their black leathery wings beating the air as they drive their ungainly bodies towards you. They look like spindly lizards, with two webbed feet and a long tail ending in a forked prong.

‘Drakelings,’ you hear Segg mutter.

The elderly mage raises his hands, fingers pointed skywards. The air shifts, becoming waves of yellow, then amber, then red. Like a shimmering tide, the magic rushes up into the clouds, quickly forming two sleek arcs. As they continue to gain height, they gradually pull back to reveal a long, blazing neck and a bird-like head.

A phoenix.

The firebird dives towards the reptilian monsters, flames billowing from its open beak. It collides with the largest drakeling, sending them both spinning and flailing across the courtyard.

‘We must destroy as many as we can!’ Segg fires bolts of magic into the oncoming swarm. The nearest flyer is hit, its black wings trailing fire. But still it comes at you, jaws snapping open to vomit a steaming deluge of black bile. You dodge aside, surprised to see the stone where you were standing cracking and popping as it is melted to slag.

‘Acid!’ you warn Segg. ‘Watch yourself!’

You summon magic to your hands, hoping you have the skill to take on these deadly acid-spitting reptiles. It is time to fight:

	Special abilities
	Acid spray : The drakelings are covering the tower with their deadly acid, leaving you little room to manoeuvre. At the end of the first combat round, roll a die. If the result is you have been hit and must take 4 damage, ignoring armour . In each subsequent combat round, the chance to be hit increases by 1. In round two, you are hit on a roll of or , on round three, to and so on.
	Pyromania !: Segg and his phoenix cause 2 damage, ignoring armour , to each drakeling at the end of every combat round.

If you manage to defeat this monstrous swarm, turn to
520
.

42

‘You sound both surprised and concerned, my dear.’ Sylvie gives you a sideways glance. ‘Do you think poor Sylvie can’t look after herself – that she needs a man around her home to keep her company? Hmm? Is that what they fill your ears with these days?’

You flounder for an apology, wondering how you might have caused offence. Sylvie’s eyes glint mischievously, her lips twitching into a playful smile. ‘Ah, you’re still such a babe. Grew up behind safe walls, I daresay. You’re not ready for the wilds quite yet, are you?’

You find yourself confused at her manner. ‘I wasn’t given a choice,’ you reply sourly.

‘Hmm, that’s as maybe. Well, seeing as you’ve asked, I work for the Botany Society. Actually, I used to – before I decided to focus my efforts in other areas. I’ve had to live in some very remote places, boy, in order to conduct my studies. You learn quickly to fend for yourself when you don’t have nothing between you and the great outdoors.’

Sylvie lifts her hand, displaying a band of silver around her wedding finger. ‘I was married once. He was a good man. Randal. We were posted here together by the society. Perhaps it was always inevitable we would fall in love.’

‘What happened?’ You venture. ‘If you don’t mind me . . .’