The Legacy of Vashna (18 page)

The ferocity of their attack leaves you sprawled on the floor of the cave, holding your aching head with both hands. Having encountered unexpected resistance, the phantoms veer away and vanish into the clouds. They have gone, but not for long. Within minutes they return with seven more of their ghostly brothers in train.

If you possess Kai-surge and have reached the rank of Sun Lord,
turn to 229
.

If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to attain this level of Kai rank,
turn to 142
.

You have difficulty controlling the tremendous forces contained within the Deathstaff. Some of the Vortexi are able to seize upon this weakness and break away from the spinning cyclone to make good their attack.

Vortexi:
COMBAT SKILL
 44   
ENDURANCE
 30

For every level of Kai rank you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, you may add 2 to your
COMBAT SKILL
for the duration of this fight. However, due to the insidious effect of the Deathstaff, you must reduce your
ENDURANCE
score by 3 prior to the start of this combat.

If you win the combat,
turn to 46
.

The hut has long been deserted but it still offers you and your horse good protection against the elements. It is watertight and there is sufficient straw on the floor to feed your mount and keep you warm during the night.

Before you settle down to rest, unless you possess Grand Huntmastery, you must eat a Meal or lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.

Sheltered from the foul storm, you are able to get a good night's rest. You awake the following morning feeling invigorated: restore 3
ENDURANCE
points.

To continue,
turn to 285
.

Through a gap in the boulders you see a pack of eight ridge-backed Jackals feeding on the carcass of a Durncrag Scavenger, a vulture-like bird of prey. They are engrossed in their meal until they detect the scent of their most favoured food: live horsemeat.

With another frenzied howl the wild Jackals abandon the feathery carcass and come streaming through the gap in the boulders, drawn by the scent of your horse. They seem to know that he is in a weakened state and this fuels their fury. Your horse takes fright and tries to pull away, his hooves flailing the air perilously close to your skull, and as the first of the Jackals make its attack, you find yourself struggling to hold on to the reins with one hand and fight off the Jackals with the other.

Vorndarol Jackals:
COMBAT SKILL
 42   
ENDURANCE
 38

Unless you possess Grand Weaponmastery and have reached the rank of Sun Knight or higher, you must reduce your
COMBAT SKILL
by 5 for the duration of this combat.

You may evade combat after four rounds by
turning to 222
.

If you win this fight,
turn to 347
.

You gallop down the muddy track towards a cleft in the gully which is protected by the overhanging ledge. Here you command Bracer to halt, but he does not respond as you would wish. He paws at the ground and refuses to stand still. You feel sure that the lightning flashes, the burning trees, and the deafening cracks of thunder are the reasons why he is so unsettled. In an attempt to calm him down, you draw on your innate Kai skill of Animal Kinship. In doing so, you suddenly discover the real reason why he is so agitated.

Turn to 319
.

You pull your horse back from the body of the dead corvayl and gallop away in case there are others of its kind lurking nearby. Beyond the plateau, the trail descends steeply towards a thick pine wood. Milky-white pools of water punctuate this section of the track, some deceptively deep, making the descent difficult and tiring. By the time you reach the wood your horse is in need of rest.

You dismount to take the weight off his back, and as you gather his reins together you notice that the flap of your Backpack is undone. On checking the contents you discover that one of your possessions is missing. (Erase the second item on your list of Backpack Items. If you have only one item on your list, erase that one instead.)

As soon as your horse is rested, you remount him and set off through the pine wood heading east.

Turn to 300
.

Your mastery of the Kai camouflage skills makes you virtually undetectable. The Vakovarians search the inn thoroughly but they fail to find you, even though one passes so close that he treads on your foot.

You wait until they have gone; then you leave the inn and make your way down through the ruins towards the lake, taking care to avoid those other Vakovarians who are out looting. The burnt-out shell of a meeting hall offers you an unobstructed view of the quay and its flagstoned square. You hide here, invisible among the charred roof timbers, and watch as a curious scene unfolds on the quayside outside.

Turn to 163
.

You focus on the brigand leader as you whisper the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Mind Charm
. You will him to send away his henchmen and, when he is alone, you close in on him from behind without making a sound.

Turn to 119
.

You level the Deathstaff at the Arch Druid, and say, ‘This is the key to the resurrection of Vashna; without it your Demoness will be powerless to summon him.’

Cadak laughs, sneering at your words. ‘And how long do you think you will keep it from her, Kai Lord? Did you think that the Demoness Shamath will have difficulty taking it from you? No, she will not. You are doomed, Lone Wolf. Why don't you admit it? You were doomed the moment you returned from the great arch.’

Your hatred for the evil druid wells up and you suddenly feel a tingling sensation engulf your hands. Your emotion has activated the power of the Deathstaff and, without warning, a swirling cone of grey vapour emerges from its tip and coils towards Cadak. He yelps with shocked surprise and raises his staff to fend off the attack. He is successful, but at great cost to his magical stamina.

You, too, feel the draining effect of this accursed staff (lose 7
ENDURANCE
points) and your Kai senses scream a warning not to use it again in combat for fear of the consequences. Next time you could lose more than
ENDURANCE
points — you could lose your soul!

Turn to 252
.

You focus your power on a small pile of rocks lying at the edge of an outcrop which overhangs the boulder. The vibrations that you set up dislodge the rocks and make them cascade onto the boulder beneath. Suddenly, there is a cry of alarm and a man springs up from behind the boulder, shielding his head with both arms as he scurries out in the open to avoid the deluge. He is a grey-bearded man, clad in furs and armed with an expensive-looking crossbow which is slung by a leather strap around his shoulder. By his looks you judge him to be a hunter, not a brigand.

Coughing and spitting dust, he wipes his face with his hairy hands then turns to look in your direction. You sense that he is about to reach for his crossbow, but when you raise your hand in a show of friendship, he pauses and narrows his eyes, as if he is trying to get a clearer look at you.

‘You're no Vakovarian,’ he muses. ‘No, by thunder, you look like a Sommlending to me.’

Chuckling under his breath, he makes his way down the slope and comes walking towards you with a broad smile on his weather-beaten face.

Turn to 340
.

A wave of panic sweeps through the crowded inn. Women shriek hysterically and gruff voices shout in anger and confusion, demanding Smudd's killer be found. You back away from the alcove and, as you turn towards the counter, you catch a glimpse of a figure running along the gallery which overlooks the taproom floor. He is clad from head to toe in a close-fitting black tunic and he is carrying a bow. You watch helplessly as he disappears through a door which leads off the gallery.

Illustration XII
—You catch a glimpse of a figure running along the gallery.

If you wish to climb an adjoining staircase and give chase,
turn to 259
.

If you choose to leave the inn by the front door,
turn to 56
.

The Demoness laughs with disdain at your inability to answer her riddle. She denounces you as unworthy of her presence and says that, although she will derive little pleasure from it, she is now going to have to kill you.

Demoness Shamath (in the guise of Gnekasha the Worm-thrall):
COMBAT SKILL
 55   
ENDURANCE
 42

If you win this combat,
turn to 148
.

You sheathe your weapon and hold out your open palms to show that you have no intention of harming them. They seem to respond to this gesture and they allow you to approach and examine their sickly child. You tell them that you can help their son and, using your innate healing skills, you place your hands upon the boy's chest and let your Kai power flow through into his fever-wracked body. Within a few moments he stirs to consciousness and gives a healthy cry; you have saved his life.

Turn to 277
.

Beyond the perimeter of the settlement the path steadily gets steeper as it ascends into the hills. The torch-bearing line of acolytes illuminates the rocky landscape with flickering shadows as slowly they zigzag their way eastwards. Another storm is brewing; the eastern sky is alive with electrical activity and thunder booms beyond the horizon. Your ears pop as the air pressure fluctuates wildly and the howl of the wind seems to be growing ever louder. Then you notice something strange. Your torch does not seem to be affected by the storm; it is burning as smoothly as if you were in an enclosed room. You glance over your shoulder and see that the same is true of every other torch. It is as if the procession is being protected from the outside elements by an invisible tunnel.

Two miles from the settlement you pass a group of acolyte youths, all in their early teens, who are calling encouragement, chanting, and waving the line onwards. Then the path bends and you see a wayside altar and a large marble trough filled with stagnant green water. As they file past, every acolyte dips his right hand into the trough and touches it to his heart.

If you possess a Black Token,
turn to 349
.

If you do not possess this Special Item,
turn to 121
.

You shuffle along the bench, hoping that this will appease the Elder, but it merely serves to anger him. He shouts at you and, thinking that you are being deliberately insubordinate, he grabs your robe in both hands and pulls you roughly to your feet.

If you possess a Runic Disc,
turn to 255
.

If you do not possess this Special Item,
turn to 196
.

Immediately you recognize the man: he is Gwynian, the Sage of Varetta.

‘Welcome, Grand Master. It has been a long time since we last met. Come, step into my humble abode. The time has come once more for us to discuss the future.’

Turn to 178
.