it to the ground. It explodes on impact with a blinding flash. Hissing and spitting, the serpent brood slither away into the shadows, eager to escape the stinging pain of the flames.
More noises echo from the chamber. This time it is the chinking of armour and weapons.
Turn to 346 .
192
You recognize the symptoms of takadea, or ‘gaolrot’ as it is commonly called in your country. As you approach the trembling man, you reassure him that you mean him no harm, that you can help him if only he will trust you. Placing your hands over his eyes, you transfuse the healing power of your Magnakai skill into his sick body, concentrating your energy into reversing the terrible effects of the disease. When you remove your hands, his eyes are no longer opaque; they gleam with a cat-like intensity.
‘I can see,’ he says in astonishment, his voice cracked with emotion. ‘How can I ever repay you for this miracle?’ Before you can answer, the sound of running feet echoes along the corridor outside.
‘Follow me,’ he says, springing to his feet. ‘If Zahda's guards find you in here they'll kill us both.’
Turn to 290 .
194
Wiping the gore from your face and hands, you fight back the nausea that rises in your throat when you think of how close you came to a grisly death in the jaws of the monster. The dim light grows suddenly brighter, and for a moment, you hear laughter, cold and distant, before the light dims once more to its usual murky glow and silence descends.
Turn to 322 .
195
Suddenly the corridor echoes to the clangour of an alarm bell. A solid sheet of iron crashes down from the ceiling to seal off the chamber behind you, and in the murky distance, you see a similar barrier descending in front of the wooden door by which you entered.
Turn to 37 .
198
Suddenly you realize the horrific purpose of the hand. It is a predator, an evil sentient being that can only survive by consuming one form of nourishment — live human brain.
Illustration XI —The hand is a predator — it can only survive by consuming live human brain.
Diving and rolling, you avoid its initial attack, escaping with scratches to your scalp (lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but as it rises above you once more, you cannot help but fear that your life is soon to end. This creature is immune to Mindblast, but
not
Psi-surge in combat.
Rahkos: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 30
If you win the combat, turn to 22 .
202
A howling blue fire leaps from Zahda's staff and instinctively you hurl yourself to the floor to evade its searing heat. The bolt screams past into the darkness of the hall, where it explodes in a splash of vivid sparks.
Zahda screams with anger and frustration and attempts to crush your head with one vicious blow, but you save yourself by rolling aside, and the staff cleaves open the black iron floor. A gout of flame rises from the split and blisters the mad lord's hand; he shrieks like a wounded crow, and the staff drops from his fire-blackened fingers.
You see your chance to attack and lash out, but Zahda is quick to react. He leaps backwards, unsheathing a glowing dagger as he steadies himself on the brink of the abyss. Lord Zahda is immune to Mindblast but not Psi-surge.
Lord Zahda: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 45
If you win the combat, turn to 149 .
204
The temperature grows higher with every step you take, but as the first flame washes over your body, you feel no heat or pain at all. The gout of flame feels cool and refreshing, like a breeze on a hot summer's day. You quicken your step and soon emerge from the heatless flames into the empty passage beyond.
Turn to 240 .
207
The key fits perfectly. You turn it and the door gives way instantly, forced wide open by the huge weight of water pressing upon it.
Turn to 172 .
210
Once more you call on your Kai Mastery to save you from reptilian threat, and once more it proves effective. The snakes turn away and slither to the safety of their nest, repelled by your
More noises echo from the chamber. This time it is the chinking of armour and weapons.
Turn to 346 .
192
You recognize the symptoms of takadea, or ‘gaolrot’ as it is commonly called in your country. As you approach the trembling man, you reassure him that you mean him no harm, that you can help him if only he will trust you. Placing your hands over his eyes, you transfuse the healing power of your Magnakai skill into his sick body, concentrating your energy into reversing the terrible effects of the disease. When you remove your hands, his eyes are no longer opaque; they gleam with a cat-like intensity.
‘I can see,’ he says in astonishment, his voice cracked with emotion. ‘How can I ever repay you for this miracle?’ Before you can answer, the sound of running feet echoes along the corridor outside.
‘Follow me,’ he says, springing to his feet. ‘If Zahda's guards find you in here they'll kill us both.’
Turn to 290 .
194
Wiping the gore from your face and hands, you fight back the nausea that rises in your throat when you think of how close you came to a grisly death in the jaws of the monster. The dim light grows suddenly brighter, and for a moment, you hear laughter, cold and distant, before the light dims once more to its usual murky glow and silence descends.
Turn to 322 .
195
Suddenly the corridor echoes to the clangour of an alarm bell. A solid sheet of iron crashes down from the ceiling to seal off the chamber behind you, and in the murky distance, you see a similar barrier descending in front of the wooden door by which you entered.
Turn to 37 .
198
Suddenly you realize the horrific purpose of the hand. It is a predator, an evil sentient being that can only survive by consuming one form of nourishment — live human brain.
Illustration XI —The hand is a predator — it can only survive by consuming live human brain.
Diving and rolling, you avoid its initial attack, escaping with scratches to your scalp (lose 2 ENDURANCE points), but as it rises above you once more, you cannot help but fear that your life is soon to end. This creature is immune to Mindblast, but
not
Psi-surge in combat.
Rahkos: COMBAT SKILL 18 ENDURANCE 30
If you win the combat, turn to 22 .
202
A howling blue fire leaps from Zahda's staff and instinctively you hurl yourself to the floor to evade its searing heat. The bolt screams past into the darkness of the hall, where it explodes in a splash of vivid sparks.
Zahda screams with anger and frustration and attempts to crush your head with one vicious blow, but you save yourself by rolling aside, and the staff cleaves open the black iron floor. A gout of flame rises from the split and blisters the mad lord's hand; he shrieks like a wounded crow, and the staff drops from his fire-blackened fingers.
You see your chance to attack and lash out, but Zahda is quick to react. He leaps backwards, unsheathing a glowing dagger as he steadies himself on the brink of the abyss. Lord Zahda is immune to Mindblast but not Psi-surge.
Lord Zahda: COMBAT SKILL 25 ENDURANCE 45
If you win the combat, turn to 149 .
204
The temperature grows higher with every step you take, but as the first flame washes over your body, you feel no heat or pain at all. The gout of flame feels cool and refreshing, like a breeze on a hot summer's day. You quicken your step and soon emerge from the heatless flames into the empty passage beyond.
Turn to 240 .
207
The key fits perfectly. You turn it and the door gives way instantly, forced wide open by the huge weight of water pressing upon it.
Turn to 172 .
210
Once more you call on your Kai Mastery to save you from reptilian threat, and once more it proves effective. The snakes turn away and slither to the safety of their nest, repelled by your
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