Grey Star the Wizard (12 page)

You and Shan huddle together. You are surrounded by writhing tendrils, though, for the moment, they seem reluctant to attack. ‘If ever a garden needed weeding … ’ murmurs Shan.

Somehow, you must get past the deadly Yaku. They have you trapped. ‘We need something to divert their attention for a while,’ you say thoughtfully.

‘Don't look at me!’ Shan replies, wide-eyed.

Despite your desperate plight, you cannot help smiling. ‘Of course not,’ you answer, ‘but perhaps there is another way … ’

If you possess the Magical Power of Elementalism and wish to use this Power to escape,
turn to 181
.

If you possess the Magical Power of Enchantment and some Calacena Mushrooms, and wish to use this method of escape,
turn to 206
.

If you do not have either of these Magical Powers, or if you do not wish to use them, you may attempt to fight your way out by
turning to 12
.

You leave the fearful Stone where it lies and throw open the door of the antechamber. Standing in the circular room is Tanith, the young girl in the service of Mother Magri. ‘Grey Star,’ she says. ‘At last, I've found you.’

‘Beware,’ warns Shan. ‘She is a Shadakine slave. She cannot be trusted.’

If you wish to attack the young girl,
turn to 67
.

If you wish to question her,
turn to 147
.

You are beginning to tire. Suddenly Tanith reappears, leading a wizened old man who is shouting angrily in a strange language. At his command the Najin cease to attack, flying up into the air and off into the distance as swiftly as they came. ‘Fools!’ curses the old man, dropping to his knees by the body of a dead Najin. ‘My children, my eyes and ears,’ he moans bitterly. ‘They meant you no harm. I sent them out in greeting.’

‘Jnana,’ says Tanith, pleading. ‘They did not know; they did not understand.’

‘Why did you bring them here, Tanith?’ asks the blind, old man.

‘We seek the Lost Tribe of Lara,’ you say, humbly.

‘You seek your doom then,’ Jnana replies. ‘The way to the Azanam is fraught with peril. Go now, you are not welcome here.’

Turn to 106
.

You strike up a conversation with the red-faced merchant. His name is Shan Li, a trader familiar with all parts of the Shadakine Empire and many strange lands beyond. Carefully, you steer the conversation to the subject of the Lost Tribe of Lara.

‘Ah now,’ begins the drunken merchant with some relish, ‘the legend, eh? Well, there are many stories, and in my travels I have heard most of them. No word of the Laranese have I ever heard in the far north, the free kingdoms of the Lastlands, nor here in the Shadakine Empire. No indeed, the only story I ever heard that seemed authentic came to me in the city of Elzian where I was trading with the Magicians of Dessi. There I heard a story of the exile of the Lost Tribe to the cloud forests of the far south, that perilous place named the Azanam. Others, though, speak of the forested Shuri Mountains.’

In a very loud voice, the merchant begins relating one of the many stories he has heard about the Laranese. You notice that many people are turning to stare, muttering and whispering. Before you can attempt to quieten him, a hand grabs your shoulder. You and the merchant have been arrested by four burly Shadakine guards.

Turn to 300
.

As you point your Staff towards the bridge, Tanith rises, takes a running jump onto the back of a crossbowman, and spoils his aim barely seconds before he releases a bolt intended for Shan. With the practised ease of a professional killer, she skilfully cuts the throat of the crossbowman with her knife.

Meanwhile, you unleash a fork of crackling energy, which brings down a Shadakine warrior standing by the bridge, at the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points.

Turn to 203
.

Submissively you hand over your money pouch. With a mock bow, the cut-throat takes it, grinning fiendishly. ‘And now a little silence from you, sir,’ he sneers. He lunges at you with great speed. The cut-throat is trying to kill you and you must fight.

Cut-throat:
COMBAT SKILL
 10   
ENDURANCE
 12

You may evade after 2 rounds of combat if you are still alive;
turn to 27
.

If you would rather fight to the death and you win the combat,
turn to 71
.

‘You are right, Tanith,’ you say, ‘we need counsel. But who is this Jnana, and can he be trusted?’

‘He has no love of the Shadakine for, fearing the power of his wisdom, they blinded him many years ago in the ignorant belief that they could prevent his far sight by putting out his eyes. He sides with no one. He can be trusted. We must head for the Chansi Hills, which lie to the north of here. Come, follow me.’

Turn to 58
.

To your horror you see another insect, larger than the first, blocking the exit of the tunnel. You have entered a Cave Mantiz nest. The Cave Mantiz live in colonies below ground, burrowing their nest out of stone by dissolving rock with the potent acid stored in their bodies.

If you can find your way through this maze, you should be able to reach the surface above the Wall of Azakawa and enter the Azanam. But first you must deal with the creature that stands rearing before you. It is a soldier Mantiz and its clacking pincers and clawing, outsize forelimbs tell you that it does not intend to let you pass.

Turn to 197
.

Treading lightly and with great caution, you move forward. You look all around, your eyes searching for an enemy lurking in the shadows, waiting to spring out at you from behind a rock or boulder.

Shan is trembling visibly now and moves to draw his sword, but you motion him to stay his hand lest the sound should alert some dangerous beast. Still you can see nothing, but the strange croaking call persists, increasing in frequency and echoing all around.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it to identify the nature of your danger,
turn to 345
.

If you do not possess this Power, or if you would prefer not to use it,
turn to 61
.

With Shan the merchant hot on your heels, you dash up the stairs which lead to a small landing. There are two exits. The left exit is blocked by a heavy wooden door. To the right is an open archway leading into a narrow corridor. In the distance, you can hear the sound of screams and falling masonry. The ground below your feet trembles.

‘Which way?’ asks Shan.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 92
. (Note down this section number first, as you will need to return to it afterwards.)

If you wish to take the left exit,
turn to 142
.

If you would prefer to turn to the right,
turn to 163
.

As you reach desperately for a handhold, your foot slips and you fall away from the cliff-face. You plummet towards the ground, stomach churning and heart beating faster — but not for long. As you hit the stony ground, your body is broken, and you are killed instantly.

Your life and your quest end here.

You concentrate the power of your thought and, at the cost of 2
WILLPOWER
points, a shimmering field of energy encircles you. The form of Mother Magri disappears from the heart of the fire to be replaced by a far more sinister vision. A great shadow of impenetrable darkness appears in the flames of the fire. You see two blank eye-slits and a gaping mouth as the shadow creature lunges towards you.

Turn to 149
.

The sun has begun to set. Far ahead of you, heading west, you sight a small group of fishing boats. You see growing numbers of these craft as you continue on your way, occasionally spotting larger seagoing vessels. Then your heart gives a leap of joy. You can make out the distant shape of a coastline and a harbour full of hundreds of fishing boats and sail ships. In the orange glow of the setting sun, the domes and spires of a city point challengingly towards the sky. This is the Port of Suhn, the first city you have ever seen.

Illustration VIII
—This is the Port of Suhn.

If you wish to enter the port before nightfall,
turn to 112
.

If you wish to wait for darkness to descend,
turn to 280
.

At the end of the sloping tunnel is an exit. You pass through and discover an even larger tunnel, curving away to the right and left. As you stand there, trying to decide which way to go, you hear the scrape of gigantic insect legs.

A large soldier Mantiz is scurrying towards you from the right of the tunnel, pincers snapping and large, outsize forelimbs clawing at the air.

Turn to 197
.

You push the heavy wooden door and give a cry of frustration: the door is locked.

If you have the Gaoler's Keys,
turn to 286
.

If you wish to try to open the door through the use of Sorcery,
turn to 159
.

If you wish to try to open the door through the use of Alchemy,
turn to 170
.

If you wish to take the right-hand archway,
turn to 163
.

You give a cry of pain. Your future screams agonizingly in your mind. ‘Death! Death and Danger!’

With a great effort you try to locate the exact source of the danger but your senses only shout that it is all around, to the left and the right, above and below, in front and behind. In the darkness of your fear you understand one thing: you must keep moving, for it is the present that holds the greatest peril.

The use of this Power has cost 1
WILLPOWER
point and 1
ENDURANCE
point, owing to the shock of the experience.

If you wish to explore the basin and the area around Lake Shenwu,
turn to 68
.

If you would prefer to find a way to scale the cliffs,
turn to 118
.

All day long you have weighed in your mind which of your Magical Powers may best aid your escape, and as night falls, you prepare to make a decision.

Turn to 172
.

The crossbowmen's expressions change to those of astonishment as the berserk merchant rushes towards them, red-faced and screaming comically in a strangled voice. Lunging ineptly with his sword, he engages the three crossbowmen with a series of eccentric strokes, none of which find a target.

If you wish to fire another long-range attack at the warriors on the bridge from the safety of your hiding place,
turn to 132
.

If you want to help Shan,
turn to 99
.

If you would prefer to charge the Shadakine warriors on the bridge,
turn to 169
.

Standing in the centre of the large clearing, hemmed in on all sides by giant Azawood trees and clumps of sprawling undergrowth, you stand and catch your breath. A look around the glade reveals a number of holes in the floor — entrances, no doubt, to similar shafts to the one you have left.

In a relentless tide, hundreds of Cave Mantiz pour out of these holes and stream towards you. Suddenly a pair of waving antennae appears in the entrance of a shaft close to where you stand.

If you wish to fire a bolt from your Wizard's Staff into the shaft by your feet,
turn to 158
.

If you wish to dash straight into the undergrowth,
turn to 232
.