Wolf's Bane (7 page)
You unsheathe the Sword of the Sun and a shimmering halo of light engulfs the blade. This golden glow washes over the rubble-strewn steps and illuminates something that, until now, had gone unnoticed.
Lying across the open doorway to the tomb is a slab of granite. Cautiously you move nearer to inspect a strange mark on its surface which is glinting in the light from your sword. You discover that it is an intricate design which has been scratched upon its surface. Someone has gone to the trouble of smearing it with dirt and a magical spell of shielding has been placed upon it to disguise its true purpose, yet you immediately realize what it is and you recoil from the slab, hurriedly retreating a dozen paces. It is a glyph of power: a magical booby trap that has been expertly camouflaged to keep it secret. If anyone or anything were to step upon or pass over this glyph, the energy contained within it would be released in one devastating instant.
You sheathe your sword and warn the others of what you have found, telling them to retreat with you to a safe distance. From the cover of a gravestone, several yards from the tomb, you instruct Star Lynx to pick up a rock and hurl it through the open doorway. He responds by selecting an apple-sized chunk of granite which he lobs with accuracy into the tomb.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.
If the number you have chosen is 0–3,
turn to 211
.
If it is 4–9,
turn to 53
.
You climb more than two hundred steps before the staircase arrives at a short tunnel which opens into a damp, cavernous hall. This huge chamber is partitioned into pens which house several giant dragonflies, similar to those you encountered when first you arrived on Avaros. High above, great oblong sections of the steel roof are open to the elements and the bases of passing storm clouds are lit up by the glow from the hall's phosphorescent lighting. You scan the rain-swept pens for a sight of your adversary, and find him climbing upon the saddled back of a great crimson dragonfly. He urges the creature into the air and it obeys with stunning swiftness. You watch as Wolf's Bane steers his winged mount once around the roof of the hall, and then, to your horror, you see him bring the creature to hover directly over your head. He shouts at you, but his words are lost in the buzz of the dragonfly's massive wings. Then he leans from the saddle and casts down a metallic box before urging his mount skywards. The box lands close by, bouncing once before coming to rest near your feet. Your heart pounds when you sense that it is a powerful time bomb. A panel on the side of this device contains several illuminated numerals that are blinking intermittently. You can see by the numbers remaining that you have only 30 seconds before the bomb detonates.
If you wish to attempt to defuse this time bomb,
turn to 177
.
If you decide instead to mount one of the giant dragonflies and attempt to escape from this hall before the bomb explodes,
turn to 190
.
Nausea wells up from the pit of your stomach as the lower chamber of the tower is suddenly transformed into a whirling spiral of violent colours and noise. You feel yourself falling forwards into this vortex and, for a few fleeting seconds, you glimpse your adversary. He is brandishing his sword and laughing like a madman, his face twisted with maniacal glee as he rides this terrifying whirlwind. Then he is lost to the chaos of the maelstrom and he vanishes from your sight.
For what seems like an eternity you spin and fall through a rainbow of colour and sound. Only gradually do you become aware that this nightmare journey is coming to an end when the noise abates and the swirling colours begin to fade. Then, with a jolt, you find yourself standing ankle-deep in stagnant green water, struggling to keep your balance. You draw your weapon and scan your surroundings, fearful of sudden attack, but you soon realize that you are alone.
You appear to be under the ground, standing in a crude sewer-like tunnel which has been excavated by primitive means. The roots of trees protrude from its beaten earth ceiling and there is a stale and unpleasant smell of rotting vegetation. You use your psychic skills to probe for Wolf's Bane but you cannot detect his presence, and so you sheathe your weapon and relax your guard. The encounter with the manifestation of Naar has left a fear gnawing at your heart, the fear that the Dark God could at any moment he chooses lay claim to your soul. But your Kai courage swiftly overcomes the anxiety and you draw comfort from your faith in the Gods Kai and Ishir. You offer up a prayer to them to watch over you during the coming trial of strength, and vow that you will never lose hope, no matter what dangers you may yet face. As if in answer to your prayer you feel a surge of energy flow through your body, revitalizing your mind and senses (restore any
ENDURANCE
points which you may have lost during your adventure so far).
Alert and confident, you peer along the gloomy tunnel in both directions and try to determine the best course to follow. Neither way looks especially appealing.
If you choose to explore the tunnel ahead,
turn to 128
.
If you decide to follow the tunnel behind,
turn to 262
.
The rear of the warehouse opens onto a wasteland of shattered rubble which is bisected by a dead stream of salty, acidic water. You trudge across this bleak and forbidding landscape, past sharp spires of crimson and jet that erupt through the dereliction to scratch the cloudy sky. Rust-red water encircles their bases, lending them a wholly sinister aspect. To your eyes it seems as if this blighted city has been impaled upon these cruel, towering spikes.
Beyond the spires you discover a paved street almost clear of debris. You find several sets of footprints here, and your hopes are raised when you determine that one set belongs to Wolf's Bane. You follow them to a gutted building, several storeys high, which is adorned with strangely angular gargoyles. The inside of this crumbling edifice is completely empty and your adversary's trail passes through it to a rear exit. As you emerge on the far side, you catch your first breathtaking glimpse of this grim city's tallest structure.
The giant serpent tries desperately to resist your mental command to retreat, but it cannot overcome your powers of persuasion. Slowly it retreats towards the cavern wall until it is halted by the chain to which it is shackled. Cautiously you advance, keeping a wary eye on its trembling form as you skirt around the opposite wall. Within seconds you are able to reach the safety of the exit tunnel and make your escape unscathed.
The water is refreshingly cold to your touch, but it has a metallic taste that makes you retch: lose 1
ENDURANCE
point.
Kekataag the Avenger is attired in battle-armour that glimmers like slime-dulled gold. Beneath his helmet there is a hollow skull-face from which emerges a sickly stench that permeates even the foul air of this hall. The skulls and bones of humans bedeck his armoured hide and in his mighty hands he carries a great two-handed axe, its blade stained black with the blood of his countless victims.
This fearsome warrior holds you with his glowing eyes and you feel waves of powerful psychic energy buffet your mind. You muster your Magnakai defences to repel this attack, but you sustain psychic shock before your defences knit together properly: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points. This sudden and unprovoked attack leaves you in no doubt that Kekataag is deeply jealous of your supposed defeat of Lone Wolf.
Illustration II—The fearsome warrior holds you with his glowing eyes.
Steel Hand and the other Kai clear away the rubble to reveal a trapdoor set into the floor. You command Star Lynx to tie one end of his rope to its bronze ring and then together, from a safe distance, you pull open this stone hatch. No traps are sprung as the heavy slab of stone creaks open, and when you move closer, you see a circular chute and a ladder descending to a deeper level of the catacombs. You peer down into the darkness and you detect fresh tracks on the ladder's iron rungs. You are back on the impostor's trail.
Cautiously you lead the descent into the chute, using your powers of infravision to scan for signs of movement in the damp darkness below. After several minutes you reach the bottom of the ladder where you discover a large, vaulted chamber. Around its walls are positioned urns and grey stone caskets, each embellished with traces of gold. There is an unexpected air of opulence about this vault which prompts you to guess that it is a secret burial tomb.
If you have ever visited the Graveyard of the Ancients in a previous
Lone Wolf
adventure,
turn to 182
.
If you have never visited this place,
turn to 206
.
Your target is beyond the effective range of your power-word. The energy of your attack dissipates before it reaches Wolf's Bane, and all that he feels is a cool and pleasant breeze. The use of this Discipline at such extreme range drains your strength unnecessarily: lose 3
ENDURANCE
points.
You watch your adversary and see him getting to his feet: he is moving deeper into the jungle. Fearing that he is getting away, you dash from the cave mouth and chase after him. But you have covered fewer than a dozen yards when suddenly an arrow comes whistling out of the undergrowth. It speeds directly towards your face with terrifying accuracy.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and have attained the rank of Sun Knight or higher,
turn to 152
.
If you possess Kai-alchemy but have yet to reach this level of Kai Mastery,
turn to 270
.
If you do not possess this Grand Master Discipline,
turn to 232
.
As your enemy's platform passes through the next level of the tower, he leaps off and disappears from view. A few moments later, when your platform reaches this level, Wolf's Bane is nowhere to be seen. You step into the circular chamber and cast your eyes around its bare metallic surfaces. There is only one exit from here: a narrow tunnel in the north wall.
Quickly you enter this tunnel and discover footprints in the dust which blankets the floor. You follow the tracks, but they soon fade and then disappear completely. You stop to examine the floor and your tracking skills tell you that your adversary is deliberately masking his trail. Determined not to give up the pursuit, you break into a run and hurry along this tunnel to where it makes a sharp turn to the left. What you see filling the corridor ahead brings you skidding to a halt.
The way is blocked by a criss-crossed tangle of thick, gluey strands, which are anchored to the floor, walls, and ceiling. You sense that Wolf's Bane has cast this magical net to ensnare and delay you while he makes good his escape.
If you possess the Sommerswerd,
turn to 118
.
If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it,
turn to 233
.
If you possess Grand Weaponmastery, have attained the Kai rank of Sun Lord, and possess a bladed Weapon (i.e. Sword, Short Sword, Broadsword, Axe, or Dagger),
turn to 187
.
If you possess none of these skills, rank, Weapons, or this Special Item,
turn to 69
.