Flight from the Dark

by Joe Dever

  If you have the Kai Discipline of Animal Kinship, turn to 225.

  If not, you must climb over the tree and face whatever lurks on the other side. Turn to 250.

  53

  A searing pain tears through your right leg as it is twisted and crushed by the weight of your body. Down and down you tumble, until you finally land in a ditch at the base of the hill with such force that the wind is knocked out of you and you lose consciousness.

  You are awoken by the sharp pain of something stabbing your chest. It proves to be the tip of a Giak spear. You are greeted by the malicious sneer of its owner as he pins your left arm to the ground. Instinctively you reach for your weapon but it is no longer there.

  Defenceless against the cruel Giaks, the last thing that you see before all light fades is the jagged point of a Giak lance hurtling down towards your throat.

  Your mission ends here.

  54

  It would seem that the heavens have not heard your prayers. A spear whistles past your head and embeds itself in the neck of your galloping horse. With a shriek of pain, the horse topples forward and you both roll in a tangled heap on the highway.

  Dazed and pinned down by the weight of the dead body of your horse, the last thing you remember are the sharp penetrating spearheads of the Giak lances.

  You have failed in your mission.

  55

  Just as the Giak makes his leap, you race forward and strike out with your weapon — knocking the creature away from the young wizard's back.

  You jump onto the struggling Giak and strike again. Due to the surprise of your attack, add 4 points to your COMBAT SKILL for the duration of this fight but remember to deduct it again as soon as the fight is over.

  Giak: COMBAT SKILL 9 ENDURANCE 9

  If you win, turn to 325.

  56

  You hear the scream of a large winged beast above the trees. It is a Kraan, a deadly servant of the Darklords. Quickly you hide beneath the thick fronds of fern until the horrible shrieks have passed away.

  Now turn to 222.

  57

  The cabin has only one room. In it you see a wooden table and two benches, a large bed made of straw bales lashed together, several bottles of coloured liquids, and an embroidered rug in the centre of the floor.

  If you choose to take a closer look at the bottles, turn to 164.

  If you choose to pull back the rug, turn to 109.

  If you choose to leave the room and investigate the stable, turn to 308.

  58

  Bracing yourself for the run, you head off down the ridge at a steady pace. To the west, the army of the Darklords looks like a giant pot of black ink that has been spilled between the mountains and is spreading into the land below.

  You have been running for twenty minutes when you catch sight of a pack of Doomwolves lining a shallow ridge to your right.

  If you decide to flatten yourself against the rocks along the side of the road and wait until they pass, turn to 251.

  If you decide to carry on running, but draw your weapon just in case they attack, turn to 160.

  59

  Peering into the darkness, you notice that rough stairs have been cut into the earth and that the mouth of the cave is in fact the entrance to a tunnel.

  Carefully descending the slippery stairway, you notice a small silver box on a shelf at the bottom of the staircase.

  If you want to open the silver box, turn to 124.

  If you wish to return to the surface and press on, turn to 106.

  If you wish to investigate the tunnel further, turn to 211.

  60

  The last thing you remember before darkness engulfs you is the flash of a long curved steel knife. You have become yet another victim of the Sage and his robber son — the very one who has just slit your throat!

  Your quest ends here.

  61

  At last you can reach the wooden fieldworks surrounding the outer city. As you race towards a sentry post, you can hear the excited shouts of the guards cheering you on. Thank the gods that they recognize you, for you must appear a ragged and suspicious figure. Your cloak is torn and hangs in tatters, your face is scratched and blood-smeared, and the dust of the Graveyard covers you from head to toe.

  Splashing through a shallow stream, you stagger towards the gate. The full horror of the Graveyard encounter begins to catch up with you. The last thing you recall before exhaustion robs you of consciousness, is falling into the outstretched arms of two soldiers who have run from the fieldworks to help you.

  Turn to 268.

  62

  The ‘soldiers’ lie dead at your feet. They were bandits who were stealing from the refugees of Toran, and from the abandoned houses and farms in the area.

  Searching their bodies you find 28 Gold Crowns and two Backpacks containing enough food for 3 Meals. They had been armed with a crossbow and three Swords. The crossbow has been damaged in the fight, but the Swords are untouched and you may keep one if you wish.

  You adjust your equipment, give a cautious glance towards the west, and continue your run towards the outer defences of the capital.

  Turn to 288.

  63

  The wild old man is screaming at you. He blames you for the war and curses the Kai Lords as agents of the Darklords. He will not listen to reason and you must fight him.

  Illustration VI—The wild old man is screaming at you.

  Madman: COMBAT SKILL 11 ENDURANCE 10

  If you win, turn to 269.

  64

  You are awoken by the cries of a Kraan circling above the caravan. It is early morning and the sky is clear and bright. You can see a pack of Doomwolves less than a quarter of a mile away along the highway ahead. They are preparing to attack. You must act quickly.

  If you decide to gather your equipment and run for the cover of the trees, turn to 188.

  If you decide to cut free one of the horses and try to break through the attacking Doomwolves to the clear road beyond, then turn to 16.

  65

  Your senses scream at you that this place is very evil. Leave as quickly as you can.

  Turn to 104.

  66

  Startled, you turn around to see a burly sergeant and two soldiers running towards you, their swords drawn as if to strike.

  You prepare to defend yourself for it looks as if they are about to attack first and ask questions later; but suddenly the sergeant calls his men to a halt. He has recognized your cloak. They put away their weapons and apologize many times for their mistake. The sergeant orders one of the men to fetch the captain of the Guard as he leads you to the doors of the Great Hall.

  You are greeted by a tall and handsome warrior who listens intently to your story. When you have finished the account of your perilous journey to the capital, you notice a tear in the brave man's eye as he bids you to follow him. You walk through the splendid halls and corridors of the inner Palace. The richness and grandeur are a wonder to behold. You eventually arrive at a large carved door, guarded by two soldiers wearing silver armour.

  You are about to meet the King.

  Turn to 350.

  67

  Your Kai Discipline of Tracking reveals to you fresh paw prints leading off along the south path.

  They are the prints of a black bear, an animal renowned for its ferocity. You decide the east path would be a much safer route.

  Turn to 252.

  68

  After a short walk, you reach a junction where a path crosses your present route heading from west to east.

  If you wish to turn west, go to 130.

  If you wish to head east, turn to 15.

  69

  You are very near a friendly village.

  Avoid the gallowbrush and turn to 272.

  70

  You have reached a small bridge. A track follows the stream towards the east. A much narrower path disappears into thick forest towards the south.

  If you wish to use the Kai Discipline of Sixth Se
nse, turn to 8.

  If you wish to go east, turn to 28.

  If you wish to go south, turn to 157.

  71

  You are winded but not hurt. You have fallen fifteen feet or so through the roof of an underground tomb. The walls are sheer and you cannot climb them. An arched tunnel leads out of the tomb towards the east, in front of which lies the sarcophagus of some ancient noble.

  If you wish to use the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 65.

  If you wish to open the sarcophagus to see if it contains any treasure, turn to 242.

  If you wish to leave via the tunnel, turn to 104.

  72

  You turn to face a sneering Giak and the razor-fanged jaws of its mount. You must fight them as one enemy.

  Giak + Doomwolf: COMBAT SKILL 15 ENDURANCE 24

  If you win, turn to 265.

  73

  Pulling your green cloak about you, you blend into the foliage and rocks. Peering carefully up at the track, you are shocked to see that they are not the King's men at all.

  They are Drakkarim, some of the Darklords' cruellest troops. They must have disguised themselves as soldiers of the King in order to get this far into the forest. Thanking your Kai training for saving your life, you silently slip away from the stream and push on into the forest.

  Turn to 243.

  74

  The Kraan and its riders land on the track barely ten feet from where you are hidden.

  The Giaks leap from the scaly backs of the Kraan and move towards you, their spears raised to strike. You have been seen.

  If you decide to fight them, turn to 138.

  If you decide to run deeper into the forest without delay, turn to 281.

  75

  Peering out carefully, you can see three green-clad men on horses racing along the bank. You recognize them as Border Rangers, the regiment of the King's Army that police the western borders. One of them is wounded and is slumped over the neck of his horse.

  Close behind follow a pack of twenty Doomwolves. Their Giak riders are firing arrows at the rangers which fall all around them. One ranger drops from his horse and rolls down the river bank, a black arrow deeply embedded in his right leg.

  If you wish to help the ranger, turn to 260.

  If you wish to stay hidden and drift downstream, turn to 163.

  76

  The Gem feels very hot and burns your hand. Lose 2 ENDURANCE points. You quickly grab it with the edge of your cloak and slip this Vordak Gem into your Backpack. A Gem that size must be worth hundreds of Crowns! You smile at your good fortune, mount your horse, and ride off along the south track.

  Turn to 118.

  77

  The Mountain Giaks are unaccustomed to pursuing their prey through forests and you soon outdistance them, until finally the sound of their grunts and curses disappears completely.

  When you are satisfied that they have given up the chase, you stop for a few minutes to catch your breath and check your equipment. With the memory of your ruined monastery still blazing in your mind, you gather up your meagre belongings and push on.

  Turn to 19.

  78

  As the caravan careers past, you leap for the tailboard and manage to hold fast. Pulling yourself upright, you find that you are standing on the bottom rung of a ladder leading to the rear door of the wagon. Suddenly the top half of the door flies open and you are confronted by the angry face of a bodyguard.

  If you decide to inform him that you are a Kai Lord with an urgent message for the King, turn to 132.

  If you decide to offer him Gold Crowns for safe passage to the capital, turn to 12.

  If you decide to attack the guard with your weapon, turn to 220.

  79

  You come to a small footbridge across a fast-flowing stream. On the other side of the bridge the path turns south. You cross the bridge and follow the path.

  Turn to 204.

  80

  You stumble backwards through the front door, clutching your burnt chest with both hands. Smoke is billowing from the shop and you must run — before the Sage or his robber son catch you.

  You make it back to the main street and lose yourself in the rush of the crowds.

  Turn to 7.

  81

  After nearly an hour, the Kraan and their cruel riders vanish towards the west. As the shocked refugees start to emerge from the woods, you can hear the sound of horses in the distance galloping nearer. You stay hidden and wait as the riders come closer. They are the cavalry of the King's Guard wearing the white uniforms of His Majesty's army.

  If you wish to call to them, turn to 183.

  If you would rather continue along the forest edge towards the south, turn to 200.

  82

  The giant Gourgaz lies dead at your feet. His evil followers hiss at you and then fall back from the bridge. The Prince's soldiers form a protective wall around you and their dying leader with their shields. Black arrows whistle past your head.

  The dying Prince looks up into your eyes and says, ‘Kai Lord, you must take a message to my father. The enemy is too strong, we cannot hold him. The King must seek that which is in Durenor or all is lost. Take my horse and ride for the capital. May the luck of the gods ride with you.’

  You bid a sad farewell to the Prince, mount his white steed, and head south along the forest path. The battle still rages behind you as the Prince's men fight off another assault on the bridge.

  Turn to 235.

  83

  You have run about a mile when three soldiers appear from beneath a small footbridge. They demand that you halt and drop your weapons and equipment.

  They are bloodstained and unshaven. Their leader is wearing the tunic of a soldier of the Toran garrison.

  If you possess the Kai Discipline of Sixth Sense, turn to 45.

  If you wish to do as they say, turn to 205.

  If you wish to prepare to fight them, turn to 180.

  If you demand to know what they want, turn to 232.

  84

  Just as you feel the air beating on your back, you slip free of your horse and roll over — landing with a splash in a muddy ditch by the side of the highway.

  You are uninjured, and you quickly scramble to your feet and make a dash for the cover of the trees — but with thirty yards left to run, you see the Kraan circling above for another dive.

  Turn to 188.

  85

  The path is wide and leads straight into thick undergrowth. The trees are tall here and unusually quiet. You walk for over a mile when suddenly you hear the beating of large wings directly above you. Looking up, you are shocked to see the sinister black outline of a Kraan diving to attack you.

  If you draw your weapon and prepare to fight, turn to 229.

  If you evade the attack by running south, deeper into the forest, turn to 99.

  86

  You soon reach another crossroads.

  If you wish to journey east, turn to 6.

  If you wish to head north, turn to 35.

  If you prefer to go south, turn to 167.

  Or if you wish to turn west, turn to 42.

  87

  Focusing your powers on the lock, you try to visualize the inner mechanism. Gradually its image appears in your mind's eye. It is old and corroded but it still functions. You are in danger of losing your concentration when a subtle click confirms that your effort has not been in vain.

  The pin is an easier task. Slowly it rises out of the lock and falls to the floor. The granite door swings towards you on hidden hinges and the grey half-light of the Graveyard floods into the tomb. The exit is overgrown with graveweed and you suffer many small cuts to your face and hands as you fight your way through to the surface. You are startled by a sudden noise. You turn to see the disembodied head of a corpse laughing at you.

  In blind panic, you race through the eerie necropolis towards the southern gate.

  Turn to 61.

  88

  You cautiously peer around
the rock to see a soldier lying on his back. By his side is a Spear and shield. On the shield is the painting of a white pegasus — the Prince of Sommerlund's emblem. He is one of the Prince's soldiers, and he is only just conscious. His uniform is badly torn, and you can see that he has a deep wound in his left arm. As you move nearer, his eyes flicker open. ‘Heal me, my lord,’ he begs. ‘I can barely feel my arm.’

  If you possess and wish to use the Kai Discipline of Healing on this man, turn to 216.

  If you do not possess the skill, or if you do not want to use it, then turn to 31.

  89

  In a cloud of dust and loose rocks you career down the steep hillside. The Kraan is still circling above as if waiting to direct the Giaks after you.

  Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

  If you have picked 0–1, turn to 53.