Legion of Shadow

by Michael J. Ward

  Will you:

  Take the crown for yourself? — 689

  Give the crown to Raolin? — 696

  686

  Lansbury looks over at the men under her charge. ‘Yes, the bone fields are a dangerous place, particularly for those who are inexperienced. You see, the undead aren’t the only problem. We still have the anomalies – areas of magic that are volatile and dangerous to the unwary. Most just cause a bout of sickness or fever, others can do worse things . . . freeze you like ice, burn you like fire . . . even turn you inside out.’ She shudders. ‘Don’t worry, my healing arts are sufficient for most, but I do prefer more traditional remedies at times: bed and rest.’

  Turn to 597 to ask another question, or 553 to leave the tent.

  687

  The south of the hill is overrun with black, multi-legged insects, their long snaking bodies moving with frightening speed. As several attempt to slip past Janna’s guard, the ranger chants words of magic, summoning thorny spikes from the earth to skewer their segmented bodies. The remaining crawlers attempt to surround her, but Janna is a skilled swordswoman, fending off their sharp mandibles with her rune-etched blade.

  You must now fight the following battle between Janna and the crawlers:

  Special abilities

  Thorn armour: Janna can cast this spell any time in battle, to raise her armour by 5 for one combat round. It also inflicts 1 damage dice, ignoring armour, to her opponent. This ability can only be used once.

  Field medic: If you are a medic, you can cast mend on Janna once during her combat. You may still use this ability on yourself, if you engage in combat afterwards (see below).

  If Janna falls in battle, you must take her place, fighting the crawlers with the health they have remaining. If you defeat the crawlers, turn to 721. If you are defeated, turn to 661.

  688

  Back through the portal, you find yourselves on the bridge spanning the infernal whirring machine. You stagger and fall, the magic that you have absorbed now burning like molten fire beneath your skin. Avian goes to help you, but you push him away.

  ‘I can’t . . . contain it,’ you gasp. ‘It’s burning . . .’

  Already tendrils of the magic are seeping from your fingers, whirling through the air and slamming into the machine where they spark and hiss. ‘I have to destroy the gate . . . I have to stop them getting through.’

  Avian shakes his head frantically. ‘The machine is indestructible – only the Nexus . . .’

  You follow his gaze to the stone cog, set amidst the jigsaw of cogwheels. With your magically-heightened senses you can now see the coils of magic that are bound around it – the trap that Jenlar warned you about.

  Now you have the power to defeat it.

  You struggle to your feet, tears streaming down your face as the magic lances through your body, engulfing you in waves of scorching agony. Raising your hands, you make a series of gestures. There are answering sparks from the weaves of magic around the Nexus as, one by one, they are pulled away. Then, with a grating squeal, you rip the Nexus from the machine, sending it spinning through the air into Avian’s hands. All around you the machine steams and grates in protest, its cogs slowly winding down. The lightning rods grow dim and the black portal closes.

  ‘Take it and go,’ you gasp, dropping to your knees. The power is too much to contain now, your body is screaming at you to release it. Avian grips the Nexus to his chest.

  ‘I can’t leave you here,’ he protests.

  ‘GO!’ you snap fiercely. ‘It will kill us both . . . now RUN!’

  Avian looks at you in dismay as you beat your fists against the ground, crying out with pain. Already you can feel the magic burning through your body, blistering every inch of your skin.

  ‘You will not be forgotten, Nevarin.’ The mage touches his forehead in salute, before turning and fleeing the chamber.

  With Avian gone, you raise your hands and point them to the ceiling. Then, with all the remaining strength left in your broken body, you hurl the magic – every last shred of it – at the ceiling of the chamber. Stone and rock rain down around you, the vast splinters smashing into the machine. As the last of the magic leaves your body, you bow your head to the wave of stone and dust that washes over you, encasing you and the shadow gate in darkness. Turn to 690.

  689

  You feel it is only fair that you get to keep this rare treasure – after all, you did all the hard work. As you place the crown on your head you feel a cold tingle running throughout your body. If you wish to keep this magical artefact, it bestows the following:

  Crown of command

  (head)

  +1 brawn +1 magic

  Ability: command

  There are two empty sockets on either side of the crown. If you have a large ruby and a perfect diamond in your backpack, you discover that these fit inside the sockets. For each jewel that you place in the crown, you can raise the item’s brawn and magic by 2.

  You may now return to the quest map to continue your adventure.

  690

  You open your eyes to daylight. Above you, thin slivers of cloud drift across a bright azure sky. Lifting your head, you see that your body is perfectly healed. There isn’t a single scar or blemish on your skin.

  You clamber to your feet, feeling loose stones and rock shift under your weight. As you regain your balance, you find yourself standing atop a vast mountain of rubble. Of the university, nothing now remains. A few traces of shadow magic still hover amongst the scorched stone, serving as a grim reminder of the power that finally brought this place to ruin.

  ‘The gate . . .’ You look down, imagining the vast, ancient machine buried deep beneath the debris. With the gateway closed, the legion will have had no reinforcements to aid them against the king’s army. Victory would have been assured.

  You shift your attention to the streets of Talanost. Shielding your eyes from the sun, you spot a patrol of knights riding towards you, pennants billowing from their lances. A smile crosses your lips when you see Nyms and Caeleb amongst their ranks. Both are waving and pointing in your direction. You return the gesture then make your way down the slope to meet them.

  If you have the dark claw ability turn to 671. If you have the bright shield ability turn to 780.

  691

  It is a tiring and frustrating combat. Caeleb appears to have some kind of sixth sense, reading your moves before you have even performed them and deflecting them against his shield. As your attacks become more and more desperate, you start to lose ground to the burly warrior, who is battering you towards the edge of the circle. Moving onto the defensive, you begin to study his moves. Caeleb clearly favours his shield, using it to press his attack more often than his sword. You patiently wait for his next shield slam, this time sidestepping the blow ahead of time and moving inside his guard. From there, it is a simple matter of disarming and then shouldering him to the ground. As the warrior goes to lift up his shield, you bring your foot down, trapping it beneath your heel.

  There is a cheer from the crowd as they acknowledge your win. Nyms is the most vocal, whistling and hooting as you help up the defeated warrior. ‘He showed you what’s for,’ the swordsman taunts. ‘Back to the academy for you, rookie!’

  Caeleb retrieves his sword, breathing heavily. ‘That was quite a work out you gave me there,’ he smiles. ‘I’ll keep to my promise, though – if you want to learn to use this,’ he shakes his shield, ‘then I can show you a few special moves.’

  If you are a warrior, you may now learn the cavalier career (turn to 634). Otherwise, you politely decline, deciding that you both deserve some well-earned rest. To the cheers and applause of the guardsmen, you leave the training yard. Turn to 553.

  692

  As a mage you may also take the following item:

  Bone fetish

  (talisman)

  +1 armour

  Ability: necromancer career (see below)

  You must have the bone fetish talisman equi
pped if you wish to learn the necromancer career. As soon as this item is unequipped or you learn a new career, you lose the abilities associated with this career.

  The necromancer has the following abilities:

  Shades (pa): At the start of combat, you automatically summon a group of shades to aid you. The shades add 2 to each dice of damage you roll, for the duration of the combat. Once the shades have been summoned, they remain in play until you sacrifice them (see below).

  Sacrifice (co): You may use this ability after an opponent has rolled their damage dice/damage score, to instantly sacrifice your shades. The shades absorb all the damage instead and you are unharmed. This destroys your shades instantly.

  Once you have made your decision, turn to 710.

  693

  Redguard turns to face you, placing a firm hand on your shoulder. ‘I will believe that fate has brought you to us and in these dark times we need whatever aid we can muster.’ He glances over at Lansbury, sharing something unspoken as their eyes meet. ‘I should warn you, however, we have an inquisitor in our midst and he may be less . . . forgiving of your past than I.’

  Lansbury winces, her expression displaying her obvious distaste for the inquisitor. ‘We asked for reinforcements,’ she adds tersely. ‘And they sent us an inquisitor. I suspect he is here to assess if there is any need for this garrison at all. If he pulls us to the front then the bone fields will be undefended.’

  Redguard nods grimly. ‘Make this place your home. I may have need of your skills sooner than you think.’ Turn to the Act 3 quest map to continue your adventure.

  694

  As soon as the winged mounts touch down on the hill’s summit, Laine is out of the saddle and barking orders. ‘Lansbury – the statue. Do whatever you need to do.’ The woman nods and hurries over to the grey-stone angel, which is identical to the one on Winter’s Hill. You also notice that the rocks serve a similar function, forming a maze of pathways, that lead up to the top of the mound.

  ‘Gull, Klaret, Janna – take those.’ Laine points to where the north, south and east pathways open out. ‘Kill anything that tries to get through. I’ll take the west passage.’ He grabs your shoulder as he moves past you. ‘And you! Defend Lansbury – anything that gets past us, kill it. We’re the expendable ones – Lansbury has to survive and get that statue . . .’ His words catch in his throat as he scans the surrounding wasteland. ‘Hell, would you look at that.’

  There are hundreds of undead now swarming towards the hill and in the hazy distance, you see even more hastening to bring up the rear. If this is only one small part of Zul’s army . . .

  ‘Do what you can,’ sighs Laine, drawing his sword from its scabbard. ‘Do not give up hope.’ With that, he moves to take up position on the western side of the hill. Turn to 703.

  695

  The construct breaks apart, its separate pieces falling to the ground in a pile of bones and dust. You quickly pivot around, to concentrate your attacks on the wyvern, but it has already wheeled away, heading back towards Janna.

  From the remains of the bone construct, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

  Bone claw

  Knuckle head

  (main hand: fist weapon)

  (head)

  +2 speed +3 brawn

  +1 speed +2 brawn

  Ability: rake

  Ability: slam

  (requirement: warrior)

  As the dust settles, you quickly scan your surroundings, taking in the current state of the battle. Turn to 666.

  696

  As you approach the camp, two guards hurry over with the intention of stopping and questioning you. However, they swallow their swift retorts when recognition dawns on them.

  ‘It can’t be,’ gawps one, his eyes bulging like boiled eggs.

  You continue past them into the camp, where more guards catch sight of you and drop what they are doing. Within moments there is an excited crowd following you through the camp, towards Raolin’s tent. Inside, the burly mage is slouched on a gaudy throne of gold, sipping greedily from a goblet of wine. As you enter, he coughs and splutters, wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

  ‘I don’t believe it.’

  The voice is Sahna’s. The warrior is leaning against a table, covered in tattered scrolls and charts. She stands abruptly and moves closer, her eyes gleaming as she looks upon the crown. ‘You found it.’

  You walk up to the throne and hold out the precious treasure with a self-assured smile. ‘I believe you wanted this?’

  ‘Give it to me!’ Raolin snatches the crown from out of your hands, inspecting it closely. After several minutes he appears satisfied that you have presented him with the real thing. ‘Well, well. You really did find the Dour king’s crown. You have succeeded where so many other fools have failed.’

  He makes a quick, flicking motion with his wrist. Sahna responds by moving over to a wooden cabinet, where she retrieves a small box. She walks over to you and opens the box, presenting you with three jewelled rings.

  ‘Take one of those and be gone with you,’ snaps the mage, not removing his greedy gaze from the crown.

  You may now take one of the following items:

  Lupine lapis

  Cutter’s cornelian

  Mender’s marcasite

  (ring)

  (ring)

  (ring)

  +1 brawn

  +1 armour

  +1 magic

  Ability: bleed

  Ability: piercing

  Ability: regrowth

  If you still have the lamprey worm inside you, turn to 670. Otherwise, you leave the tent with Sahna close on your heels. ‘How did you . . . ?’ she begins to ask, then shakes her head grinning. ‘There really is something special about you, isn’t there?’ You stop at the edge of the camp, looking out across the boggy marshland.

  ‘You saved us,’ she says, with a relieved sigh. ‘At last, we can bid farewell to this forsaken swamp. I owe you, stranger.’ She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a purse of gold. ‘Here, take this. You deserve it.’ Inside the purse is 100 gold crowns. You thank Sahna for her generosity.

  ‘Good luck with your adventures,’ she smiles. ‘I have a feeling we will meet again, one day.’ The warrior salutes you, before turning and heading back into camp. Return to the quest map to continue your journey.

  697

  Lansbury puts aside her book and gestures to the nearby potions. ‘I do have some regulation healing potions. There’s also a few swiftness potions there – useful when the old muscles start to flag.’

  You run your finger along the row, lifting several from the shelf. Lansbury looks at them and nods. ‘Each of those will be 50 gold crowns. Yes, I know – I’m sorry, but you must understand, all that stock is for the army. I have a limited inventory and with that inquisitor sniffing around, I can’t afford to be seen giving away vital supplies.’

  You may purchase any quantity of the following for 50 gold crowns each:

  Flask of healing (1 use)

  Elixir of swiftness (1 use)

  (backpack)

  (backpack)

  Use any time in combat to restore 10 health

  Increase your speed by 4 for one combat round

  When you have made your choices, turn to 597 to ask Lansbury another question, or 553 to leave the tent.

  698

  The swordsman is one of the most skilled opponents that you have ever faced. However, by studying his technique you notice that he often over stretches himself in his eagerness to push his attack. On one such occasion, you manage to sidestep him, bringing your foot behind his and pulling him across your body to throw him to the ground. Nyms hurriedly tries to regain his footing but it is too late – your main weapon is already held to his throat, your knees pinning down his arms.

  ‘I believe that makes it a win,’ you grin triumphantly.

  There is a cheer from the crowd. Even Caeleb is joining in, banging his sword against his shield.
‘Bravo!’ he calls. ‘A magnificent win!’

  You climb off Nyms, allowing him to get back to his feet. The swordsman brushes himself down with a sour expression. ‘Yeah, OK, you got lucky.’

  ‘Come on Nyms,’ laughs Caeleb, walking over and slapping his friend on the back. ‘It was a good fight – acknowledge that at least.’

  Nyms grudgingly offers you a nod of approval. ‘Well, I did say I would teach you some new moves,’ he glowers, raising his twin swords once again. ‘You ready?’

  If you are a rogue, you may now learn the swordmaster career (turn to 611). Otherwise, you continue to spar with Nyms until you are both exhausted from the work out. Having gained valuable experience, you thank the warrior, before leaving the training yard. Turn to 553.

  699

  You ride east at a furious pace, the horses’ hooves leaving billowing plumes of dust in your wake. At last, you find yourself reining in at the edge of a bone-littered ridge. The rest of the force are gathered along its length, their faces struck with fear and awe.

  Below you, across a grey plain of ash, a mighty battle is raging. To the far south you can make out the banners and standards of Ravenwing’s army – a tiny force already outflanked by the undead horde that is spilling out of the valley. There are thousands of skeletons making up its front lines. Amongst their ranks, you can see bone giants and immense abominations of flesh, created by the dark magics of Zul and his mages. Above them, buzzing like flies, are bone wyverns. They shriek and holler as they wheel through the sky, dodging the fireballs and other artillery that are flung their way from the beleaguered defenders.