The Heart of Fire

by Michael J. Ward

  This is one of them. A breathy, rasping noise that suddenly rises in pitch, becoming a series of clacking, rattling wails. You look back up the river, to where it widens into a pool. There, squatting on one of the rocky islands, is a frog-like humanoid. The sunlight catches on its glistening, rainbow-oiled skin and the rusted prongs of the trident clutched in its spindly hands. The creature looks agitated, its throat bulging as it continues to emit a chorus of guttural caws.

  You edge away from the water, slowly lifting your pack onto your shoulder. Your plan is to turn and make a run for it, back into the jungle. But you hesitate – your gift of prophecy flashing through the images of your death like pictures in a flipbook.

  Suddenly the creature gives a single, gargling cry, then launches forward on its bowed legs. You drop your pack and fumble for your weapons as the frog descends on you with a startling speed. One of its legs catches you in the chest, sending you tumbling backwards. You fall into a roll, dodging the trident as it slams down with force, striking sparks from the stone. Then you are back on your feet, trying to gain distance.

  The frog leaps again, a spear of red shooting out from its mouth. Before you can register what is happening you are being dragged across the rocks, your body entangled in a long, sticky tongue. You try and sever it, but a sudden jerk throws you forward, your feet flailing out from under you. In desperation, you swipe at the creature’s legs, bright blood fountaining from a wound. The frog hops away, its tongue snapping back into its mouth.

  Seizing your chance, you rush forward to press your attack – but the frog somersaults over your hasty swing, hopping to a nearby boulder then back to its island. With another gargling screech it spins to face you, beckoning you to follow. It is time to fight:

  Special abilities

  Jump around!: There are three islands in the pool – one to the north, one in the centre and one to the south. At the start of each combat round, decide which island you are going to jump to. Then roll a die to find out where the fisher king has jumped to – or the north island, or the centre island and or the south island. If you end up on the same island, then you can continue combat as normal, rolling for attack speed etc. If you are on different islands, then you cannot attack – and the fisher king immediately uses his ‘tongue lashing’ ability.

  Tongue lashing: Take a speed challenge. If you get 13 or less, then your hero is hit by the frog’s sticky tongue, pulling you over onto its trident for 6 damage, ignoring armour. If you get 14 or more, then you have avoided his tongue attack. Once the speed challenge is complete (and any damage applied), the combat round automatically moves to the passive phase.

  If you manage to defeat your island-hopping foe, turn to 575.

  409

  You push open the iron door, the grimy water gushing around your legs as it spills out into the corridor beyond. After brushing the grime and dirt from your clothes, you take a moment to study your surroundings. The corridor is fashioned from black stone, smooth and without decoration. To your left it continues for several metres before ending in a set of worn stairs leading up to a decorative wooden door. To your right, there is an open metal grill, beyond which you can see a set of rusted-iron stairs spiralling down towards the sounds of buzzing, hammering machinery.

  Will you:

  Take the stairs up? — 417

  Take the stairs down? — 382

  410

  You leave the horses and continue on foot, clambering up the sheer slope to reach the causeway. Ventus leads at the head of the party, the white light from his fists helping to push back the lingering shadows of dawn. Behind him strides Benin, the priest. Since leaving the monastery, he has rarely spoken – his demeanour one of grim silences and thoughtful reflection. You and Bea bring up the rear, the pilgrim’s chatter always seeking to lighten the mood.

  ‘I don’t think Duerdoun would make my top ten list of pilgrim spots,’ she says, screwing up her face with distaste. ‘First I thought it was just the smell. But now I think it’s the dust. And the rocks. And the bones. A lot of bones. And that awful smell. . . . Oh, did I mention that already?’

  As you pull yourself up onto the stone causeway, you get your first glimpse of the place known as Duerdoun. Your first impression is one of jagged black teeth, stabbing through the morning mist. The teeth are actually needles of rock, lining both sides of the causeway – some still intact, others broken and crumbling. They stretch away into the curling mist, to where you can dimly make out a temple-like building, carved into the side of a dark mountain.

  ‘What was it used for?’ you croak, choking on the black dust thrown up by the wind.

  ‘It was an entrance way to a dwarf city,’ explains Ventus, looking back over his shoulder. ‘A place overrun with goblins and demons. It was sealed long ago – with good reason.’

  Benin stops abruptly, raising a hand. You note his concern as the needle-like pillars either side of you start to glow with silvery-white runes. Bea draws her twin swords, falling into a crouch as their inscriptions dance with magic.

  ‘There is evil here,’ growls Ventus, his narrowed eyes scanning the swirling mist. ‘Do not lose faith.’ Turn to 392.

  411

  Once again, your concentrated attacks bring down the thorn colossus. Amongst its barbed remains you spy the following item, which you may carefully retrieve:

  Providence

  (necklace)

  +1 brawn +1 magic

  Ability: faith

  Breathing heavily and aching from your wounds, you glance over at your companions, seeing that they are equally exhausted from the fight. The demon, however, remains unimpressed.

  ‘Are we learning yet?’ it asks in a mocking tone.

  You struggle to answer, each lungful of air burning like fire. ‘We’re better than you think we are,’ you manage to pant.

  ‘No. You are not.’ The demon shakes its head, dark scales scraping like knives. ‘You are a disappointment to me.’

  One of the charred roots lying next to you starts to twitch and shake. Then it slides away across the churned mud to join the other tentacle-like vines that are starting to coil together again, healing the giant monster.

  Bea falls to her knees, sobbing. ‘No . . . I can’t do this. Not again . . .’

  Something within Ventus snaps. The monk strides forward, his face a bitter storm of fury. ‘I will be damned for this,’ he bellows, bringing his fists down on the first of the demon’s restraints. Both you and Bea race to his side.

  ‘What are you doing? Stop!’ Bea tugs on the monk’s robe, but he ignores her protests. He moves around the dais, smashing his inscribed fists into the remaining iron rings.

  ‘Yes,’ snarls the demon, its breath quickening with excitement. ‘At last!’ Turn to 393.

  412

  At the other side of the hall you see the child watching you, his patchwork cloak glimmering amidst the curling smoke. Behind him is a glowing portal, identical to the others you have used to travel around the tower.

  ‘You are good at my games,’ grins the boy, scratching his chin. ‘But my best game is yet to come. It’s my favourite!’

  ‘Where are the others?’ you demand angrily, striding towards him. ‘Enough of your games!’

  ‘Ah, can’t tell you that,’ he smiles.

  Suddenly the whole room starts to shake, rattling the metal walls. The child looks around in confusion. ‘No! The tower . . . it’s starting again . . . It wants to take us back!’

  ‘Back where?’ you yell, as debris starts to shift and slide across the hall. ‘You mean the shroud?’

  The child doesn’t answer. Instead he turns and runs, disappearing through the glowing portal. You hurry after him, determined not to let him escape. Turn to 32.

  413

  Bill walks you over to the giant. ‘He’s yours for forty shinnies – and I’d say it’s a good deal for that amount of muscle on your side.’ The hunter nudges you, then points to the tree-sized club, resting next to one of the huts. ‘Just re
member – when he swings that ol’ thing, keep your head down, pal. Wouldn’t want to lose that pretty face, now.’

  If you wish to hire Nelson, then the giant will provide you with the following, for 40 gold crowns:

  Big game hunter: Nelson will help you to fight a legendary monster. If you are defeated then Nelson will wander back to camp and you will have to hire him again if you wish to receive further aid.

  Nelson’s column (mo): The giant’s mighty club will add 3 to your damage score for the duration of the combat.

  Suicide swing (co): If you win a combat round, instead of rolling for damage as normal, you can use Nelson’s suicide swing. Roll six damage dice. All and results are inflicted on your opponent. All results of or less are inflicted on your hero. This damage ignores armour and cannot be avoided. This ability can only be used once per combat.

  Remember, Nelson will only stay with you for one encounter. If you wish to use his services again, you must hire him for 40 gold crowns. When you have made your decision, you may explore the rest of the camp (turn to 744), or return to the quest map to continue your journey.

  414

  You charge forwards, your heightened reflexes helping you to dodge the barrage of flying debris. However, finding your opponent is proving to be more difficult. Your weapons repeatedly slash through empty air, a ghostly snigger always audible a second later from a different area of the chamber. The poltergeist is fast-moving and impossible to hit. You will have to resort to some other method of defeating it.

  If you have the Book of Binding, you can try and use its powers to trap the spirit (turn to 266). If you wish to use your cloak (and risk damaging this item), you could use it to try and cover the poltergeist, in order to see it better (turn to 147) – or you could simply make a dash for the exit (turn to 29).

  415

  ‘Then kneel before me,’ the old man rasps. ‘And keep your hands steady. I am weary, as is my patience.’ You quickly follow his instruction, kneeling beside the cushions and offering out your hands. The man fumbles at his side, producing a short metal rod from a pouch at his belt. He lifts it up before his pale sunken eyes, his lips twitching into a thin smile. ‘Now, this will hurt . . .’

  As the rod touches your flesh, you feel a hot searing pain punching through your body. It forces you to jerk backwards with an anguished cry. ‘Hold still!’ The abbot maintains a tight grasp on your wrist, his grip unnaturally strong for such a frail man. ‘Suffering is part of faith.’

  He continues to drag the rod across your skin, etching lines of holy script into the sizzling, blistered flesh. You can only watch, teeth gritted against the pain, as your hands are slowly covered by a bright white light. Turn to 502.

  416

  You find yourself in a small dank room, its walls and ceiling dripping with rust-coloured water. It has the appearance of a cell, with a barred window in the far wall and a pallet bed set underneath it. The mattress has been slashed to pieces, sawdust and cloth covering the floor. You also spot tufts of fur amongst the sodden debris.

  A creature is shuffling back and forth across the room, head hung low. As your boot scrapes against the wet stone, the creature looks up suddenly. It is a bear – or some peculiar imitation of one – with a pointed black muzzle, round fluffy ears and buttons for eyes. It walks perfectly upright, its proportions almost human.

  ‘My heart. Did you bring me my heart?’ rasps the creature, its words burdened with pain and sorrow. It shifts around, revealing the gaping cavity in its chest. The fur has been torn or shredded apart, sawdust stuffing hanging loosely from the wound. ‘He promised me a heart,’ the bear moans sadly, shuffling towards you. ‘All I ever wanted was a heart.’

  If you have the heart-shaped box or Dagona’s locket, turn to 387. Otherwise, turn to 434.

  417

  The centre of the door is carved to resemble a needle and thread, surrounded by a circle of nine stars. From somewhere in the distance you hear the faint echo of a child’s laughter, followed by a woman’s lingering scream. Worried that your companions are in danger you push open the door, keen to continue your search.

  The room beyond is a high-vaulted chamber. White light pours in shafts through narrow arched windows, falling on a sumptuous array of fabrics, hanging from wooden frames. To one side of the room there is a large table, covered with scraps of cloth and what you assume are patterns, drawn out on parchment. Opposite is a row of shelves, with various pots and urns jumbled on them. A plain wooden door in the east wall stands slightly ajar, leading through into another passageway.

  The child’s laughter rings out once again. You turn on the spot, trying to discern its direction. ‘Play my games!’ titters the voice. ‘Paper, scissors, stone! Paper, scissors, stone!’

  Will you:

  Examine the scraps of cloth? — 51

  Investigate the row of shelves? — 349

  Leave via the open door? — 391

  418

  You lie in the mud, paralysed by fear and pain, as the demon prepares to end your life. For a fleeting second, you remember a vision from your time at Durnhollow: a black mountain erupting with fire. You, lying on your back amidst the flames and ashes while a demon stands over you, a huge runed blade gripped in its scaled hands.

  You blink past the image, stiffening in horror as you realise that Cernos is that very same demon. But in this grim reality, there is no sword . . . only a fist full of dark fire.

  A gunshot tears through the night. The demon flinches, staggering back slightly. Another gunshot follows, this one clearly connecting with something vital. The demon snarls in pain, whipping around to face its unseen tormentor. Gritting your teeth, you try and lift your head, struggling to gain a view of the battle.

  ‘You are weak, Cernos,’ cries a man’s voice, edged like cold steel.

  Swallowing back your nausea, you glimpse a man in a long grey coat and a broad-brimmed hat. He is striding purposefully towards the demon, unloading bullet after bullet into its scaled chest. With a final heart-stopping roar, the demon launches itself into the air, its huge wings beating a grey-black blur. The gunman fires another salvo, watching as the creature soars away into the night.

  Wood and stone crunch beneath the stranger’s boots as he holsters his pistols and walks casually towards you. When the man’s shadowed face finally swings into view, you catch the glimmer of gold teeth, flashing in the moonlight. Then your strength gives out – and you let yourself fall back into the mud, and the cold, painful dark. Turn to 494.

  419

  Once inside the temple, you find that the debilitating presence has lifted. You can only assume that it was some spell or enchantment worked into the causeway, to turn back unwanted visitors.

  Warily, you draw your weapons and advance slowly down the black-stone passage. It soon opens out into a vaulted chamber, its runed stonework illuminated by a huge shard of crystal hanging from the ceiling. The tip of the crystal points to a raised dais, where an upright sarcophagus breaks through the pale light. Concentric circles of runes radiate out from its base, carpeting the tiled floor in pulsing sigils of dark magic.

  You catch the rustle of cloth and a serpentine hiss. As your eyes grow accustomed to the crystal’s radiance, you see something moving within the confines of the sarcophagus.

  ‘You did well to make it this far,’ rasps a gravelly voice. A squat figure steps out from the stone coffin. The light makes it hard to pick out features, but you get the impression of a short deformed human, huddled in a cloak. A hood is pulled low over their face, its trim decorated with a band of shifting runes. ‘Not even the great Allam could walk the causeway of Duerdoun.’

  ‘Who are you?’ you demand, trying to maintain a confident tone despite the sickening fear gripping your stomach.

  ‘The custodian,’ spits the voice. ‘The sworn defender of the key. I lost it once – but never again!’

  ‘You mean the relic?’ you ask uncertainly. Then realisation dawns. ‘Wait! You were the one who broke into
the church vault – the one who cursed the bishop and the thief!’

  You glimpse jagged sharp teeth, leering from the darkness. ‘I had an errand – one of great import. The inquisitors took it before I could return. It matters not, they have already paid the price.’

  ‘Why is this relic so important?’ you persist. ‘What does it do?’

  The figure throws back its arms, revealing scaled hands twisted and misshapen into claws. ‘These matters are not of your concern, youngling. You will soon join the other witless thieves who tried to steal my charge – who now serve me in eternal damnation!’

  There is a flash of dark light, then the figure is gone. Behind you, there is a sudden rush of wind. Something slams into your back, blowing you forwards into the chamber. As you land in a roll, the runes on the floor suddenly spit and hiss, their dark glow turning to a bright blood red. You rise just in time to see the squat figure running at you, a sword gripped in one hand and a talon-like wand in the other. From beneath the cowl, two serpent-like eyes glitter with malice.

  You must now fight this deadly adversary:

  Special abilities

  Reanimator: (*) As soon as the custodian is reduced to half his health or less, he immediately summons the spirits of his previous enemies to attack you. While you fight these forty thieves, the custodian takes refuge in the stone coffin, healing 2 health at the end of each combat round (this also removes any passive effects he is currently inflicted with). During this phase, the custodian cannot be attacked. You must defeat the thieves before the custodian will rejoin the fight with his restored health. (Note: the custodian cannot raise his health beyond its starting value of 50.) The reanimator ability can only be used once.