Legion of Shadow (51 page)

(Note: You cannot heal after this combat. You must continue this quest with the
health
that you have remaining. You may use potions and abilities to heal lost
health
while you are in combat.)

436

You quickly show the gold ring to the old man. His eyes widen with surprise and then recognition. ‘My ring . . . you are the one!’ he gasps. ‘Help me up. There
isn’t much time. You must warn them . . . they are all in great danger!’ Turn to
604
.

437

Whoever came before you has used magic or some powerful explosive to blast through the foundations of the building. The narrow tunnel you are following twists and turns past
jutting stones and bent metal bars, to finally bring you out into a wide pool. Above you, light is playing across its surface like liquid gold. You push yourself upwards, finally surfacing in a
small stone chamber. This part of the building has not been flooded – magical torches splutter along three of the walls, casting a golden sheen over the two giant statues facing you. Each one
depicts a giant bearded warrior, armed with a two-headed axe. Between them, in an alcove in the wall, is a pedestal. And resting on it is a sparkling crown.

You pull yourself up out of the pool, relieved to be finally breathing air once again. As you approach the pedestal, you suddenly pause mid-step, your eyes coming to rest on the stone statues
either side of you. Something tells you that this might be a trap. You back up, scanning your surroundings. At the other side of the room, beneath the carved face of a leering dwarf, you notice a
stone door, standing slightly ajar.

438

As you continue across the swamp, you spot a pale watery-yellow orb gleaming through the mist. Having lost all sense of direction, you decide to head towards it in the hope that
it might be a fellow traveller, or at least some building that will provide a helpful landmark on your journey.

The land quickly begins to rise, becoming a series of boggy hills covered in boulders and patches of crab grass. Relieved to be out of the brackish water, you trudge across the soggy ground
towards the light. It is coming from inside a rock cave, resting on top of one of the hills.

You step inside, the light hovering just ahead of you. It appears to be a strange ball of magical light, which is bobbing up and down as if on a string. As you near, you see that it
is
on
a string; the globe is attached to a greeny-brown tendril that dangles from the dark ceiling. You go to touch it – and suddenly, there is a deafening roar as something lurches out of the
darkness. Stumbling back, you realise, in horror, that the light is simply a lure, attached to the forehead of an immense fish-like creature. As it crawls towards you on slippery fins, your eyes
become fixated on its immense, cavernous maw. Inside, you see row upon row of hooked teeth, forming a deadly tunnel of gnashing death, that leads all the way back into the creature’s stomach.
Determined not to become its next meal, you draw your weapons and prepare to defend yourself:

Special abilities

If you defeat the angler, turn to
452
.

439

To the east of the island, a pathway leads across another lake of bubbling lava and then passes into a cave set into the rock. To the north, you see a series of loose stones
bobbing in the lava, forming a make-shift pathway over to a crescent-shaped island. Towering over this island is a huge giant of living flame, surrounded by flickering sprites of fire that dance
and pirouette around its blazing form.

440

‘Deaders.’ Sahna grins, nodding her head. ‘They’re what the guards call our volunteers. Treasure seekers, mercenaries, adventurers . . . call them what
you will, but the truth is – so far, hardly any of them have returned from that lake. The few that have, well . . . perhaps death was the better option. Raving and mad for the most part.
There really hasn’t been much of a success rate. So far.’

Return to
343
to ask Sahna another question.

441

You quickly explain your story, that you were at Talanost with Avian Dale when the legion was attacking. Avian had asked you to find a Jenlar Cornelius, believing that he would
have information to help them close the shadow gate.

The man nods impatiently as he listens to your story. Before you have even finished, he is struggling to gain his feet. ‘Yes, yes – I believe you. I have no choice in this matter . .
.’ He leans into you, grabbing your arm. ‘Now, help me up. There isn’t much time. You need to warn them – warn them all that they are in grave danger!’ Turn to
604
.

442

‘What can you possibly hope to gain by this?’ you scowl, drawing your weapons. ‘Power, destruction. For what? To turn these lands to ash and ruin?’

The assassin throws back her head, laughing. ‘Oh, Nevarin. To think that you were once such a devout follower of the shadow. You were one of the best – I looked up to you. I wanted
to be you. And now,’ her smile fades, replaced by a cold mask of loathing, ‘I will take your life and absorb your power, Nevarin. At last, you will finally taste death!’

The assassin leaps into the air, spinning and twisting gracefully as her swords perform a deadly dance of flashing steel. With an answering flurry of deft moves, you press your own attack:

Special abilities

If you defeat the shadowstalker, turn to
558
.

443

After a gruelling battle, the giant finally staggers and then topples backwards. Its immense body smashes into the side of the chamber, sending cracks branching through the
stone. As they begin to widen, water starts to gush into the chamber.

You put the crown safely into your pack, before approaching the body of the downed giant. Amongst the rubble there are a number of treasures, which must have been hidden within its stone form.
You may now take one of the following:

The cracks in the wall continue to expand, until there is a white torrent of water pouring through from the lake beyond. You battle against the surging flood, forcing yourself
through one of the larger cracks. At last, kicking off from the jagged walls, you propel yourself out into the lake. At last, you are free of the building with the precious crown of kings in your
possession! turn to
637
.