Legion of Shadow (99 page)

Special abilities

If you manage to overcome this sinister imposter, turn to
929
. If you are defeated, then turn to
862
.

791

Just like the tinker’s chest in the town of ‘No Hope’, the interior of this chest is larger on the inside, filled with a myriad of weapons, armour and
trinkets. It is a far cry from the battered pots and pans in the trader’s cart.

‘Now do you believe me,’ grins Waldo, leaning over your shoulder. ‘I got a knack for finding treasure. And rare stuff, too.’

‘I suspect these don’t come cheap,’ you say with a wry grin, as you lift out a rune-etched shield.

‘That depends. I got my rare items . . . real beauties those, then I got my special deals.’

792

Fetch leans back, folding his arms across his chest. ‘Are you going to ask me any more foolish questions?’

793

Caeleb carefully places the weapon he was inspecting back onto its rack; a poignant but futile gesture, as the rest of the room still remains a cluttered mass of upturned chests
and trunks. ‘They will pay for what they have done,’ he mutters, casting an angry glare around the room. ‘Come on.’

He leads the way back down the corridor. As you near the inscribed room, you feel the air growing thick again . . . your limbs weakening. The shadow mark hisses beneath your clothing.

Nyms gives you a worried glance as you stumble into the room, your head pounding with pain. Without pause, Caeleb crosses the chamber, taking the north passage. You follow, your concentration
focused solely on putting one foot in front of the other. Turn to
857
.

794

(Make a note of the word
rival
on your hero sheet.)

Forced back against the statue, you are uncertain how long you will be able to hold off against these fearsome adversaries. Suddenly, a bright flash of light draws your attention skywards. From
out of the smog, you see white shapes swooping down over the ruined city, their vapour trails blazing bright like comets. Beneath them, a series of explosions swell across the square, cutting a
vicious swathe through the tightly-packed ranks of shadow spawn.

‘The airborne regulars!’ You punch the air as the mages hurtle past on their flying carpets.

Then, at the far side of the square, you hear the resonating blast of a horn. From your vantage point, it is difficult to see through the thronging masses, but it looks like a battalion of
Ravenwing’s militia have made it across the city. You catch the glimmer of polished armour and a fluttering standard, proudly displaying the black raven. Aid has finally arrived.

For your victory over the ghasts, you may now help yourself to the following reward:

When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to
884
.

795

‘A-ha, I see you have a nose for a bargain!’ Waldo grabs hold of the old riding blanket that covers his seat and, with a flourish, pulls it away to reveal an ornate
chest. Putting the blanket aside, he takes the chest and lifts it down onto the ground.

You kneel beside it, entranced by the silver patterns that have been embossed onto its metallic surface. For a moment, they make no sense to you – but then the lines appear to shift and
take on form. You lean back, scrutinising the scene that is materialising before you. It shows a vast city, crowned by towers and minarets. The bodies of three snakes form an arched entranceway,
their bodies covered in glistening runes.

‘What is this?’ You cannot tear your eyes away from the intricate scene. ‘Where did you find it?’

Waldo squats down beside you, hands resting on his knees. ‘Does it mean something to you?’ he asks hopefully.

‘It is . . . familiar.’ You trace the raised patterns with your fingers. ‘This city, have you seen it before?’

‘Is it your home?’ he ventures.

You shrug your shoulders. ‘I wish I knew . . . I have no memory of that place.’

‘Well, I always say . . . it’s what’s on the inside that counts, eh?’

Waldo puts his hand inside his shirt and pulls out a silver chain. On the end of it is a small sparkling key. Lifting the chain over his head, he takes the key and inserts it into the lock of
the chest. A turn and a click later, and you find yourself staring into its velvet-lined cavity . . .

If you are a warrior, turn to
791
. If you are a rogue, turn to
875
. If you are a mage, turn to
852
.

796

Your eyes flutter open, the rain-drenched hills of the bone fields swaying before your blurred vision. Ahead of you, an indistinct shape moves quickly across the uneven terrain.
As colours and detail swim into focus, you discern flowing robes and a bright staff of light.

You try and speak but the words clog at the back of your throat, producing little more than a guttural croak. The ground sways once again.

‘They’re awake,’ mutters a voice close to your ear.

You are dropped to the earth, landing in the sodden ash. As you struggle for breath, you look up to see Caeleb standing over you, sweat and dirt staining his face. ‘You aren’t so
light to carry, now get up.’

Nyms paces into view, looking around warily. ‘We need to keep moving. Can you walk?’ He glances your way a grimace etched deep into his pale, narrow face.

‘Get up!’ snaps Caeleb, kicking ash in your direction. ‘You have already slowed us down!’

In the distance you hear the shriek of some infernal creature.

‘What happened?’ you rasp, aware of a throbbing pain coming from your arm.

‘Good question,’ says Nyms, nervously tapping the pommels of his swords. ‘You vanished into thin air, right in front of us, and then . . . then you were back again. There was
all this shimmering magic . . .’ He shrugs his shoulders. ‘It didn’t look good.’

‘Demon magic!’ Caeleb scowls, turning away.

‘But the tomb . . . our mission.’ You push yourself back onto your feet, swaying slightly as you try and regain your balance.

‘We ran into more of Zul’s mages,’ states Lansbury, looking back to survey the dark skies. ‘We were lucky to escape – but now they have scouts looking for us. We
must hurry.’

Another deafening shriek dashes the uneasy silence. You take a tentative step forward, relieved to find that your strength is slowly starting to return. ‘I’ll be fine. Lead the
way’

Lansbury nods, before starting down into a narrow ravine. You follow, slipping on the loose stones and bones that litter the ground. As you catch sight of a skull, grinning back at you from a
mound of ash, you find yourself pondering your strange gift for immortality. Return to the Act 3 map to continue your adventure.

797

‘Frontal assault it is!’ Caeleb starts the charge, racing forward with his shield held high. Nyms and Lansbury fall in behind him, the latter uttering words of holy
magic. A second later and the medic’s staff flares into white brilliance, its shining light settling around the group like a glowing shroud.

You follow, aware that the bone creature has already spotted you. It throws back its enormous head and from its steel-encased beak it gives a series of sharp, guttural calls.

‘Whoa, someone’s happy to see us,’ smirks Nyms, spinning the grips of his blades.

The undead creature takes to the air, pushing off from its rocky perch and sending jagged cracks branching through the stone. It isn’t until you near that you see that the tablet is some
kind of memorial – its surface etched with hundreds of neatly-scripted names.

Before you can ponder its significance, Nyms breaks away from the group. He has spotted four necromancers advancing towards you, their wands and staves crackling with dark magic.

‘Nyms, wait!’ Lansbury calls after him, but the swordsman shows no sign of slowing, his magical blades deflecting the necromancers’ incoming blasts. ‘We need to stay
together!’

Another guttural screech draws your attention skywards. Above you, the bone creature wheels in the air, its immense body blotting out the sky and drowning you in shadow. Caeleb moves in front of
Lansbury, raising his shield as the beast dives towards them.

798

Bonus quest: The betrayed

You crouch at the edge of the rooftop, studying the ashen wasteland that was once Talanost. The city lies utterly still. Only smoke moves, curling between the charred rafters of
the burnt out buildings. In the street below, a lone knight appears from a rubble-choked alley, guiding his steed with care through the ravaged ruins. The beast’s hooves clatter on the loose
stone and masonry, its breath snorting clouds into the cold, morning air.

You turn away, your gaze shifting across the formless wreckage, to finally rest on the mansion – its white-washed walls untouched by the devastation that surrounds it. Your shadow mark
tingles, its icy fingers crawling beneath your skin. Since you absorbed Sharroth’s power, the mark has been a constant irritation – an itch that refuses to be scratched. You glare down
at it angrily, knowing what it wants. What it desires.

‘I can’t wait any longer,’ you state grimly. ‘They’re here; I feel them.’

Your companion shifts nervously beside you. His usual garb has been replaced by wraps of grey and black cloth, turning him near invisible against the wasted backdrop of the city.

‘We were told to wait,’ he replies, his hood shifting to reveal a thin face, pointed and angular. ‘It’s not wise to upset Mathis.’

You grunt with derision, the buzzing from your arm becoming more insistent. ‘The fool will only get in the way.’

Nyms sighs. ‘I know. Once your course is set, you seldom give ear to counsel.’ He pauses for a moment. ‘In truth, your nature has rarely led us awry.’