The Deathlord of Ixia (17 page)

Using your mastery of the Kai mind Discipline of Grand Nexus, you focus on the hole and attempt to will the lock open.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. For every level of Kai Mastery you have attained above that of Kai Grand Guardian, add 1 to the number you have picked.

If your total is now 7 or less,
turn to 328
.

If it is 8 or more,
turn to 203
.

You utter the words of the Brotherhood Spell
Levitation
and immediately you feel yourself rising up out of the mire. You clear the scummy surface and continue to float up the shaft until you are face-to-face with the Chaos-creatures who are crowded around the pit's edge. You draw your weapon and prepare to fight your way through them, but, as soon as you lash out at your first target, you falter and slip a few feet into the gaping shaft. You are finding it difficult to maintain your levitation spell and fight at the same time.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If your current
ENDURANCE
points score is 15 or lower, deduct 2 from the number you have picked. If your
ENDURANCE
points score is 36 or higher, add 1.

If your total is now 5 or less,
turn to 111
.

If it is 6 or more,
turn to 154
.

‘There's the answer,’ you say, pointing to the Ixian ship.

‘B … b … but … ’ stammers Prarg, clearly taken aback by the suggestion.

‘I grant you, it is a strange craft,’ you say, ‘but it looks well-suited for passage through icy waters. It served the enemy's purpose well enough — I say it's time we put it to better use.’

Prarg gives a weak smile and follows hesitantly in your wake as you leap aboard the deck of the Ixian ship.

‘First we'd best make sure it is empty,’ you say, as you unsheathe your weapon.

‘Very well,’ replies Prarg, ‘which end do you wish to search, Grand Master, the bow or the stern?’

If you wish to search the stern of the ship,
turn to 240
.

If you choose to search the bow,
turn to 73
.

You dive to avoid the onrushing bolt of energy but your reactions are too slow. It catches you in the upper body and an explosion of white-hot fire obliterates your senses. In this terrifying instant, the light that is your life is snuffed out.

Tragically, you have fallen victim to the power of the Deathstaff. Your life and your quest end here in the Crystal Spire of Ixia.

After an hour spent burrowing with your bare hands through the snow and ice, you eventually break through to the surface. To your disappointment you discover that the blizzard is still raging, and much of the pass has now been filled by the avalanche. No trace remains of the circle of rocks that had offered you hope of protection from the cruel elements.

With the storm showing no sign of abating, you dig a hollow in the snow and curl up in it with your back to the howling wind.

To continue,
turn to 338
.

At the top of the stairs you find a chamber where the walls and floor are thick with frost. Standing beside a locked door is a crystal plinth on which lies an Onyx Key covered by a clear glass dome. Your Kai Sixth Sense tingles as you approach it — you sense that the glass dome is protected by sorcery.

If you already possess an Onyx Key,
turn to 307
.

If you possess Kai-alchemy or Grand Nexus and wish to use one of these Disciplines,
turn to 86
.

If you do not possess the Special Item, or do not have or choose not to use the Disciplines, then
turn to 268
.

From out of the eerie mist there looms a high-prowed ship, wrought of age-blackened timbers which glisten with ice and frost. It speeds into the harbour and a morbid terror grips the hearts of the Lencian garrison when they see that it is crewed by a cadaverous host of skeletal warriors. A ghastly wail arises from the invading ship, an unholy shriek that shatters the garrison's will to resist. As one, the shocked Lencians turn and flee from the quayside, dropping and discarding their supplies and weapons in their hurry to get away.

‘Ishir preserve us!’ cries Lanza, as he takes up his sword belt and hurries towards the door. ‘My men are routing. I must rally them to the defence before all is lost!’

Illustration XI
—A high prowed ship glistening with ice and frost looms out of the eerie mist.

Prarg unsheathes his sword and rushes after Lanza. Outside the door you see a circular stone staircase which leads up to the roof, or down to the base of the watchtower. Lanza descends the stairs but Prarg does not follow. Instead, he begins to climb the steps to the roof.

If you wish to follow Captain Lanza,
turn to 264
.

If you decide to go after Captain Prarg,
turn to 14
.

You pilot the ship cautiously along a string of narrow fjords which cut an uncertain route through this treacherous field of icebergs. Using a mix of hand signals and telepathy, you send directions to the helmsman at the rear of the ship. It is a gruelling procedure which soon takes its toll on the nerves of all aboard.

Every few minutes your vision is obscured by gusts of powdery snow which swirl across the deck, blown down from the tops of the surrounding ice cliffs. During one of these fierce blasts you are momentarily blinded. You clasp your hands to your stinging eyes and suddenly the incessant howl of the wind is accompanied by the tortured screech of the hull as it collides with a bank of submerged ice. The impact sends the ship careering violently to starboard, and in a terrifying instant, you are flung head-first over the ship's rail into the sea.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
.

If the number you have picked is 0–4,
turn to 212
.

If it is 5–9,
turn to 66
.

Tagazin is poised to strike you a second devastating blow, but his attack is thwarted by a whirling gale-force wind. It arises in the centre of the chamber and accelerates like a cyclone around the walls, separating you from the enemy and hurling you both to the floor.

Suddenly, the air crackles and seethes with static power. A dark shape is taking form at the centre of the raging cyclone, a shape which radiates an intense aura of evil. It solidifies into a tall, black-robed torso surmounted by a goat-like skull. Where there should be eye sockets you see fiery cores of scarlet energy. Fear grips you with its icy hand when you smell the stench of death and corruption that hangs heavy around this dread being. You are in no doubt that you are now in the presence of the Deathlord of Ixia.

Tagazin whimpers like a frightened pup and slinks towards his master, his head bowed in fearful subservience. The Deathlord removes the Deathstaff from inside his funereal robe and holds it on high. Tagazin freezes in his tracks and his whole body trembles violently — he is clearly petrified of his master's wrath. Ixiataaga sweeps the air with the evil staff, and in a terrifying instant, both you and Tagazin are lifted by the raging wind and hurled into the dark abyss that is the Shadow Gate.

Turn to 303
.

The lightning strike has burned through your pack and seared your back: lose 5
ENDURANCE
points.

Numb with shock, you stagger unsteadily to your feet and unsling your smouldering Backpack. After smothering with snow those parts which have been scorched by the lightning bolt, you open the flap to discover that three items have been completely destroyed (erase three items of your own choosing from your Backpack list).

Pained but thankful at least to have survived the deadly strike, you shoulder your Backpack and hurry the last few remaining yards towards the beckoning shelter of the cave.

Turn to 146
.

To your regret, the new wave of Lavas reaches the Demonlord before you and form a protective circle around his cream-coloured body. Those that remain in the sky beat the air with their mighty wings, causing a powerful down-draught which holds you at bay.

Shielding your eyes from the stinging dust-choked wind, you look up to see that one of the winged creatures is cradling a curious item in its horny hands, an item which radiates an intense aura of evil power. At first glance it resembles a large metal bowl with a sharp spear of crystal fixed to its underside, but when the Lavas descends towards Tagazin and inverts it, you suddenly realize its true purpose and design. It is a helm of power, affixed on top with a crystal spike. The Lavas places the helm upon the Demonlord's head and the spike begins to glow menacingly.

Now all of the Lavas ascend into the sky where they wait to view a confrontation which is about to commence. Suddenly Tagazin, revitalized by the power of the spiked helm, comes charging at you with his head lowered, snorting gruffly like a raging bull.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Huntmastery or Grand Pathsmanship, add 3 to the number you have picked.

If you total is now 4 or less,
turn to 257
.

If it is 5 or more,
turn to 142
.

You climb the stairs cautiously and peer over the lip of the hatch in time to witness a scene that shocks you to the core. You see that the undead Drakkarim warriors have slain all of the Lencian crew and have heaped their bodies around the base of the mainmast. One of the undead, clad in a filthy grey cloak embroidered with alien symbols, utters a chilling liturgy over the corpses of the slain. The chill air crackles with power and sparks of evil energy whirl around their bodies. When at last the liturgy ends, you see the dead Lencians rise up and take their places alongside the Drakkarim undead.

Numb with shock, you slowly retreat down the stairs and hide yourself in a corner of the ship's hold while you consider a new plan of action.

Turn to 298
.

Your swift reactions save you from a direct hit, yet one of the bolts passes close enough to sear your thigh as you are diving for cover: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points.

Turn to 221
.

At first your chosen passage is wide and deep, but within an hour of entering, it becomes treacherously narrow. With no crew to help you pilot the craft, you are in great risk of running the ship aground on the encroaching icebergs.

Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you possess Grand Pathsmanship, add 1 to the number you have picked.

If your total score is now 0–1,
turn to 134
.

If it is 2–10,
turn to 172
.