The Heart of Fire (120 page)

If you manage to defeat this foul abomination, turn to
890
.

775

The balcony has a single doorway, which takes you through into a domed chamber. This new area is devoid of furnishings or decoration, save for the mosaic floor. You twist your
head to try and discern the pattern – it looks like a runed hammer, surrounded by a circle of flames.

At the opposite end of the hall are two enormous stone doors, intricately carved to mirror the same design. They stand slightly ajar, affording a glimpse of a colonnaded platform and an outdoor
plaza beyond.

As you head across the room, the ground starts to tremble underfoot. You look urgently to Virgil, then down at the tiles, which are visibly vibrating.

‘When was the last time this volcano erupted?’ you ask with a nervous frown.

Virgil shakes his head. ‘I don’t think . . .’

Suddenly, there is a loud explosion. Broken tiles go sailing through the air as a spiked head pushes up through the rock. Giant mandibles snap hungrily at you then the creature falls back,
leaving a gaping hole in the floor. An instant later you hear a skittering sound, moving across the room.

‘Persistent, I’ll give it that,’ grunts Virgil, trying to follow the sound as it sweeps past.

The skittering stops. You exchange concerned glances.

Then the ground beneath your feet explodes upwards. You go tumbling away as the centipede bursts out, its plated legs scrabbling to pull its body through the hole. You manage a futile swing at
the monster as it surges past, but your weapons are deflected by its thick carapace.

The bug swarms up the wall, then across the ceiling, its head swinging around to take aim with its bile-coated mandibles. You don’t need a sixth sense to know what is coming next. As the
first of the slime bombs splatter across the ground, you flex your demon wings then launch yourself into the air. It is time to fight:

Special abilities

If your hero was occupying this square then they take 15 damage, ignoring
armour
. The bile remains in the square for the duration of the combat. Repeat this extra phase at the start of
each round, choosing a clear spot for your hero, then rolling for where the next bile will land. If you roll the same grid reference as a previous bile, then roll again. Remember, each bile remains
in play until the end of the combat.

If you manage to defeat this mucus-spitting monstrosity, turn to
781
.

776

It is an arduous climb and one that frequently leaves you dangling by only your fingertips as the eroded rock crumbles and gives way beneath you. Thankfully a spattering of
ledges provide a helpful respite, allowing you to gather your strength for each stage of the climb.

As you near the summit you notice that one of the ledges juts out from the wall, becoming a narrow finger of rock. At its end is a thorny-looking nest, containing three large white eggs.

Will you:

777

Searching through the vault, you find 200 gold crowns. You may also take any/all of the following:

When you have made your decision, you leave the vault and exit the hall through the open doorway. Turn to
797
.

778

One of the rune stones is still glowing with a dim, pulsating light. You stoop down to examine it. As soon as you touch the stone’s cool surface, the complex runes
suddenly blossom into a crimson brilliance – their rhythm quickening like the beat of a heart.

If you wish, you may now take the following item:

The stone is imbued with ancient magics, designed to revive and energise. While this item is equipped, the runecaster has the following special abilities:

Refresh (mo)
: Cast this spell any time in combat to restore an ability that you or an ally has already used – allowing you to use it again.
You can only cast
refresh
once per combat.

Magic tap (mo)
: Cast this spell any time in combat to raise your
magic
score by 2 for one combat round. If you roll a double (for attack
speed or damage), then this spell is restored and can be used again.

Once you have made your decision, you leave the tomb and head up the stairs. Turn to
889
.

779

You walk forward to inspect the mirror, discovering that the top stone is loose from the base and can be rotated. However, no matter in which direction you turn the mirror,
nothing appears to happen. Puzzled by this, you inspect the stone doors – but once again, you are met with frustration. The doors are locked by some spell or mechanism and cannot be opened.
With nothing else of interest in the room, you decide to leave and return to the main chamber, hoping that the other exit will lead to better fortune. Turn to
595
.

780

The hunter is far deadlier than he appears, but his impatience is his undoing. A clumsy lunge leaves him wide open, allowing you to sweep your weapons past his guard,
delivering a swift and decisive end to the combat.

Searching the hunter’s body, you find 30 gold crowns and up to two of the following rewards:

With your adversary defeated, you take a moment to inspect the crates. Sadly, they contain very little of interest – mostly arrows and crossbow bolts – but a few choice items catch
your eye. You may now take any/all of the following: