Beyond the Nightmare Gate (9 page)

You take up the heavy statue. Terrified, the Elessin fall back, looking at you with outrage and fear in their eyes. Staggering beneath the weight of the statue, you pick your way slowly across the hall. The Elessin do not try to stop you; they fear the statue.

If your current
ENDURANCE
points total is 16 or less,
turn to 283
.

If your current
ENDURANCE
points total is more than 16,
turn to 44
.

The three remaining Elessin each take silver pipes and place them between their lips. They blow in unison and a terrible screaming sound tears into your brain. You gasp with pain and fall to the ground, covering your ears in a desperate attempt to block out the terrible noise.

Turn to 271
.

Immediately, you are standing in the court of the Chaos-master. The high walls ripple with light as the strange architecture of the Master's hall changes constantly. In the centre of the hall, upon an obsidian throne, is seated the Chaos-master himself, ruler of the Realm of the Paradox. He makes a disturbing sight: a giant over thirty feet in height, his facial features and characteristics are in a state of constant flux, continually melting into new and hideous guises. You glimpse dark and loathsome creatures, beasts, and beings of indescribable horror, writhing within this awesome god.

Illustration VIII
—The Chaos-master continually melts into new and hideous guises.

‘Welcome to the Master's court!’ he bellows. ‘Allow me to introduce my guests.’

Slowly a dark-robed figure walks into the hall. He wears a hood and carries a black staff. Following immediately behind is Tanith. She gives you a brave smile.

‘May I present the Wizard, Grey Star.’

A deep dread stirs in your heart. Suddenly, the robed figure pulls back his hood to reveal your own face staring at you. ‘Welcome, brother,’ says your twin. ‘I have long looked forward to this meeting.’

Turn to 309
.

You point back through the gate in the direction you have just come. He gives you a puzzled look and utters a string of unintelligible phrases. You stand frozen to the spot, mouth agape. He reaches out his hand and speaks again and suddenly you realize that he is asking you for something. His voice becomes harsh as he is forced to repeat himself and he fixes you with a suspicious glare.

If you wish to show him the Glass Rod,
turn to 267
.

If you wish to show him the Parchment,
turn to 289
.

If you wish to show him the Gold Coin,
turn to 333
.

If you wish to show him the Silver Coin,
turn to 348
.

If you wish to show him the Copper Coin,
turn to 90
.

At the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point, you try to wrest control of the winds from the Jahksa. Rigidly, he stands at the far end of the craft, testing his power against yours. The storm howls and the little craft shakes and swerves wildly. The ferocious winds carry the ship along but the Jahksa still exerts control over the storm.

If you wish to expend another
WILLPOWER
point,
turn to 138
.

If you wish to cease your struggle for control of the storm,
turn to 142
.

If you wish to attack the Jahksa with your Staff,
turn to 148
.

To break down the door with the might of your Wizard's Staff, follow the usual rules of combat, consulting the
Combat Results Table
as if the door were an opponent. Disregard any
ENDURANCE
points lost by yourself.

Tower Door:
COMBAT SKILL
 30   
ENDURANCE
 45

You may cease attacking the door at any time;
turn to 61
.

If you continue and break down the door,
turn to 124
.

The Chaos-birds circle ominously overhead. Tanith chants over the key. She summons up a small, furry spider no bigger than her hand and gives you a desperate and helpless glance. Swiftly the birds attack.

Turn to 83
.

You take up your Wizard's Staff and hold it poised above the Elessi leader's head. You have beaten him into submission. The palace is full of Elessin guards, but they stay back fearful to act while their leader is threatened.

If you wish to take the Threnogem from the statue's mouth,
turn to 71
.

If you wish to slay the Elessi leader,
turn to 107
.

If you wish to attack the Elessin guards,
turn to 80
.

If you wish to make a grab for the statue,
turn to 209
.

Cautiously, you approach the Crystal Tower. You can see no door but, a little above head height, there is a metal plate. Inscribed upon the plate is some writing but the letters are unfamiliar.

‘Can you read it?’ asks Tanith.

‘No,’ you reply. Yet, as you speak, the lettering is slowly transforming and soon you find that you can read the inscription:

‘From south of here, to west, and north,
Then east and south once more,
A circle's motion rings the charm
That finds the Vanishing Door.’

You ponder the strange words and try to unravel their meaning. ‘A riddle?’ queries Tanith.

If you wish to search for a door on the left side of the tower,
turn to 56
.

If you wish to search for a door on the right side of the tower,
turn to 23
.

If you have the Magical Power of Psychomancy and wish to use it,
turn to 70
.

If you have the Magical Power of Prophecy and wish to use it,
turn to 347
.

At the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point, you summon up a mage wind of your own. The increased turbulence causes the craft to rock crazily from side to side but has little effect on the Elementals summoned by the Jahksa.

If you wish to call a halt to your spell of Elementalism,
turn to 142
.

If you wish to increase the power of your spell,
turn to 165
.

You draw out the red jewel and focus your power upon it. The Gem begins to glow and, at the cost of 1
WILLPOWER
point, you reach out and close the Elessi guard's senses. As he stares blankly ahead, you steal past him and into the palace unseen.

Turn to 230
.

With your eyes closed you concentrate and create an enchantment to place in the minds of the Elessin. You convince them that they have completed their search and suggest that they return to their city. Unaware that they have been charmed, they obey. The use of this spell has cost you 2
WILLPOWER
points.

Turn to 320
.

The maddening chaos surrounding you is too much to bear; your mind lacks the strength of will to resist the distorted reality. In a short time you lose control of your mind and the Ethetron plunges into the undulating hills below.

Your adventure is over. Your quest and your life end here.

You are led to a high-ceilinged chamber lit by a curious, pulsing light. The room is filled with strange, ornate machines of gleaming metal. Lights flicker and you hear a throbbing hum and a continual, metallic, mechanical ring. Several Academicians tend the machines, pushing buttons and pulling levers, though to what purpose you cannot guess.

‘Grey Star, Tanith — allow me to introduce you to Crabkey, one of our greatest and most ingenious inventors.’

Illustration IX
—‘Allow me to introduce Crabkey, one of our most ingenious inventors’

You recognize the shabby man who turns to greet you; he was the man who sat in the armchair when you first entered the chamber of the Academicians. In the strange lurid glow of the laboratory his shadowed, bulging eyes make him appear even more sinister than before. ‘We meet again,’ you say uncomfortably.

Crabkey stares at you without speaking. Spittlethrift breaks the silence: ‘Mr Crabkey is the inventor of the machine that will enable you to journey to the Realm of the Singing City, aren't you, Crabkey, old chap?’ Crabkey continues to stare at you insolently. With a slow blink of his huge eyes, he makes an unintelligible sound in the back of his throat and nods.

‘Yes, yes,’ says Spittlethrift half to himself. ‘Come now, young Wizard and pretty mistress Tanith, come see his wonderful creation.’ Mounted on a small dais in the centre of the laboratory is a most unusual machine. ‘This,’ says Spittlethrift proudly, ‘is the Ethetron, the flying machine that will carry young Grey Star through the realms of the Daziarn, and to the Singing City to fetch our prize.’

‘Grey Star,’ says Tanith suddenly, ‘and what of me?’

Spittlethrift falters and emits an embarrassed cough, ‘Ah, yes … well … ’

‘Yes, what of Tanith?’ you demand angrily.

‘The girl stays here,’ says Crabkey, speaking for the first time in a harsh, rasping voice, ‘to make sure you keep your part of the bargain and do not fail to return.’

‘She will be perfectly safe, I assure you,’ says Spittlethrift, apologetically. ‘But surely you understand our position. What is to stop you flying away and never returning?’

‘And if I refuse?’ you snap at Spittlethrift.

‘We will not allow you to use the Ethetron or show you how to fly it,’ retorts Crabkey. ‘You will be doomed to remain within the Neverness for all eternity. You will — ’

‘You will, on the other hand,’ Spittlethrift interjects hastily, ‘receive the Ethetron as a gift from us when you return — ’

‘With the Threnogem,’ Crabkey interrupts once more, ignoring a glare of warning from Spittlethrift, who has now begun to sweat profusely. ‘And we will return Mistress Tanith to you, of course,’ he finishes. Tanith clenches her fists and glares furiously at the two little men. Both step back a little from her fiery gaze. ‘Know this, little man,’ she hisses, prodding Spittlethrift in the chest with one, long-nailed finger. ‘I am not without power. If you seek to deceive us … I'll crush you like the toad that you are! I am a Shadakine Wytch, not a mere girl to be hoarded or bartered like a piece of spare luggage!’

‘Yes, yes, of course,’ says Spittlethrift, wiping his brow with the back of his shaking hand. ‘I understand.’

You smile quietly to yourself. Tanith's angry bluff has shaken both Spittlethrift and Crabkey. Though Tanith does possess many uncanny powers taught to her while in the service of Mother Magri, a powerful Wytch in the service of the Shadakine Empire, her skills lie chiefly in her mastery of animals and nature and in a bravery that surpasses many warriors of greater stature. Tanith turns to you, the fire dying in her wild, green eyes. ‘Accept their offer, Grey Star,’ she says. ‘I do not fear this over-fed worm, or that slinking weasel.’

You sense that Tanith is far more afraid than she admits but the success of the quest is as important to her as it is to you and without the Ethetron it is unlikely that you will succeed. ‘Very well,’ you say. ‘Show me how the machine works. What must I do?’

Sullenly, Crabkey shows you the machine. Spittlethrift, pale and perspiring, remains silent, his chubby hands fluttering nervously at his side.

Turn to 116.
.