The Heart of Fire (100 page)

True to his word, Grey-hair has left you behind. You have no hard feelings – your wounds would only have slowed them down, and the dangers they face are many. After retrieving your pack
and weapons, you start back through the forest. Return to the quest
map
to continue your adventure.

641

Your final blow smashes the creature against the corridor’s remaining wall, shattering its spine and sending jagged cracks rippling through the stonework.

With the Terral devil defeated, you may now take one of the following rewards:

You have not forgotten Quito’s betrayal. Determined to catch up with the wily thief, you hurry through the bronze doors. Turn to
676
.

642

You grab the wounded creature and hurl it against the metal bars. The dark runes flash with magic, sending bolts of lightning crackling over its scrawny body. You cover your
nose, backing away, as the imp slumps to the ground – its purple skin blackened to charcoal.

Virgil joins you, holstering his pistols. ‘And I thought revenge was best served cold.’

You kneel beside the creature’s smoking remains, cutting its bags and pouches loose with your weapon. Amongst its possessions you find 50 gold crowns and the following items, which you may
take:

If you left any items in the hollow of the travellers’ shelter whilst exploring the dark interior (act 2), then you discover these inside the imp’s bags. You may now retrieve these
items, if you wish, and add them to your backpack. When you have updated your hero sheet, turn to
696
.

643

Legendary monster: Anansi

Sometimes you just can’t stop yourself. Curiosity is a dangerous thing and it seems you weren’t the first to venture into this earthy burrow, looking for treasure.
As you brush aside the cobwebs you see the bones and skulls of other wayward travellers glinting back at you from the dark. You know you should turn back – that would be the sensible option
– but your stubborn steak once again rises to the fore, taking you ever deeper into the warren.

Your enchanted weapons illuminate the ridged walls, which curve round in a tight spiral, to finally converge on a black abyssal hole. Its rim is covered in hundreds of skeletons, their bones
wound tight in silken strands, twisted into anguished, tortured shapes.

Then you hear the shuffling, scratching sound, getting louder and louder, echoing all around the cave. Suddenly black hairy legs thrust out from the hole, thick as tree trunks. They scrabble
across the rocky ground, dragging a huge black body into view. It is led by a pair of glittering fangs and a gruesome crescent of red glowing eyes.

You are frozen in horror as the immense spider pushes itself out of the hole, then rears up on its back legs, displaying a crimson underbelly. As you prepare to take on this fearsome enemy, you
can’t help but wonder if you will become the next skeletal statue to adorn this spider queen’s lair. It is time to fight:

Special abilities

If you are able to defeat this multi-legged horror, turn to
465
.

644

Not wishing to put your faith in an old and rotted bridge you skirt the edge of the gorge, looking for an alternate means of crossing. However, after nearly an hour of
clambering over rocks and knotted roots, you see no other hopeful signs of navigating the gorge. As you peer over the edge at the raging river below, you contemplate whether jumping might be an
option – then you catch sight of a narrow ledge below, winding down the face of the gorge. If you hadn’t been looking over the side you would have missed it. Elated at your find, you
carefully lower yourself onto the ledge and start inching your way along it, trying to ignore the sound of the crumbling rocks skittering down the sheer walls. Turn to
658
.

645

Avian walks over to one of the staked corpses, passing the light of his staff over its splintered remains. ‘Our world and the shroud are separated by an invisible wall, a
barrier. It keeps us safe and the demons out.’ He tilts his head, meeting the gaze of the lopsided skull grinning down at him. ‘Terrible acts of violence . . . of magic . . . can weaken
that wall – cut through it, like a knife. That leaves an open wound. Sometimes they heal, but often they are left to bleed. It means bad things can pass between.’ The mage looks back at
you with a heavy sigh. ‘I’m talking spirits, demons. And worse.’

Return to
590
to ask another question, or turn to
766
to continue your journey.

646

For attempting to rescue the tigris, you have gained the following special ability:

Strength in numbers (mo)
: For each cart that was successfully destroyed (freeing its tigris captives), you may increase your damage score by 1 when attacking opponents
in the hunter’s camp.

(Special achievement: If you managed to destroy all four carts, turn to
697
). Otherwise, turn to
686
.

647

Cernos rocks back on his hooved feet, blood oozing from a myriad of wounds. With effort he raises his blackened face, lips curling back from his teeth. He sucks in a deep
breath, then looks about to speak . . .

But his words are silenced by a bright barrage of magic. Avian has his white staff pointed at the beast, his face cold and impassive as he sends wave after wave of magic spilling from his staff.
Cernos is slammed back against the stone door, pinned there by each successive blast.

Then the magic ceases, leaving a howl of pain echoing around the chamber.

The demon is left a smoking ruin. And yet – there is still life there, beating beneath the ravaged flesh. Pitifully, Cernos gropes for the iron casket, pulling it protectively towards his
chest.

‘What were you thinking, demon?’ demands Avian, advancing with his staff raised. ‘Tartarus was sealed by the dwarves. They feared what had been awoken by Barathar’s
magic. That place should stay in darkness . . .’

Cernos spits a stream of blood in answer, then drags himself back to his feet. ‘Too late, mage,’ he growls. ‘You’re too late.’

His free hand moves behind him. You notice a circular device carved into the stone – forming part of a central beam that partitions the door into two separate panels. Resting inside the
device is the key that Cernos retrieved from the Lamuri city. He twists it sharply, eliciting a dull click.

Suddenly the two panels of the door rattle aside, sliding into hidden wall cavities. The demon tugs the key loose, then backs through the open doorway. ‘This is my destiny . . .’ he
growls through broken lips. ‘I will have Ragnarok!’

The cavity where the key had once rested flickers with a pale light, then the door panels start to grind closed.

‘No!’ Virgil lurches into a sprint, loosing bullets from his pistols. Twin sprays of blood fountain from the demon’s chest. Then the stone panels meet with a thunderous boom
– and Cernos is lost from sight.

The witchfinder skids to a halt, glaring angrily at the circular panel. ‘He took the key!’

Avian joins him at the door, his eyes roving across the runed patterns. ‘These are powerful wards. I’m afraid I’ll need time.’

Virgil holsters his pistols with a sigh. ‘We’re not going anywhere.’ He tilts up the brim of his hat, revealing the hard planes of his narrow face. ‘Knock yourself
out.’

The mage proceeds to tap his staff against the different runes, observing the flashes of light that ripple from each point of contact. His constant head-shaking suggests that his examination is
not achieving the desired results.

You watch in quiet frustration. Since they arrived, neither Virgil or his staff-wielding companion have shown you a shred of interest. After all that you have been through in the jungle, you had
been expecting more of a hero’s welcome. Eventually, your anger boils over. Snatching up the metal ball, you call out for attention. ‘Hey! Does anyone remember me?’

Virgil turns his head, his gem-studded eye-patch catching the silver light. ‘This is not the time . . .’