The Heart of Fire (57 page)

Special abilities

If you manage to defeat this dwarven king, turn to
811
.

380

Congratulations! You have created the following item:

If you wish to create a different spell book, you can start the process again (turn to
850
). Otherwise, you may now leave the chamber and continue your journey. Turn
to
866
.

381

The queen ant has been defeated! Quickly, you set about destroying her eggs, putting an end to the bug infestation. You may now choose one of the following rewards:

With your mission complete, you leave the caves and return to Carvel. There, you deliver your report to the Church. It appears the goblins were simply fleeing their own caves, which had become
overrun by ant-men. With the threat eradicated, the woodsmen should now be able to return to their logging camp. The Church awards you 20 gold crowns for your bravery. (Return to the quest
map
to
continue your adventure.)

382

The stairs lead down into a small square room that reeks of sulphur and smoke. Shadows whirl and shift across the floor and walls, created by the huge-bladed fan whirring
slowly in the ceiling. At the opposite side of the room the rusted stairs continue down into a large workshop, where you can see various worktables and pieces of machinery. You are about to make
for it when you spot a metal trapdoor in the floor. You grab hold of the ring set into its centre and tug it open. The door panel comes off freely in your hand, revealing a hole swathed in
darkness. There is no sign of any stairs or a ladder to help you down.

If you have
a bottle of wisps
, then you may use their light to help you explore this hidden place (turn to
401
). Otherwise, you decide it would be unwise to
expose yourself to dangers you cannot see. You decide to explore the workshop instead (turn to
398
).

383

With the venomous Kaala defeated, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:

Prising open the serpent’s mouth, you tug one of its enormous fangs loose. You decide to take this as a trophy. (Make a note of Kaala’s fang on your hero sheet, it does not take up
backpack space.) If you have the glaive of souls equipped, turn to
430
. Otherwise, return to the quest
map
to continue your adventure.

384

‘Gaia is old spirit. Very powerful.’ Boom plants his staff at the edge of the swampy crater. ‘Watch roots. They are real danger.’

‘What roots?’ you ask, your head snapping around sharply.

‘Them . . .’

Suddenly, a geyser of mud erupts from the centre of the pool. You duck, covering your head as wet clumps of weed and dirt shower around you. Then something hard hits you in the stomach, driving
the wind from your lungs. It is accompanied by the unsettling sensation of wet, muddy limbs wrapping around your waist and legs. They grip with a strength like iron, dragging you forwards off your
feet. Desperately you try and grapple for a hand hold, but your fingers find only mud, gouging trenches as you are pulled into the swamp.

You twist around, concentrating on freeing your weapons. All around you the air is alive with whipping, snake-like roots. They are coming from the centre of the pool, where a giant toad-like
head has surfaced.

‘I start ritual. Stay calm. It’ll be all right.’ Boom Mamba places both hands on his staff and begins chanting.

‘Stay calm?’ you sputter angrily, wrestling to free yourself from the tangled roots.

Then the creature’s mouth yawns open, presenting an immense chasm of foul-stinking darkness. For one horrible moment you ponder your fate – being dragged down into those fathomless,
watery depths. Then fear gives you strength. You raise your weapons and begin hacking at the constricting roots, determined not to become this monster’s next meal. It is time to fight:

Special abilities

If you win a combat round against Gaia, you can choose to attack Gaia or the roots. Once Gaia is defeated, the combat is automatically won.

If you manage to defeat this fearsome elemental, turn to
516
. If you are defeated, you may return to
510
to choose a different foe to
battle.

385

You put your hands to the wheel and push. For the first few seconds you find yourself grunting with exertion, your boots sliding across the metal floor as you struggle to move
it. Then it gives a teeth-grating screech as it slowly begins to turn, grinding against the rust and grime that has gathered around the axle. After pushing it round a full turn, you hear a rumbling
coming from your left, followed by a loud clunk. Glancing around, you see that a glowing portal has now appeared against the north wall. It looks similar to the doorway that you used to escape from
the fire demon.

386

You follow Andos through an opulent-looking hall, into a small windowless backroom. Books and crates crowd in around a rickety writing desk and stool – and a single
sad-looking candle that provides the only source of light. From the reek of stagnant water and the various buckets and mops resting against the far wall, you suspect that the man has hired out the
mansion’s broom cupboard. Andos drops his books in an unceremonious heap on the floor, wincing as he rubs his aching shoulders.