Read The Masters of Darkness Online
Authors: Joe Dever
Tags: #Fiction, #Fantasy, #Lone Wolf, #Magnamund
The Masters of Darkness (25 page)
You twist aside and the arrow thuds harmlessly into the deck. The archer bares his teeth as he reaches for another arrow, but before he can fire again, his aim is spoiled by two of his comrades, who rush forward to hack at you with axe and sword. Davan protects your back, holding off the marines who are attempting to climb the stairs. You evade the first blows of your enemies, sidestepping a lunge and ducking a wild swipe, and then strike back with deadly speed and unerring accuracy. Both scream and fall simultaneously, dying with a look of surprise fixed on their cruel faces.
The creatures on the ramp, whom the Giaks were overseeing, pay no attention whatsoever to the deaths of their guards. Mechanically they continue their toil as if incapable of any other function. Quickly you check the bodies for anything of use, and discover the following items:
- 3 Swords
- Dagger
- Pipe
- 40 Kika (equivalent to 4 Gold Crowns)
- Whip (Backpack Item)
If you decide to keep any of these items, remember to amend your
Action Chart
accordingly.
As you stare at the ruins, a strange feeling of unease engulfs your body; at the same time a nervous energy makes your skin tingle and fills your mind with disturbing images. Your highly developed mind skills are sensitive to the psychic residues of events that took place here two thousand years ago.
This land once belonged to a colony of creatures called the Nebora, a sentient race of winged men who evolved during the Golden Age of the Shianti. The city of Neboran, the core of their civilization, was located here on what was once a rich and fertile coastal plain. The demise of the Shianti heralded the rise of the Darklords in Northern Magnamund, and the beginning of the War of Desecration in which the Nebora, and many other races, were exterminated. This ruined tower is all that remains of the wondrous city of Neboran where, in the year MS 3250, the entire Nebora race were trapped and slaughtered by the Darklords of Helgedad.
Quickly you draw an Arrow from your Quiver and set its notch to your bowstring. The light of the fireball explosion has long since faded and in the gloom you find it difficult to pinpoint your target with great accuracy.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
and add any missile bonuses to which you are entitled. If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery and have reached the Kai rank of Archmaster, add an additional 3 points to your total.
If your total is now 0–4,
turn to 25
.
If it is 5–9,
turn to 193
.
If it is 10 or more,
turn to 287
.
The night wind is blowing in your favour and Captain Borse is keen to put to sea without delay. He has ordered the crew to run up every foot of canvas the masts of the
Intrepid
will bear, so that she will approach the Darklord warships that blockade the coast at full speed. With luck, she will slip through their line before they have a chance to close formation. It is a bold plan, but the captain and his crew have run the blockade more than a dozen times in the past year and they are confident that tonight they will also be successful.
Guided by the stars and the distant glimmer of the moonlit shore, the
Intrepid
makes rapid headway through the waters of the Toran Gulf. As it nears the open sea, you decide to offer your services as a lookout and go in search of Captain Borse. You find him on the forecastle deck with a group of keen-eyed Kirlundin marines, who are scanning the blackness for some sign of the enemy.
If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery and have reached the rank of Archmaster,
turn to 47
.
If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training,
turn to 256
.
With trepidation, you peer through the thick and grimy glass of a hull porthole and gaze upon the awesome spectacle that is Helgedad. Perched upon an isle of granite at the centre of a vast, fiery chasm stands the mighty city-fortress, the very core of a cancer that threatens to infect and destroy all that is good in Magnamund. Great walls of black steel encircle it, giving rise to a thousand spiky towers and turrets which harbour the masters and the minions of darkness. Above the city hovers a seething pall of black smoke that keeps it forever in shadow. Fed by the fumes from the volcanic craters of the Naogizaga, this cloud is made all the more noisome by the foul discharges of the Nadziranim laboratories, the weapon furnaces, and the hellish breeding pits at the base of the chasm.
Irregularly the darkness is lit by fireballs that seem to form spontaneously among the black vapours. They spin and soar above the city like demonic meteors, before exploding or simply melting away in a rain of sparks. A bridge of twisted black steel joins Helgedad to the wastelands beyond, and as the Lajakeka slowly grinds its way across this span, you look down into the fiery depths of the Nengud-kor-Adez, the Lake of Blood, and your courage quails at the terrible sight that meets your gaze.
The tide is carrying you towards a long, grey cliff line, made ominous by the flickering glow of burning battle debris. A flock of ugly black birds circle overhead. They dive repeatedly to retrieve carrion, and then soar away to their nests in the cliff wall. Two of the evil-looking creatures swoop down on you, mistaking your still form for a ready feast, and attempt to tear the skin from your face with their razor-sharp beaks.
If you possess the Magnakai Discipline of Animal Control and have reached the Kai rank of Primate or higher,
turn to 207
.
If you do not possess this skill or have yet to reach this level of Magnakai training, you can attempt to defend yourself with a Bow:
turn to 49
.
Or you can fend them off with a hand weapon:
turn to 337
.
You follow a cobblestoned alleyway and soon arrive at a large square, flanked to the north, south, and west by warehouses, yet dominated by a smaller building on the east side. Its granite walls are festooned with black flags bearing the emblem of a silver ship and fiery sword, and atop its flat roof there sits a huge, winged creature with mottled grey skin — an Imperial Zlanbeast. You watch with grim fascination as the beast feeds from a pile of horse carcasses stacked beside its perch. Then a daring thought comes to mind. If you could reach the roof of the building and steal the Zlanbeast, it would be possible to reach Aarnak by air in a matter of hours, rather than the days it would take by land or sea.
After riding once around the building to assess its defences, you leave your horse tethered to a rail near a side entrance and approach the only door that appears to be unguarded. It is locked, but the crude bolt that secures it proves no match for your basic Kai skill of Mind Over Matter. The bolt clicks back, the door swings open, and you enter the building unseen.
Drawing on your considerable psychic powers, you raise a shield to deflect the energies that are assaulting your mind. Taktaal shrieks with anger and surprise as he senses that you are not what you appear to be. He has seen through your disguise and your true identity shocks him to the core.
For the following two days and nights the
Intrepid
remains a prisoner of the windless fog. Davan and his crewmen work tirelessly to repair the ship, and come the morning of the third day, when a gentle breeze arises with the dawn, the mainmast is secure and the sails are patched and ready to carry the ship onward. With the port side still holed and storms a constant threat in the open reaches of the Kaltersee, it has been decided that the safest course to steer is towards the coast. Then, should a sudden squall threaten, or a gale arise, the ship could run to shelter in one of the hundreds of coves that indent the rugged shore east of Point Vashna. However, to sail along this stretch of coastline is to risk hazards that could prove as dangerous as any storm. Darkland ironclads, unstable in high seas, favour the coast when venturing to and from their base at Argazad, and the cliffs and shores themselves are peppered with watchtowers and Giak encampments.
By early afternoon the fog has cleared and the
Intrepid
is making good headway through the cold, sparkling waves. League after glittering league fall away to the stern until, an hour or two before sunset, the lookout catches sight of the coast. ‘Land ahoy!’ he calls. ‘Land afore the bow!’ The crew are cheered by the news, feeling safer now that they are within sight of land, but their spirits are soon dampened when the lookout calls out again, this time in alarm. ‘Enemy off the starboard bow!’
Without the magical protection afforded you by the Golden Amulet, you soon succumb to the hellish temperatures and poisonous atmosphere of Helgedad. As your skin begins to blister and your lungs become paralysed, you fight desperately to hold on to life, but it is a fight you cannot hope to win.
Tragically, your life and your mission end here, beneath the streets of Helgedad.
Your lightning reactions save you from being hit by the heavy boom but you cannot avoid the burning canvas. In a matter of seconds you are completely engulfed in an envelope of fire and smoke. Instinctively, you fight to free yourself, and then suddenly you realize that your clothes are unaffected by the blaze, and that the tongues of fire licking your hands and face cause you no pain whatsoever. Without haste or urgency you cast aside the blazing sailcloth and emerge completely unscathed.
The winged reptilian tries its best to prevent you from climbing onto its back. It lunges with its beak and you suffer several painful wounds before finally managing to subdue it to your will: lose 4
ENDURANCE
points.
Once the creature accepts you as its new master, it becomes totally obedient to your commands. You settle back in the comfortable saddle, and then pull on the great gem-encrusted reins and urge it skywards. The roof of Kraagenskûl's headquarters, and then Argazad itself, fall away at a breathtaking speed as the creature climbs into the night sky. High above the ironclad fleet, you turn the Zlanbeast towards the west and begin your flight to Aarnak.
A great cloud of dust and debris billows from the gaping hole, and as it slowly begins to clear, you see that most of the enemy warriors have been swallowed up by the collapsing deck. Beyond the hole you glimpse Davan, with a handful of the crew, defending the stern deck against an attacking swarm of Drakkarim, who outnumber them by at least two to one. Then you realize the enemy plan: if they can capture the helm they will be able to steer the
Intrepid
towards the coast and beach her in the shallows.
Quickly you climb into the rigging and swing across to the stern deck by means of a trailing rope. Davan sees you and gives a cheer as you jump from the rope and land among the enemy. You unsheathe your weapon and begin cleaving a path towards your beleaguered allies, who shout encouragement as you draw nearer. ‘For Sommerlund!’ you cry, and they take up your battle call. Then Davan's voice rings above the noise of battle: It is a cry of warning — ‘Archer above you!’
You glance upwards and a cold spike of fear stabs your heart. Staring down at you is the gloating face of a Drakkar. He holds a bow in his hands, and prepares to fire an arrow at your head. He mouths a curse, and then lets fly his deadly shaft.
Pick a number from the
Random Number Table
. If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Huntmastery, add 2 to the number you have picked. If you have completed the Lore-circle of the Spirit, add 3 to the number.
If your total is now 0–3,
turn to 122
If it is 4–7,
turn to 53
.
If it is 8 or more,
turn to 321
.
The Giak groans and clutches at his wounds as he staggers backwards and crashes down upon the barrels and cases. Curious to discover what they are transporting, you roll his body aside, prise open the largest crate, and rummage through the contents. It is filled with Giak and Drakkarim uniforms, enough to dress a hundred troops. The other cases contain an assortment of weapons and other military equipment, and the barrels are full of a wine too foul to even think of tasting. Then an idea springs to mind, an idea that could make your passage through the Darklands much easier and greatly increase the chances for your mission's success.
