Free The Dungeons of Torgar by Joe Dever Page B

unprotected throat.
    Illustration XI —The Taintor Wolf howls as it anticipates sinking its great yellow fangs into your unprotected throat.
    Taintor Wolf: COMBAT SKILL  27    ENDURANCE  49
    If you win and the fight lasts for four rounds or less, turn to 202 .
    If the fight lasts longer than four rounds, do not continue but instead turn to 234 .

188
    Mustering your strength and your psychic defences, you concentrate on repelling Roark's attack. Immediately, the icy chill that threatens to freeze your heart begins to thaw, and you feel warmth flowing along your arm towards the iron amulet clenched in your fist. Suddenly Roark screams with pain and collapses — he has fallen victim to his own attack. You have reversed the flow of energy and stopped his heart.
    Using this energy, you turn to confront Tagazin. He shudders as your psychic commands rob him of his supernatural strength. His body becomes pale, almost transparent, and wisps of smoke curl from his skin as if his body were slowly evaporating. He retreats towards the centre of the temple and leaps onto the marble block. There is a chilling howl and suddenly the shadowy chamber is flooded with blinding light. Thunder booms and the walls shake. Terrified, Roark's followers flee through the shattered doors and scramble up the stairs. Crackling bolts of white lightning leap from the block to tear chunks of rock from the temple walls, and the air seethes with a cloying stench that threatens to suffocate you. With terror in your heart you bound up the steps and escape as the defeated spirit of the Demonlord vents its spite in the chamber below.
    Turn to 341 .

189
    ‘Naog daka!’ snarls a voice in the corridor behind. You spin round to see two Drakkarim warriors, both armed with loaded crossbows. Slowly you let your hand drift towards your weapon but your move does not go unnoticed. Suddenly a starburst of pain explodes in your head and darkness washes over your vision as you are slammed back against the door by the force of the bolt which has penetrated your skull. Death is instantaneous.
    Your life and your quest end here.

191
    Your Kai Mastery alerts you to a deadly danger. The boat is being held from beneath by a group of amphibian creatures who intend to launch a surprise attack. You warn Jarel of what you sense and quietly you both unsheathe your weapons in readiness to receive their attack.
    Turn to 245 .

193
    ‘Impostor!’ bellows the captain, and lunges forward to grab you by the throat. But you sidestep his attack deftly and strike a blow to his temple with the heel of your palm that renders him unconscious in an instant.
    ‘Fire!’ shouts a bull-necked Pirsian, and you throw yourself to the ground. A deafening roar reverberates through the town as the men discharge their unwieldy pistols, but the lead shot passes harmlessly over your head and buries itself in the tavern door. The noise stirs a hornets' nest of activity as the townsfolk arm themselves and rush into the street to investigate the commotion. The situation looks desperate, but you can see a chance to escape and you take it. The pistols created a huge cloud of white smoke and under cover of this acrid cloud you scurry down an alley beside the log tavern and leap headlong into the foliage and trees beyond.
    With the angry shouts of the villagers rippling through the forest, you curse your ill luck as you escape into the darkness.
    Turn to 250 .

195
    You see the wolf cringe as your Arrow sinks feather-deep into its throat. It opens its great jaw but no howl escapes from its frightful, fang-filled mouth as it crashes nose-first into the soft forest earth, somersaults, and rolls limply to a halt at your feet.
    Turn to 202 .

196
    As each rod is broken its beam disappears and the fireball grows weaker. The golden light of the Lorestones begins to radiate through the evil green flames, and when Paido has destroyed half the rods, one of them tips and falls into your waiting hands. Immediately, a