Free The Heart of Fire by Michael J. Ward

conversation. He is muttering to himself, wringing his hands together as if trying to rid them of
something unclean.
     
Will you:
Ask what happened to the wagon? — 274
Ask what is in the wagon? — 223
Ask where they are travelling to? — 178
Ask if you can help? — 141
    43
    ‘You’re no fun, no fun at all!’ squeals the child. You hear angry thumping sounds, reverberating along the metal walls. You can almost imagine the child
beating his fists in some juvenile frenzy. Then there is a grating squeal, coming from behind you. You spin around, to see one of the wall panels sliding open to reveal a glowing doorway.
    ‘An exit at last . . .’ you sigh with relief.
    You step through. There is a bright flash of white light, accompanied by the dizzying sensation of movement, then you find yourself stumbling out into a small square room. A quick scan of your
surroundings confirms you are back where you started, with the trapdoor opening in the floor ahead of you. You step around it, eager now to explore the noisy workshop below. Turn to 398 .
     

 
     
    44
    With the pillars destroyed, the stone giants are weakened – making it easy for you to smash through their rock armour and extinguish whatever dark magic had once given
them life. You may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
     
    Charged breastplate
Rock fist
Stone spike
(chest)
(left hand: fist weapon)
(main hand: dagger)
+1 brawn +1 armour
+1 speed +1 magic
+2 brawn
Ability: lightning
Ability: surge
Ability: critical strike
(requirement: mage)
(requirement: rogue)
     
    If you have the word
Wiccan
on your hero sheet, turn to 354 . Otherwise, turn to 400 .
    45
    The priest reins in his horse in a flurry of mud and water. ‘You!’ he sneers, raising his staff. ‘At last, the One God delivers you to me.’ A white fire
leaps along the length of the staff, mirroring the fire that burns in his fanatical eyes. ‘The bishop died because of you. And now you will pay!’
    If you have the word
papal
on your hero sheet, turn to 282 . Otherwise, turn to 315 .
    46
    You emerge in a small square room made from riveted plates of iron. It is devoid of any furnishing or decoration, save for a giant metal wheel set into the floor. Your feet
clang noisily on the metal panels as you step closer to examine it. The wheel is reminiscent of those you might find on a ship, with a series of spokes radiating out from a centre point, each one
ending in a wooden handle. You assume that the wheel is meant to be turned – but for what reason, you cannotfathom. There does not appear to be any exit from the room, other than the door
you used to enter.
     
Will you:
Turn the wheel clockwise? — 385
Turn the wheel anti-clockwise? — 320
    47
    It is difficult to get a sense of your surroundings, as the tight press of bodies and the hazy clouds of pipeweed obscure much of the cramped taproom. From somewhere to your
left you hear drums and flutes, and an orator retelling a story about Saint Allam. Onlookers are clapping along to the rhythm, offering occasional hoots or boos at opportune moments in the
story.
    You head for the bar, passing a group of bedraggled travellers who are gathered in a corner. They look pale and shaken, their clothes grime-stained and weather-beaten. They are recounting their
own story in hushed tones to a smaller gathering, who are all listening intently.
    At the bar, a plump woman is serving drinks to the clamouring patrons. She is laughing and joking along with their banter as she hands over frothing mugs of ale. As you near, you realise that it
is her face that adorns the sign outside the tavern.
     
Will you:
Speak to the tavern keeper? — 52
Join the travellers? — 63
Listen to the orator? — 75
Leave and return to lower town? — 36
    48
    You make short work of the headless horseman, while Eldias gives the skull a firm kick, punting it over the nearest building.
    ‘And good riddance,’ he growls.
    You find 10 gold crowns and may now help