Trail of the Wolf by Joe Dever Page A

do everything in your power to prevent them from reaching the roof if you are to have any hope of escaping from Gazad Helkona alive.
    Turn to 220 .

138
    Your advanced powers of healing enable you to quickly overcome the venom that is coursing through your veins. You are able to neutralize the powerful toxins (deduct 2 ENDURANCE points from your current total) and reduce the swelling at the site of the wound.
    To continue, turn to 330 .

140
    Torn and bleeding, you struggle to your feet and gasp with disbelief when you see the possessed body of Xaol standing before you. An unholy fire blazes in the eyes of the dead necromancer as his corpse begins to move across the hall with unnatural speed. You pray to the Goddess Ishir for her protection as this ghastly zombie leaps upon you and attempts to fix its corpse-cold hands around your throat.
    Xaol Zombie
(possessed by Zorkaan)
: COMBAT SKILL  55    ENDURANCE  43
    This possessed creature is immune to psychic attack. If your Kai Weapon is ‘Alema’ or ‘Valiance’, you may add the appropriate bonus gained through their unique properties. You may reduce the total damage inflicted upon you by 5 ENDURANCE points due to the protection you gain from wearing the Platinum Amulet. However, unless you possess the Discipline of Kai-screen, you must reduce your COMBAT SKILL by 3 for the duration of this combat.
    Conduct this combat in the normal way for three rounds only. If you survive these initial rounds, you may continue by turning to 260 .

143
    You fight with such ice-cool nerve and deadly precision that the few Drakkarim who survive the combat immediately break and flee, convinced that they face an immortal warrior. As you watch them scrambling headlong down the stairs, a sudden shriek echoes across the observatory platform, making you glance over your shoulder in fearful anticipation.
    Turn to 264 .

146
    Silently you recite the words of the Brotherhood Spell Mind Charm and focus the power of this spell at the seated Krorn. You command the creature to put down its bowl of gruel and lie upon the floor. It complies with your orders, and when you command it further to go to sleep, it curls up into a ball and begins to snore softly.
    Having rendered the tower lookout unconscious, you squeeze through the arrow slit and jump down into the chamber unopposed.
    Turn to 101 .

147
    By the use of your mastery of Grand Nexus, you are able to unlock this door with ease. You twist its steel handle and the door swings open silently. As you step through into the hall beyond, it closes behind you with a dull boom.
    Turn to 300 .

149
    You draw upon your improved Kai Mastery in order to conjure a mist in the hall beyond. Moments later, you hear the bandits cry out in shocked surprise as inexplicably their chamber begins to fill with a dense white fog. Then the iron door opens and the bandits stagger out of the billowing mist, coughing and gasping for air. Stealthily you slip past them and enter the hall. Guided by your infravision, you hurry across this chamber and enter the clearer air of the tunnel which leads to the citadel bridge.
    To continue, turn to 55 .

154
    Despite your precautions, your cloak suddenly bursts into flames and you are forced to retreat from the edge of the fissure before you can put them out. You quickly smother the flames and suffer no injuries, but you are convinced that it is impossible for you to gain entry to the fortress by this route. Reluctantly, you return across the killing zone to the edge of the petrified forest.
    You are feeling disheartened by your unsuccessful attempt to enter the fortress, but you do not allow your disappointment to weaken your determination to complete your vital mission. After resting for a few minutes, you resolve to enter Gazad Helkona by other means.
    Before you make your second attempt to enter Xaol's stronghold, you must now eat a Meal or lose 3 ENDURANCE points (unless you possess the Discipline of Grand Huntmastery).
    To