The Captives of Kaag

The Captives of Kaag by Joe Dever Page A

Book: The Captives of Kaag by Joe Dever Read Free Book Online
Authors: Joe Dever
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, lone wolf, Magnamund
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tables line one wall, many stained with blood.
    You sense that Banedon is disturbed by the sight of these tables and, when you ask him what is wrong, he tells you that this chamber is where the Nadziranim subjected him to hours of brutal interrogation in a futile attempt to extract the magical secrets of the Brotherhood.
    Despite all their fiendish tortures, he says, his mind-voice weak yet full of pride, they learned nothing.
    You search for a way out of this vault and soon discover a steel door which is secured by a curious combination lock. It comprises three raised blocks, each block divided into four equal squares. In each square, bar one, there is a number. You ask Banedon if he knows how the lock operates and he recalls once seeing a Nadziran tapping the empty square several times in order to make the door open.
    Consider the following grids of numbers. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the entry that bears the same number as your answer. 12

    If your answer is incorrect, or if you cannot solve the puzzle, turn to 154 .
    [12] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.

221
    Your Arrow strikes the creature's head and gouges out a skull-deep furrow of skin and muscle before arcing away into the air. The beast shrieks with the agony of the wound and skids to a halt, twisting its head violently from side to side in a futile attempt to rid itself of the terrible pain. The wound has slowed the beast but not stopped it and, with revenge stark in its eyes, it resumes the attack.
    Cursing its tenacity, you shoulder your Bow and unsheathe your weapon in readiness for a fight to the death.
    Gnagusk: COMBAT SKILL  41    ENDURANCE  45
    If you win this combat, turn to 247 .

224
    Intrigued by the squealing, you approach the door cautiously and place your eye to the spy-hole. Your fears soon melt away when you see two ragged-eared rats in a corridor beyond, fighting over a meaty bone. You chuckle as the smaller of the two unexpectedly wins the dispute and proudly drags away his prize. Your eyes follow the rat as it disappears towards a distant hallway where you spy something else that makes your pulse quicken in anticipation.

    Using your Magnakai skills to magnify your vision, you see a pair of massive doors at the far side of the thoroughfare, guarded by two warriors clad in polished silver armour. A steady traffic of Drakkarim and Giaks passes to and fro before the doors, but none enter. You judge the hall to be over a hundred yards away, but even at this distance you can sense a great power is being contained behind the doors.
    After a short while the traffic in the hallway subsides. Then two wispy, ghost-like figures glide into view, each clad in shimmering semi-transparent robes, and at once you recognize them to be Nadziranim — masters of evil magic. The guards step aside and, as the great doors part to allow the sorcerers entry, a flood of blinding purplish light pours from out of the room beyond. Suddenly your senses tingle with a premonition that your friend Banedon is close at hand. Convinced that you will find him somewhere beyond the doors, you resolve to gain entry as quickly as you can, but if you are to get past the two guards you must first create a diversion.
    If you wish to start a fire in this store room in order to lure the guards away, turn to 268 .
    If you wish to put on a Drakkarim uniform (which lies discarded on the floor nearby) and then attempt to bluff your way past the guards, turn to 70 .

225
    At once you sense that the ghoulish creature has infected you with a virulent virus, which passed into your body the moment it scratched your face. Hurriedly you draw on the healing power of your Grand Master Discipline and cause an army of antibodies to be released into your bloodstream to counter the insidious virus. You feel your temperature rise as the antibodies battle to clear your blood and, within a few

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