333

You exit this chamber by the archway and discover yet another flight of stairs awaiting you. At first you bemoan the thought of another long and weary climb, but then you detect something which quickly changes your mind. You can smell clean, fresh air descending this stairwell.

You hurry up the stairs, spurred on by the wintry chill which grows steadily colder as you ascend. You count one hundred steps before you arrive at a small chamber which is heaped with rubble. Its only door is blocked by debris and huge slabs of shattered marble, making an immediate exit impossible. But it is not the door which commands your attention; it is a narrow circular shaft which is set into the middle of the ceiling. It is the source of the cold, wintry draught.

Expectantly, you step closer and investigate this shaft. For the most part it is dark, but you can see glimmers of grey daylight far above, and you can hear the whistling of the wind. But you can also hear another sound, one that is quite unexpected. It is a buzzing, insectile noise. You focus upon the darkness and suddenly you see that the noise comes from nests of winged insects which are fixed along the inside of the shaft.

If you possess Grand Pathsmanship and have reached the rank of Sun Knight, turn to 240.

If you do not possess this Discipline, or if you have yet to reach this level of Kai rank, turn to 281.