280

‘Come, Grand Master. You’re going home,’ she says, and she takes you by the hand and leads you to the middle of the banquet hall, to a place directly opposite the great fireplace. ‘But first we must make preparations for the journey.’

Alyss then proceeds to tell you to use your advanced Kai Mastery to mask the goodly aura that radiates naturally from your mind and body. When you have done as she requests, she touches the Platinum Amulet which you wear around your neck and smiles.

‘Good, good,’ she enthuses, ‘this bauble will take care of the rest.’

She then takes a piece of limestone from her pocket and proceeds to draw a pentagram on the floor of the hall. She has half completed the complicated design when suddenly she becomes agitated.

‘Must hurry,’ she mumbles, ‘must, must hurry.’

Suddenly the fire in the hearth flares brightly. The flames begin to grow and whirl and slowly change colour.

‘It’s no good!’ cries Alyss, tearful with frustration. Angrily she casts her chunk of crumbling limestone at the roaring flames and then leaps to her feet and comes rushing to your side. ‘It’s too late!’ she screams, her voice now barely audible above the unnatural crackling of the fire. ‘Naar is summoning his champion!’

Pick a number from the Random Number Table.

If the number you have picked is 0–4, turn to 273.

If it is 5–9, turn to 67.