### 271

You decide to look for aid on the elemental plane. You drift into a trance and begin to chant, meditating on your need and hoping that the elemental spirits will understand the nature of your predicament. The chant over, you wait. At first, all is quiet and you fear that you have failed. Then a rumbling noise echoes below your feet, and a shuddering tremor makes you stumble.

'Stand by the wall, away from the centre of the cell,' you warn Shan. A large crack appears in the ground, widening to a great hole as the head and shoulders of an Earth Giant smash through the floor. You view the gnarled features of the elemental and his rough, mottled skin of clay with fear and apprehension. Earth Giants are the most stupid of elementals, and you doubt if this one will be able to understand fully your needs.

'Escape?' says the Earth Giant, in a stony voice.

'Yes . . . escape,' you say eagerly.

'Tunnel. Wizard follow . . . earth is safe . . . no danger . . . come.' The vast head disappears, leaving a great chasm in the ground.

'Quickly Shan, follow me,' you say, jumping into the open ground. Shan jumps into the darkness behind you, and you follow the Earth Giant as it burrows a tunnel, pushing with its great shoulders and clawing at the dirt.

Turn to 273.

Concept copyright © 1985 Joe Dever and Gary Chalk.
Text copyright © 1985 Ian Page.