### 150

You must eat a Meal now or lose 3 ENDURANCE points. Time passes and soon you lose track of the passing hours in the pitch dark. You curse your ill-fortune, thinking that you will have to use the power of your Staff to blast a way out of your prison, but you are feeling weak and still you have to reach Desolation Valley, which is bound to hold other dangers for you. You are roused from this moody reflection by the sound of shouting voices and the noise of a struggle from above. Suddenly, the door of your prison is thrown open. Looking down on you is the broad smiling figure of Samu, bloodied broadsword in hand. 'But how . . .?' stutters Hugi.

'The river carried me way downstream before I was able to resist its current,' says Samu. 'I've been looking all over for you. Fortunately, I was nearby when you were captured. I saw them bring you down into this crypt.' He turns and slashes at a wretch who is trying to drag him away from the door. The wretch is swatted like a fly and Samu turns back to face you. 'Come now. We must hurry.'

He pulls you out, each in turn, stopping to deliver a kick at two wretches who block the doorway from the crypt. 'This way,' he says, indicating a narrow passage that leads upwards. 'These creatures seem reluctant to travel this passage. They will not follow us, I think.' You run along the passage as fast as you can with Samu protecting the rear. At the end of the passage is a heavy door. Urik swings it open and charges through.

Turn to 26.

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