### 3

You climb the barricade and shout the order: 'Draw bows!' And, as the enemy shield-wall closes fast in a deadly race to beat your archers, 'Fire!'

Their shields of cured skin and wood are no defence against the hail of death that tears into their ranks. The whole line seems to pause and sway; great gaps appear and spearmen fall in heaps on the field. Few escape being injured.

You sense a turn in the tide of battle. The enemy are pulling away from the barricades by the score, carrying their wounded on their backs and on their upturned shields.

You jump from the wall and race back towards the watchtower where Captain D'Val is still embroiled in a bitter struggle against the bandit horsemen. You are about to leap over the body of a dead bandit warrior when he suddenly comes to life and lashes out at your legs with a mace. He was only feigning death and his surprise attack has knocked you to the ground. You lose 1 ENDURANCE point.

Turn to 62.

Text copyright © 1985 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1985 Gary Chalk.