### 238

You escape from the combat and sprint along the opposite passage, but the enemy gives chase, and the crunch of iron-shod boots echoes in your ears. You race down a stairway, through an arch of silver and along a balcony overlooking the lower palace.

You glimpse the silhouette of Darklord Haakon in the hall below, his spiked fist raised. A Drakkar appears from nowhere and leaps at you, his sword raised high above his skull-like helm. There is a deafening crack, and a bolt of blue lightning streaks from a stone in the Darklord's hand and hurtles towards you. The Drakkar lunges and wounds your forearm (you lose 1 ENDURANCE point), but he is now standing in the path of the bolt. In a flash of light, the Drakkar is gone; only cinders and the rotten odour of scorched flesh remain.

At the end of the balcony you see another arch and a staircase.

If you wish to escape through the arch, turn to 381.

If you wish to escape by the stairs, turn to 317.

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