### 294

You see the young magician lower his staff, a trace of a smile on his pain-racked face.

'Alas, I was too slow to shield myself,' he says wryly, as you kneel at his side and free the spear that pins him to the floor. The wound is serious, and you hastily staunch that bleeding with strips of cloth from his dark blue robes.

The wizard then introduces himself. 'I am Banedon, Journeymaster to the Guild of the Crystal Star,' he says, his voice weak and shaky. 'However, you need not introduce yourself, Lone Wolf, for only you would attract such company this far from home.' He glances at the Kraan-riders swooping past the sky-ship on every side. 'Help me to my feet--we must escape before they drag us from the sky.'

You support the wizard as he grasps the ship's helm--a radiant crystal sphere with hundreds of glowing facets set upon a slim silver rod.

No sooner has his hand closed around the crystal than there is a tremendous explosion.

Turn to 323.

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