### 80

'In the name of the gods, what's happened here?' thunders the captain as he hurries down the tap-room stairs. A crowd of passengers huddle in his wake, frightened but curious to discover the outcome of the fight that has devastated the hold. 'I'll see you pay for this,' he blusters. 'It'll cost hundreds of Lune to fix this damage. Pay up now or I'll take it out of your hides!'

Paido snatches the cloth from a nearby table and scoops up the head of Kezoor, wrapping and tying it tightly with cord. He tosses this gruesome package to the captain, together with the notice of death that lies beside Trost's scorched body. 'That'll pay for the damage, captain,' says Paido, 'and be sure that the balance goes to the family of this brave soldier or we'll take it out of your hide!'

As the captain reads the scroll a wry grin spreads slowly across his weather-worn face. 'So, Kezoor met his doom aboard my barge,' he says, thoughtfully. 'Maybe I'll leave the hold just as it is. There's plenty o' folk who'd pay to see the place where this rogue ended his days.'

The captain orders his crew to prepare the corpses for burial, and as the bargees carry away Kezoor's remains, you notice his black book lying on the floor.

If you have the Magnakai Discipline of Divination and have reached the rank of Tutelary, turn to 179.

If you wish to examine the book, turn to 312.

If you wish to leave it untouched, turn to 255.

Text copyright © 1987 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1987 Gary Chalk.