### 255

You run through a maze of corridors and narrow passageways, up flights of stairs and across dingy halls and chambers. On several occasions you are forced to hide when a Vazhag patrol passes within a few feet, but your wits and your camouflage skills keep you safe and undetected.

At length you reach a pillared hall on the surface level where you hide from the patrols until the coast is clear. Daylight is streaming in through the hall door, and from where you are hiding you can see the keep and tower beyond. Your hopes rise when you notice that the keep is deserted and the drawbridge is still lowered, tempting you with a direct escape route out of Mogaruith.

Suddenly another bell tolls, adding to the persistent din of the alarm. It is coming from the tower and it signifies that the portcullis is being lowered.

If you wish to make a dash for the tower and escape across the drawbridge before the portcullis seals off this route, turn to 241.

If you decide to try and find some other way of escaping from Mogaruith, turn to 168.

Text copyright © 1990 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1990 Brian Williams.