### 127

You step warily into the glimmering column of light and immediately feel yourself begin to rise. Bands of darkness flick past with growing rapidity, each one marking a passing level of this mountainous citadel. Then you feel yourself slowing to a halt. The column fades and you find yourself standing on a metal dais in the centre of a domed chamber. Ahead you see a great door, forged of Kagonite, and beside it there is a narrow staircase leading downwards.

As you approach the door, you notice the lock which secures it. It is inlaid with a series of numbers and, at once, you recognize that they are component parts of a combination lock. One number in the sequence is missing. By tapping the correct number upon the blank square, you will cause the lock to disengage.

Study the following sequence of numbers carefully. When you think you know what the missing number is, turn to the page that is identical to your answer.8

If you guess incorrectly, or if you cannot answer the puzzle, turn instead to 43.

[8] The section corresponding to the correct answer will have a footnote confirming that it is indeed correct.

Text copyright © 1991 Joe Dever.
Illustrations copyright © 1991 Brian Williams.