6

‘Calm yourselves, my brothers. It is he—it is the Kai Lord.’

Slowly, as the startled old men regain their composure, their shocked expressions change to ones of awe and reverence.

‘I am Gwynian,’ says their leader. ‘We have been expecting your arrival.’ He points to the charts that cover the table and to a massive telescope that is fixed to a platform in the domed ceiling.

‘The stars divine the shape of things to come—they are our advisors. We know of your quest for the Lorestone. We know that it is the true quest and we pledge our help, but there are many of our brethren who fear its power. They choose to ignore the wisdom of the stars and they have pledged themselves to a foolish and dangerous vow to keep hidden the location of the Lorestone and to kill all who seek it, for fear they would use it for their own ends.’

Suddenly, his words are cut short by the beating of fists against the observatory door: your horse has been discovered.

‘Give him to us!’ shouts a chorus of angry voices.

‘Quickly, we must leave,’ says Gwynian, and he ushers you into a smaller room. A hidden catch is pulled, and a secret panel opens to reveal a passage. As you follow the sage and his companions into the darkness, you hear the door to the observatory splinter and break.

Turn to 158.