62

You wait at the corner, relying upon your keen senses for your cue to attack. When you judge the footfalls and the rasping breaths of the Vazhag to be within an oar’s length of the corner, you leap out and confront them, striking at the leading rat-man with your weapon. The beast’s rib cage cracks under the blow, and its four companions freeze with shock as its body collapses dead at their feet. Before they snap out of their trauma, you cut your way through their ranks and escape along the passageway.

The tunnel continues eastwards for several miles and, with the exception of an occasional Vazhag sentry, whom you deal with swiftly, it is virtually deserted. At length you arrive at the entrance to another hall, smaller than the lava-cavern but equally as crowded. Daylight streams into this hall through a large archway guarded by armoured Vazhag, and pairs of horny-skinned war-dogs which they hold on the leash. Beyond the archway you can see a track that disappears towards a distant ridge of hills.

Your sudden appearance galvanizes the guards into action. They squeal attack commands at their brutish dogs and let loose their straining leashes. With a fearful howling, the war-dogs bound forward and together they leap for your throat.

If you possess the Discipline of Animal Mastery, turn to 209.

If you do not, turn to 100.