220

The piles of building materials and the partially-finished dwellings which surround the base of the main temple make it easy for you to approach this edifice without being seen. Your Kai senses confirm that this grand construction is the lair of Huan’zhor, the master of this fiery domain, and they also confirm that the evil Dragonlord is not in residence. You skirt around the base of the temple until you locate an entrance which is guarded by two armoured reptilians. Using your Magnakai skills you lure these guards away from their posts just long enough for you to gain entry. Once inside, you discover that at ground level the temple comprises just one large chamber which is supported by a single central pillar that runs through the middle of the building. A circular stair winds around the outside of this pillar, giving access to the levels above. Cautiously you ascend the stairs and pass through four levels, all empty. The higher you climb, the hotter it becomes until, when you reach the uppermost tier of the temple, only your Platinum Amulet saves you from being roasted alive. In the roof of this narrow circular chamber you discover an open trapdoor through which you can see a mass of flickering orange flames. You sense that it is the base of the nest of fire, the location, as told in the Tome of Darkness, of the Scarab of the Wingless Dragon, the artefact that can secure your escape from this domain. With bated breath you climb the scorched steps which lead to the open trapdoor in the base of the nest of fire, but as you draw closer, your Sixth Sense warns you that the opening is not all it seems. It is protected by an invisible shield of magical energy.

If you possess a Blue Diamond, turn to 295.

If you do not possess this Special Item, turn to 239.