I was back in the dungeons - in the marble and serpentine level, from appearances. My spirits sank. But I was alive, I told myself. There was still hope. 1. I had no time for rest or recovery. Not while the sand in the hourglass continued to drain away my future and that of my Princess. I found that the path west was a dead end, so I jumped across to the east and headed in that direction. 2. Immediately I came to another guard. I forced him back into the blade trap behind him. He died horribly,cut in half by the deadly teeth. 3. As I ran through the smoky hallway, I felt the floor give way, but I was long past it before I heard the stones crash below. I continued east. 4. I found myself at a dead end, but a loose ceiling stone fell at my prodding and I climbed up the gap it revealed. 5. I passed another blade trap and proceeded east. 6. Another guard accosted me. He was thin and wore a long mustache. He seemed sure of himself, but I handled him, though I was forced to parry several well-placed blows. With him lying on the cold stone behind me, I continued to the east. 7. I found a healing potion at the dead end of this passage, then dropped down. 8. As I headed to the east, I stepped on a plate and saw a gate lifting up ahead. 9. Past the near gate I could see a second one, and two more pressure plates, one clearly for opening the far gate and the other, no doubt, to close it. There was also a spike trap just past the closing plate. Carefully I stepped onto the first pressure plate, then inched carefully forward. Before I could step on the closing plate, I jumped across. My leap took me over the plate and the spikes at once. I thanked Allah again for my great leaping ability. 10. Once through the second gate, I found myself standing at the edge of a precipice. The gap ahead was too wide even for me. I had no choice but to lower myself down the edge, let go, and catch onto the ledge below me. I could hear the gate closing to the west. I hurried in that direction. 9. The twin gates were already closing, but just in time I noticed that a closing plate lay ahead of me. I jumped quickly over it and ducked under the second gate before it closed. 8. Up ahead was a gap too wide from a standing jump. I ran back to the now closed gate and ran fast as I could, jumping off the eastern edge and catching myself on the other side. Then I continued through the gate leading to the west.
11. dropped down a second an even lower path and ran to the west. 12. I came to a small platform surrounded with inset spike traps. I jumped across, catching myself on the far wall so I wouldn't fall into the spikes, and continued west. 13. More spikes. I walked carefully through them and kept going. I4. Now I could only climb upward. Eventually I came to the top and there was a guard awaiting me. Here the alternate route rejoins the main path. 15. I could see that the best way to go was up and west, but a guard stood in my way. I barely had time to get to the passage where he stood when he was on me. In desperation I struck repeatedly, driving him back before he could push me over the edge. I pressed the attack, parrying often, but striking blow after blow until I had defeated him, It had been a close call, but I was still alive. 4. I next came to a wall and climbed down two landings. Two blade traps stood before me and I carefully stepped past them. 3. I ran past two closely spaced gates and continued west. 2. For a change, nothing sprang out at me. No guards bothered me for some time. I continued to head west. 1. I came to the end of the passage. An unfamiliar potion lay before me. It smelled unlike the others - neither sweet nor sour. Should I taste it? I decided to try it, though the risk was great. The potion made me feel nauseous, but once the feeling passed, I felt very light, as if I were floating above the ground. I realized that this might be useful, as the only way to continue on my path was down. I lowered myself over the edge and looked below me. I could see a doorway flanked by two torches. I dropped. I floated like a feather. The potion had indeed helped me, I realized that I could have just jumped from the ledge. 16. Once I landed, I ran to the pressure plate at the western edge of the room and stepped on it, hoping that it would open the exit door. It did not. It did open a gate to the east, and so I headed in that direction. On the other side of the gate, I stepped on a pressure plate and looked back to see the exit door opening. I should have gone immediately to the door and climbed the stairs, but I became curious to see what was up ahead. Just for a moment, I told myself. 17. I ran quickly to the east, leaping as I went to move even faster than normal. 18. Soon I came to the end of the passage. My curiosity was rewarded! A Life Enhancement Potion. I drank the thing down and felt its special boon to my system. 17. I returned again leaping to gain speed. I thought I saw the gate to the west already closing. 16. I made it just in time to duck under the closing gate. It had been a close wall! I headed for the doorway and the stairs leading up.
16. When I returned to the door leading out, I was too late. The gate had closed and I couldn't get it open again, There was nothing to do but to retrace my steps and try to find a way out. 17. I tried the upper passage I had ignored previously. It headed east. 18. I kept going east, over some falling floor stones. 19. I came at last to an open gate that hung precariously over a precipice. I jumped across, hitting a hidden plate that closed the gate behind me. I climbed up and jumped across a gap to the east. 14. I found myself at the bottom of a series of ledges. 15. Climbing to the top, I discovered the place where I had fought the guard who almost got me. 1. I ran back the way I had come until I returned to the ledge where the floating potion had been. Of course there was no more potion, but I knew I could survive a drop of a few stories with only minor damage. It was the only way. I hung over the edge and dropped. 16. I landed with a thud and felt something twist in my ankle. But I was alive. I ran, despite the pain, up the stairs and away from one more hideous part of the Sultan's dungeons, and hopefully one step closer to the Princess. |
Continue to Chapter 3: The Dungeon (Level 8)
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