The West Exit 1. I was in a room that, by the standards of this fortress, was not large. An iron gate barred my way to the east and a high wall blocked the western path. As usual, the door closed behind me. (How I wished, Hamza, that I could jam these doors open, if only out of sheer spite.) I tested the floor and found a loose tile. Jumping up and down caused it to fall and I climbed down into the gap it left. 2. I landed easily on a high alcove whose original purpose I could not fathom, then jumped acros to a middle ledge. I spotted a serpent below me, but it seemed to slither into the eastern wall. I jumped past it and ran to the west, lowering myself into a gap I had spotted in the floor. 3. Another goblin head attacked me on the high ledge. With my poor, ineffective blade, I had to hit the creature many times before it died, and it took a gouge out of my arm with its slavering mouth. But I defeated it and continued onward, first knocking down some loose floor tiles, then lowering myself to the ground level of this room. A healing potion rested on middle ledge, and I drank before continuing to the east. 4. Another goblin head attacked me almost immediately, but my timing was improving. Once I had the fiendish creature s rhythm, I struck it repeatedly with my blade. When the creature vanished, I noticed some dust on the floor just to the east, and jumping up, dislodged a ceiling plate. A small, secret alcove hid a healing potion, which 1 drank. Then, testing the ceiling of this alcove, I found another loose ceiling, but just lowered myself out of the way before it could crash onto my head. 5. I climbed into a large, empty room. On the eastern wall was a small niche set halfway up the wall, and in the niche was a Life Enhancement Potion. I spent no time in celebration however, because another goblin head attacked me, I hit it a few times and the creature floated sulkily back toward the eastern wall. I didn't know what to do about it, so I started toward it to finish it off. It suddenly came out of its daze and turned to attack me again. I was in a bad position and it began taking great chunks of flesh from my arms and chest before I was able, finally, to dispatch it. I climbed painfully up onto the niche and drank the potion there. As usual, it healed my wounds and I felt better than before. Seeing no other exit, I lowered myself into the gap again. 4. I ran east along the bottom path again, and heard the sound of metal grinding as I stepped on a pressure plate next to a half wall. I climbed up and continued my running. 6. After a brief exploration, I discovered another healing potion, but had no need of healing. Then I decided to explore a small gap in the ceiling that I had discovered. I climbed up through it as the gate behind me clattered shut. 7. As I climbed, I felt the ledge move a little. It was a pressure plate, and I heard a gate opening to the west. The East Exit 18. I was in a moderately large hallway with the familiar square columns stretching up to the ceiling. I started out to the west. 19. As I passed a set of columns, I stepped upon a pressure plate, which opened a gate on the second landing to the west. However, I also noticed a wide crevice in the wall ahead of me which turned out to open into a narrow tunnel. 20. I crawled through the tunnel and came out in an enclosed hallway with no exits. Some careful investigation, however, revealed some loose floor tiles. I jumped once and two of them fell. I lowered myself into the area below. 21. Immediately, a goblin head screamed and came at me. I drew my sword and slew the creature with six quick, well-timed strokes. Then, carefully, I jumped across to the west. 22. Again a goblin head attacked me, but once again I drew my weapon and, striking just as it set itself for the attack, destroyed it with four quick strokes. And my reward? Another Life Enhancement Potion! Refreshed, healed, and strong, I returned the way I had come findmg no other way out of this dark, narrow hallway. Carefully, I walked to the edge of the first gap to the east. 21. I jumped across to the east and holsted myself up again. 20. I crawled back through the tunnel... 19. ...ran to the pressure plate that opened the upper gate, then ran to the west. 20. I spotted a blade trap in the wall and crawled under it. I could hear a strange sound coming from nearby to the west. It was a sort of gasping moan, almost a tune. I had no idea what was making the sound, but I resolved to be careful. I stepped carefully into the next area. 23. It was another of the ghastly heads moaning to itself. I drew my sword and stepped back in preparation for its charge. The tip of my blade was just short of the edge of a broken column. I remember because I had worried that the column might interfere with my stroke. My timing was good, however, and I delivered six unanswered blows to vanquish the floating monstrosity I jumped to the lower floor and ran east, past a pile of bones and a large serpent sign. 6. I came across a welcome healing potion and closed gate. I could find no way to open the gate, but a gap in the ceiling led upward. I climbed that way. 7. As I climbed, I felt the ledge move a little. It was a pressure plate, and I heard a gate opening to the west.
The Final Section 8. I ran, and, just as I came through the gate, launched myself into the air, vaulting a wide gap and catching on to the ledge on the other side. I pulled myself up. I climbed onto a higher landing and kept running west. 9. I reached a healing potion at the end of a hallway. After drinking the potion, I noticed dust on the floor. I moved directly between two columns where they supported the ceiling and jumped. The ceiling tiles on either side of me crashed to the floor and I continued west, climbing onto a middle landing. 10. As I entered the next room, I saw two serpents headed directly at me. I took a quick step and then leaped over them. They seemed to have even less interest in me than I had in them, and continued slithering to the west. However, I wasn't out of trouble yet. I spotted a straight, regular slit in the wall - a slicer! I crawled under the slicer after checking once again to see that the serpents did not turn around and come after me. 11. Far below, I saw two more snakes disappear, heading west. A healing potion lay on the floor to the east. I had no need of it, so I examined the ceiling and found a way leading up. I climbed. 12. I was pulling myself up along the western wall when I heard the banshee scream of a goblin head. Without turning, I drew my sword, then whirled about to meet the attack. I took one step backward to make room, then struck. I kept striking each time the head set itself for a charge, and after six solid hits, it was gone. This last goblin head had been very fast and very aggressive. I took a moment to catch my breath. I had been scratched, and welcomed the healing potion I found to the west. After drinking down the potion, I realized the only way to go was farther up, so I returned to the western wall and climbed the ledges there. I saw daylight above me. 13. I had reached the roofless top of this part of the fortress and a dusky evening sky greeted me. In the dimming light, I realized that I could not make any progress if I tried to go east, so I climbed to the highest landing and headed west. 14. A screaming goblin head attacked me almost immediately, but I stood my ground and killed it with four quick strokes. I continued west. 15. Ahead of me was a closed gate. I saw no pressure plate, but I did discover that the floor just in front of the gate was loose. I made it fall by jumping, then I peered into the hole. I saw below me the dim outlines of a doorway and decided to drop, though the fall would almost certainly hurt. But I was in good health and decided to try to reach this doorway without delay. 16. I was right about the door (and about the fall being painful) but I saw no way to open it. On a hunch, I headed east. 17. I found a pressure plate, but only after crawling under a nasty blade trap. 16. I returned the way I had come and found the door open and a stairway leading upward. I climbed. |
Continue to Chapter 5: The Shadow & the Flame (Level 8)
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