The cursed catacombs, p.17
The Cursed Catacombs, page 17
That energy had come from Bristleboor. The old wizard gasped as if struck. He clutched his chest and dropped to his knee. “You…you knave,” he said, wheezing. “You’re no better than a common thief, to steal my power like this.” His glamour wavered; Seth saw the true corpselike visage behind the illusion of nose and lips. “But you didn’t manage to steal all my power,” he growled.
Hit him while you still can! To use your fists, that’ll be a Constitution Check. With an 8 or higher, go to 204. Otherwise, 205.
Or else use that stolen mana on a Psychokinesis attack, free of charge. Go to 206.
* * *
IT DIDN’T TAKE MUCH TO get a spell wrong. The unintentional crook of a finger…a slight elongation of a vowel…
Seth wasn’t totally sure what he did wrong. All he knew was that the spell did not have its intended effect.
It did something, though. Bristleboor stumbled back, wincing, shielding himself from some invisible force.
“Imp magic?” he said, almost growling, and Seth saw the edge of the wizard’s beard was singed. “I suppose you’ve been doing some extracurricular study, eh, apprentice?” The wizard smiled evilly. “But the student has not yet surpassed the teacher. Allow me to demonstrate.”
Bristleboor arranged his spindly fingers in a sign and spoke a syllable of power, the sound of which sent a shiver down Seth’s spine.
Do you have the cold iron coin? If so, go to 192. If not, go to 187.
* * *
AT BRISTLEBOOR’S COMMAND, A SPECTRAL hand erupted from beneath Seth’s feet. Seth leaped to the side, but there was no evading the Reaper’s Grasp.
And yet, the hand passed harmlessly through Seth. It was nothing but color and light…and a sudden chill, emanating from Seth’s pocket.
“How?” said Bristleboor, astonished.
“The coin,” Seth said, gasping. “From the shade! It protected me somehow.”
Judging by the wrath in Bristleboor’s eyes, the old wizard wasn’t impressed. “Cold iron, is it? That’s cheating.”
Even better, that leap brought you in striking reach of Bristleboor.
Make a Constitution Check. With a 9 or higher, go to 204. Otherwise, go to 205.
* * *
SETH NOTICED A FLURRY OF movement across the room.
Bristleboor’s laboratory looked a bit like a dragon’s hoard—if a dragon renounced gold and instead hoarded books, scrolls, glassware, curios, animal skins, old skulls, geodes, and foul-smelling tinctures. In short, finding anything of use among the junk would generally be hopeless.
But none of that stuff moved. So what had caught Seth’s eye?
He lost precious seconds looking for the answer and was about to give up when he saw it again: a frantic flutter of wings. At Bristleboor’s back, trapped in a jar and stuffed onto a bookshelf beside a taxidermized spitmunk, there was a captive fairy.
And not just any fairy. Seth recognized the particular blue sheen of its compound eyes. That was a sprite. And sprites ate mana.
If Seth set it free…it might find quite a meal in Bristleboor.
Want to use Psychokinesis to set the fairy free? Burn 2 Mana Points and go to 195.
Want to leave the fairy where it is and keep looking? Go to 196.
* * *
BRISTLEBOOR’S LABORATORY LOOKED A BIT like a dragon’s hoard—if a dragon renounced gold and instead hoarded books, scrolls, glassware, curios, animal skins, old skulls, geodes, and foul-smelling tinctures. In short, finding anything of use among the junk would generally be hopeless.
But Seth had been stung by a sprite. He wouldn’t soon forget what they looked like.
And as luck would have it, Bristleboor had a live specimen, enclosed within a bug jar that sat upon a bookshelf.
Sprites ate mana. Seth had learned that the hard way.
If he set this one free…it might find quite a meal in Bristleboor.
Want to use Psychokinesis to set the fairy free? Burn 2 Mana Points and go to 195.
Want to leave the fairy where it is and keep looking? Go to 196.
* * *
A WAVE OF FORCE RIPPLED across the laboratory, scattering papers and toppling stacks of books. Bristleboor stumbled but quickly righted himself, turning his furious eyes onto Seth. “What in the seven abyssal pits was that for?” he demanded.
He was so focused on Seth that he didn’t spare a backward glance at the sound of glass breaking behind him.
But the sound of fiercely buzzing wings got his attention.
Bristleboor ducked instinctively, surprisingly spry for a being of his age, living or dead. But the sprite was too fast for him, and, furthermore, it seemed to bear a grudge toward its captor. It plunged its stinger into his neck with a look of rapturous glee on its buglike face.
Bristleboor smacked it away with such ferocity that Seth feared the creature was dead before it hit the ground. But it had left its stinger behind in Bristleboor’s leathery flesh, and the mage seemed suddenly unsteady on his feet.
“M-my mana,” he said, and he cast a stricken look upon his hands, gnarled and trembling. Deprived of mana, his glamours faltered, and Seth glimpsed the true corpselike visage behind the illusion of nose and lips.
Want to punch Bristleboor in his illusory nose? If so, make a Constitution Check. With a 7 or higher, go to 220. With a lower Check, go to 221.
Or else you could try your new spell!
If you learned Fireball, subtract 5 Mana Points and make a Constitution Check. With a 7 or higher, go to 210. Otherwise, go to 213.
If you learned Shroud, subtract 5 Mana Points and make a Charisma Check. With a 7 or higher, go to 211. Otherwise, go to 213.
If you learned Siphon, subtract 5 Mana Points and make a Cleverness Check. With a 7 or higher, go to 212. Otherwise, go to 213.
* * *
SETH KNEW BETTER THAN ANYONE how unlikely it was he’d find anything of use among the heaps of Bristleboor’s belongings. The wizard was intent on plumbing all the myriad mysteries of creation, after all—and that involved accumulating a lot of stuff. Weird stuff. It looked like he’d dumped the contents of a dozen curio cabinets all over his floor. There was no rhyme or reason to it; books were on the ground, while bookshelves were crammed with knickknacks, oddities, and dirty dishes.
Bristleboor had spent a lifetime accumulating all this junk, and he’d churned through apprentices to do it.
Seth had to put a stop to him. Now.
To attack Bristleboor physically, make a Constitution Check. With an 11 or higher, go to 181. Otherwise, go to 182.
To attack Bristleboor with magic…
If you learned Fireball, subtract 5 Mana Points and make a Constitution Check. With an 11 or higher, go to 188. Otherwise, go to 191.
If you learned Shroud, subtract 5 Mana Points and make a Charisma Check. With an 11 or higher, go to 189. Otherwise, go to 191.
If you learned Siphon, subtract 5 Mana Points and make a Cleverness Check. With an 11 or higher, go to 190. Otherwise, go to 191.
* * *
SETH’S FIRST FIREBALL SPELL was everything he could have hoped for. Unlike many spells, this one required two hands, each with fingers splayed out as far as he could manage. The word of power was a single, satisfying syllable: “Pir.” The mana cost was substantial, but Seth knew he might not get another chance.
Hoarding mana wouldn’t do him any good if he ended up dead.
A sun-bright flare of light erupted in the heart of the room. Bristleboor was caught in the very epicenter. The old mage was blown off his feet, ribbons of flame trailing after him from his smoldering robes.
Seth, from behind his splayed fingers, could feel the sudden blast of heat. He was certain his eyebrows were singed. But he was otherwise unharmed. The imp, likewise, appeared undamaged.
“Whew! Now that was a spell,” said Calivore. “And I know an opening when I see one.” Seth had set the orb aside in order to strike Bristleboor, and it was floating now, the imp’s eyes wide with urgency. “You’re doing great, Sethy, but it won’t be enough to stop him for good. He’s an undead archmage, for crying out loud. You’ve got to let me out!”
If you release the imp, go to 201. If you refuse, go to 203.
* * *
SETH’S FIRST SHROUD SPELL MADE him feel un-touchable. The sign involved drawing one hand across his face as he spoke a word of power: “Argys.” His mana reserves gutted, but unusually, that didn’t leave him tired. The spell itself was invigorating, as if a mantle of crackling energy from some higher plane had settled on his shoulders.
“That won’t help you,” said Bristleboor, and he made a sign of his own—aggressive and quick. It was almost certainly an attack spell.
Before he could even finish casting, however, the energy around Seth flared and crackled, lashing out in retaliation. In a flash of multicolored light, Bristleboor was knocked right off his feet. He bellowed in surprise on the way down.
“I knew you had it in you, Sethy!” said Calivore. Seth had set the orb aside in order to strike Bristleboor, and it was floating now, the imp’s eyes wide with urgency. “But I’m telling you, it won’t be enough to stop him for good. He’s an undead archmage, for crying out loud. You’ve got to let me out!”
If you release the imp, go to 201. If you refuse, go to 203.
* * *
SETH LOCKED EYES WITH BRISTLEBOOR, laced the fingers of both hands together, and spoke the word of power with authority: “Tet.”
The effect was instantaneous. Seth felt a rush of energy, so potent it made his toes tingle inside his boots.
That energy had come from Bristleboor. The old wizard gasped as if struck. He clutched his chest and dropped to his knee. “You…you knave,” he said, wheezing. “You’re no better than a common thief.”
“He’s way better than a common thief,” said Calivore. “A thief woulda taken your priceless tomes or your weird reagents. But Seth here just took the only thing of real value in this whole place: your power.”
Bristleboor looked up at them, fury in his eyes. “I see now. You’re in league with each other, is that it? Vile betrayers.” The wizard’s glamour wavered; Seth saw the true corpselike visage behind the illusion of nose and lips.
“He’s down, but he isn’t out.” Seth had set the orb aside in order to strike Bristleboor, and it was floating now, the imp’s eyes wide with urgency. “You’re doing great, Sethy, but it won’t be enough to stop him for good. He’s an undead archmage, for crying out loud. You’ve got to let me out!”
If you release the imp, go to 201. If you refuse, go to 203.
* * *
BRISTLEBOOR WAS DEFIANT TO THE end.
Seth might have been inclined to show the wizard mercy, even after their vicious battle…even with the resentment he felt over the deaths of his friends…even knowing Bristleboor had died his true death long before.
The imp was not so inclined. And, once unleashed, Seth didn’t have any hope of controlling it. Even weakened after decades of imprisonment, Calivore was an otherworldly being. Bristleboor was a master of magic…but the imp was magic, a living spell, and it knew how to sever the connection between the wizard’s body and the realm of undeath. Bristleboor crumpled to the floor, lifeless as a doll.
“That went well,” said the imp. “Thanks for softening him up for me.”
“Don’t mention it,” Seth said weakly. His heart was still in his throat, and his pulse was loud in his ears.
“Hey, you all right? Don’t shed any tears for Bristleboor. I was privy to all his secrets, and I promise you, the only thing keeping him going was malice. He hated the living. Woulda burned the whole world down before he’d let it carry on without him.”
“I did sort of get that impression,” said Seth, and he eyed the corpse warily. “I guess I should probably bury him.”
“You know, there’s a spell for that!” said the imp. “I could teach you.”
Seth perked up at the idea. He hadn’t relished the thought of spending the day digging a hole in the ground with a shovel. “Really?” he said. “I thought you’d be eager to get home.”
“Eh, I’ve been gone a real long time. What’s another decade or two?” The imp’s form billowed. “I want to stretch. And I’m curious to see what you get up to.”
“Me?” said Seth. “But I’m just a lowly wizard’s apprentice.”
“The wizard’s dead,” said Calivore. “That means you’re the boss. This is your tower now. And I, for one, am eager to see what you do with it.” The imp’s eyes flashed. “Maybe a little mischief?”
“Maybe,” said Seth. His heart swelled at the possibilities. “But first things first. This place is a mess, and I’ve got secrets of the universe to plumb.” He grinned. “Put out the call, Calivore. It’s time I took on an apprentice or two of my own.”
THE END
* * *
BRISTLEBOOR WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT Seth when he did it. The apprentice gripped the orb, reared back, and hurled it against the far wall.
The greatest wizard of the age was too slow to do anything except widen his bloodshot eyes and gasp in disbelief.
The orb shattered against stone, and the imp was released in a great burst of darkness. It was like a storm cloud expanding right before their eyes. Seth half expected to see bolts of lightning spark across the black.
Instead, there were only two points of light: a pair of sinister red eyes, leveled directly at Bristleboor.
Seth might have been inclined to show the wizard mercy, even after their vicious battle…even with the resentment he felt over the deaths of his friends…even knowing Bristleboor had died his true death long before.
The imp was not so inclined. And, once unleashed, Seth didn’t have any hope of controlling it. Even weakened after decades of imprisonment, Calivore was an otherworldly being. Bristleboor was a master of magic…but the imp was magic, a living spell, and it knew how to sever the connection between the wizard’s body and the realm of undeath. Bristleboor crumpled to the floor, lifeless as a doll.
“That went well,” said the imp. “I owe you one.”
Seth’s heart was still in his throat, but he managed to croak out: “Yeah, you owe me. You said you’d teach me, right? Seeing as how you just vanquished my mentor.”
“You got it,” said the imp. “Here’s lesson number one: Don’t make deals with imps. It doesn’t end well.”
With that, Calivore disappeared, either off to its home plane…or out into the world to make mischief.
Seth had a feeling he would see the creature again. And he didn’t feel that they would meet as allies.
So Seth had his work cut out for him. He’d have to comb through Bristleboor’s books. He’s have to teach himself magic.
But the tower was a mess. He couldn’t manage the place on his own while preparing for a deadly encounter with the imp he’d set loose on an unsuspecting world.
He knew what he had to do.
It was time for Seth to find an apprentice of his own.
THE END
* * *
IT DIDN’T TAKE MUCH TO get a spell wrong. The unintentional crook of a finger…a slight elongation of a vowel…
Seth wasn’t totally sure what he did wrong. All he knew was that the spell did not have its intended effect.
It did something, though. Bristleboor stumbled back, wincing, shielding himself from some invisible force.
“Imp magic?” he said, almost growling, and Seth saw the edge of the wizard’s beard was singed. “I suppose you’ve been doing some extracurricular study, eh, apprentice? But you’re not the only one who can improvise.”
Seth saw a flash of steel appear from within the wizard’s robe.
“He’s got a knife!” cried Calivore.
But the warning came too late.
Go to 111.
* * *
“I—I CAN’T,” SAID SETH. “I’m sorry. It’s too risky.” He turned his eyes on Bristleboor, who’d regained his footing. “And an old wizard isn’t so scary when I’m protected from his magic.”
“Magic is but a tool, apprentice,” said Bristleboor, his crooked teeth forming a threatening sneer. “And I have more than one tool at my disposal.”
Seth saw a flash of steel appear from within the wizard’s robe.
“He’s got a knife!” cried Calivore.
But the warning came too late.
Go to 111.
* * *
SETH CURLED HIS FINGERS UP into a fist. He tucked his thumb to the side, the way Roe had taught him.
Bristleboor could reshape the building blocks of reality at a whim. He could cheat death with a rage that defied the grave’s inexorable pull. But could the wizard take a punch?
Seth let his fist fly. It struck the side of Bristleboor’s head with a satisfying smack. The old curmudgeon reeled back in pain and surprise. Worth it, Seth thought to himself. Whatever happens next…that was worth it.
Bristleboor would put that to the test. He recovered his wits—and his footing—sooner than Seth had hoped. If he was honest, Seth had expected the wizard to be more vulnerable to physical attack. For an ancient reanimated corpse, he was sturdy.
“Traitor!” cried Bristleboor. Spittle flew from his mouth in his fury. “Faithless cur! You would strike me? After all I’ve taught you?”
“I only wish you’d taught me how to strike harder!” said Seth. He massaged his aching knuckles.
