### 145

You climb the broad staircase, ascending more than twenty levels. Your camouflage disciplines keep you hidden from the inhabitants of the citadel that you encounter during your ascent, but as you climb higher, you notice that these encounters are becoming fewer and fewer.

At the top of the staircase you are engulfed by a furnace-like heat. A deserted corridor extends into the distance, its walls glowing a deep dull red. Yet beyond this initial section you detect that the tunnel is far cooler.

If you wish to try to reach the cooler section of this tunnel, turn to 313.

If you decide not to enter the tunnel, you can descend the stairs to a lower, cooler level, by turning to 24.