### 288

The vines are rope-thick and immensely tough. Despite their thorns, which repeatedly snag your cloak, you find it easy to climb up the shaft to the level above. However, as you approach the level, the thorns begin to grow at an alarming rate. They pierce your clothing and, when they puncture your skin, you feel an agonizing pain course through your body. Like the teeth of a vampire, the thorns allow the bloodsucking vines to leech your life’s blood: lose 10 ENDURANCE points.

Half-blinded by the pain and loss of blood, you fail to see the pair of Drakkarim Death Knights who are standing close to the edge of the shaft on this level. Your cries of agony startle them and, with brutal efficiency, they tear you away from your thorny prison and throw you to the ground. Through a red haze of pain you glimpse them unsheathing their swords with the intention of striking you dead.

Drakkarim Death Knights: COMBAT SKILL 42 ENDURANCE 37

If you win this combat, turn to 230.