### 31

You stand perfectly still and concentrate on attaining the trance state needed in order to effect your transition from consciousness to suspended animation. You feel as if you are drifting off to sleep, although you have entered a state in which you appear, to any outside observer, to be dead.

High above you, the unseen creature probes the fog for evidence of life-force. Unable to detect any, it trails away to another part of this hellish plane in search of prey with which to feed its young. You hear the winged beast departing and you bring yourself out of the death-trance, awaking with a start.

Turn to 233.