### 144

Hurriedly you retreat back along the stamen until you are out of harm’s way. Blindly the angry Solyx stabs with its proboscis, splintering stamen tips and drenching you with showers of sticky pollen. Fortunately, the span of its gigantic wings and the narrowness of the plant’s corolla conspire to prevent it from reaching deeper into the plant, and you are able to escape without sustaining further injury.

When you reach the bowl of the corolla once more, you lower yourself into the hollow stem and soon discover that it drops away very steeply. It is a vertical tube for most of its length, yet you are able to slow your rate of descent by grabbing hold of tiny tendrils which protrude from the lining of the stem wall. As you get nearer to its base, the stem wall becomes semi-transparent and slick with moisture. You press your face to this warm surface, and you are able to discern other stems beyond. They look like the trunks of trees in a dense green forest. Then you look down to see that the stem of this plant is descending into darkness. The darkness begins at the point where the stem passes below ground level. You decide to stop at this point, for you have no desire to explore the roots of this huge flower.

Carefully you examine the fabric of the semi-transparent stem. If you can force your way through this tough plant wall, you will be able to escape from your prison-like tube.

If you possess a bladed Weapon or a bladed Special Item, turn to 332.

If you possess Kai-alchemy and wish to use it, turn to 279.

If you possess Magi-magic and wish to use it, turn to 57.

If you possess none of the above or choose not to use them, turn to 4.