### 82

The guardsmen take you away to a dingy cell below the arena where you are kept until the time comes for you to meet your opponent. You are allowed to keep your Weapons, including your Kai Weapon, but you are warned that the use of sorcery within the gladiatorial arena is strictly forbidden. Torvax despises magic and any breach of this rule will result in immediate execution. (The contest is restricted to hand weapons only; if you possess a Bow it is now confiscated and you must delete it from your Action Chart.)

Within the hour the guardsmen return: it is time for you to meet your adversary. As you are led from your cell and escorted along the tunnel, you can hear the crowd above roaring with excitement. Then, as you step into the fading sunlight, you hear gasps of astonishment from some quarters. They come from your fellow travellers who cannot believe that it is you, the friendly Northlander, who is to fight Dromodon the Invincible to the death. The guardsmen march you to the centre of the arena and leave you standing there alone under the watchful gaze of the expectant crowd. Minutes later, the crowd erupts when Dromodon emerges from the tunnel.

Turn to 50.