### 171

You have ascended no more than twenty steps when a crossbow bolt ricochets off the stone parapet and grazes your shoulder: lose 1 ENDURANCE point. The sudden shock and the stinging pain of your wound spur you to an even greater effort. You force yourself to climb faster, and your legs pound the stairs like steam pistons as you strive to avoid capture by the murderous Drakkarim.

Turn to 320.