### 86

You pull the lever and a secret panel in the wall slides open to reveal a narrow passage beyond. As you are peering along this gloomy little tunnel, suddenly the door bursts open and slams against the wall.

An icy trickle of fear runs down your spine when you turn to look upon the squat creature that is now framed in the doorway. It has a bloated, veined body and waxy skin that is as pale as a frozen corpse. From its fanged mouth there flickers a forked tongue, and its scarlet eye-slits radiate an evil light that chills the marrow in your bones. It advances into the chamber with its arms outstretched, as if it is walking in its sleep; then it levels these arms at your chest and you see that the creature’s fists are glowing like two balls of red-hot plasma.

If you wish to attack this creature, turn to 273.

If you wish to evade the creature by entering the secret passage, turn to 159.