### 345

‘Stay here, Captain,’ you whisper. ‘I will return soon.’

With these words, you slip away from your hiding place and make your way back to the rocky mouth of the pass, using your Kai camouflage skills to keep yourself hidden from the enemy. As you approach the ravine, you hear the sounds of fierce fighting and see intermittent flashes of magical energy piercing the gloom. The winged horde are making a determined attack upon the grounded skyship, but Lord Rimoah and his young crewmen are putting up a spirited defence.

When you reach the edge of the ravine, you are confronted by the unexpected sight of Cloud-dancer rising rapidly into the darkening sky. A bloody battle is raging along her decks as the winged beasts attempt to wrest control of the skyship from the crew. You magnify your vision and catch sight of Lord Rimoah standing at the craft’s stern, near to the boarding cage. For a few moments your eyes meet and you make a telepathic link. He hurls a metallic tube in your direction and you hear his voice in your mind, urging you to retrieve it. Then the link is broken when he is forced to defend himself from a determined attacker. You watch the tube strike a rock at the edge of the ravine, and then it disappears from sight. With fear running cold in your veins, you watch helplessly as the beleaguered skyship powers away towards the east, pursued by the flying swarm of ravening beasts.

If you wish to stay hidden among the rocks at the edge of the ravine, turn to 203.

If you wish to attempt to retrieve the metallic tube, turn to 243.