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‘Help! Help!’ cries the rider. ‘Captain Chan and Trooper Saolin are in trouble!’

You respond at once to his plea and urge your horse off the highway. Soon you are galloping headlong across the grassland towards the copse, with the anxious trooper following close on your tail.

You dismount as soon as you reach the tree-line and race through the pines on foot towards a clearing at the centre of the copse. Here you are confronted by a shocking scene. Chan and the other trooper are locked in a desperate battle against two hulking creatures. Although hunched over, you can tell that these beasts are both more than 10 feet tall. They have muscular truncated legs that end in fearsomely twisted claws, and their bony orange heads have slitted eyes that pulse unnervingly. From between their alien eyes protrude beak-like noses, jagged-edged and wickedly sharp, with which they are attempting to stab and slash the Chai guardsmen.

Around their feet lie strewn the mutilated carcasses of many fanji—a breed of swift-footed ruminants native to the plains of Southern Magnamund. You are in no doubt that it was these remains that attracted the plains ravens to this area. Swallowing your fears, you tug your Kai Weapon from its sheath and give vent to your battle-cry: ‘For Sommerlund and the Kai!’ as you race to the guardsmen’s aid.

Krakalla: COMBAT SKILL 50 ENDURANCE 48

If you win this combat, turn to 241.