Survive on Coroleya - Decide Your Fate Game

Scenario 9 - Choice 4

Choice Results are at the bottom of the page. Goodluck!

Wearily you rest for a few hours in one of the sparsely furnished rooms, you've seen along the way towards the sacrificial chamber(+10 Health Points). Then feeling refreshed you get up and walk back along the passageway where you had seen the circular chamber, and take a side passage that seems to lead back up towards the surface. These corridors, cramped, covered in a muddy track marks, and thick green moss that glows in the dark, take you up towards a winding stone staircase that seems to go up for many miles. Sighing heavily, you begin the long and arduous climb up, your wounds shooting waves of pain that scream up and down your spine testing your capacity for suffering. Grunting with each stab of pain, you continue upwards, when you feel the stones beneath you rumble.

You pause for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened? And start to think you must have just imagined the whole thing, when you feel the ground shake beneath you again. Eye's widening, you wonder what in the abyss is happening? As a gust of wind slams into you from above, nearly knocking you back down the stairs. Much stronger than the gusts of winds from earlier, you realise something must be up there. Just waiting for you to show your head. You look back the way you've come trying to decide whether to turn back, when the ground shakes much harder stirring up dust from the passageway, filling the air with dust particles. Feeling the need to be get out of here growing with each passing second, you decide to risk continuing upwards, there at least you know for certain there must be away out of this underground City.

Steeling yourself to face whatever is above you, you press on up the steps, careful to have a firm grip on the rough stone walls, in case another gust of wind should blow past. The higher you go up the stronger the shaking gets, causing you to stumble and fall scraping your hands and knees. Feeling a hot burn come to life inside of you, from being knocked about like a toy. You let out a growl of frustration, bite your tongue and push on towards the top. More gusts of wind barrel down the staircase knocking you backwards to gash your arms and bruise your shoulders as your are slammed backwards against the stone wall. Each time you get up, feeling angrier and continue up (-20 Health Points).

Finally you reach the top of the flight of stairs and give a roar of triumph that echoes down the passageway. A move you immediately regret as the ground trembles beneath you like a convulsing spasm that bashes you side to side against the walls (-10 Health Points). Wiping the blood from your lips and forehead, you draw your weapon and stealthy make your way down the passageway. The reek of death growing with each step you take. Ahead of you at the far end of the corridor is a large metal door that has been melted down into a grey mush that hangs off the wall like a dried up mushroom. Nerves on edge you make your way to door and slowly step inside.

Before your eyes even have a chance to adjust to the brightness within the chamber, a fireball the size of a boulder burns it's way through the air towards you. Reacting instinctively you duck behind a nearby blackened stone pillar. The blocks of stone tremble beneath your feet, and a fresh gust of wind blows hard against you. If it were not for the pillar your hiding behind, you fear you would surely have been smashed up against the stone walls such is the force you feel. Quieting your rapidly beating heart, you look around and see chains hanging from the walls, dried up blood splatters on the cracked stone floor and bones. Thousands upon thousands of bones. Some with their flesh taken right off the skeleton, others shattered into pieces that lie scattered all about you. And like of wave of sickness, you know exactly where you are. The dungeon.

Sick to the stomach, you lean your head out and your worst fears are confirmed. For sitting atop a huge mound of gold that glitters in the glow of the cavern's pale light is a monstrous red Dragon, it's wings extended, smoke filtering out of it's nostrils and large evil yellow eyes that glower at you with malicious intent. Attached to the Dragon's left leg is a thick rusted metal chain that has been badly melted. Seems that Dragon from the tapestry is still alive and has managed to free itself from it's prison, and is now loose in the dungeon. The Dwarves must have kept the Dragon up here to guard their treasure; a risky move on their part. As your thinking that, another fireball zooms towards you, forcing you to duck your head back behind pillar again. As an intense heat washes over you for a minute, leaving behind a trail of sulfuric smoke.

What to do now? While scanning the dungeon, you had noticed that by coincidence or purpose the Dragon is between you and a broken down gate that looks like it might lead to the surface. But you also see alot of valuable looking items amongst the Dragon's treasure horde. Valuable enough, that it might be worth risking your life to snatch one or two items, before making a dash for the exit. Plus you could always use the pillars to try and avoid the fireballs.

(Readers Beware: Any resistance you have against fire, will not work as well here against the dragon's scorching hot flames. Resistance against fire is reduced to half it's usual protection.)

4. Do you attempt to kill the Dragon, then leisurely peruse the treasure horde?  

Not wishing to leave empty handed, especially after your ordeal on the stairwell. You feel a rush of excitement at the possibility of risking your life for a horde of treasure, you let out a chuckle. This !This is what it means to be a true mercenary! Grinning from ear to ear, you ready your weapon. Then with the adrenaline rush coursing through your veins you sprint for the next pillar, and as if the Dragon was waiting for you to appear, a fireball blisters through the air to char the wall nearly hitting you. 

Switching directions to put the Dragon off balance, you alter your run and come straight for the Dragon with your weapon. But before you can even get close to the Dragon, streams of white hot liquid flames burst out of the Dragon's mouth to scorch your body,causing you to writhe in agony atop the piles of treasure. The last thing you see before darkness envelops you, are wide gaping jaws with long, jagged teeth sweeping down towards you.

I'm sorry to say, but unfortunately for you the story has ended. Feel free to try again.