All is quiet for a few seconds before the silence is broken by the distant sound of buzzing. Suddenly he raises his arms skywards, and his troops stand to attention, rigid and upright. His army of Skeletons are rattling their swords against their shields, a deafening sound of clashing steel which is painful to your ears. Zanbar Bone is standing on his throne, laughing maniacally. You run downstairs to the ground floor and open the door on to a scene of total chaos. The Demon Prince will taste our most powerful magic today.' He pours green juice from a stoppered flask into a cup, and tells you to drink it. Yaztromo claps his hands, and says, 'And I will stand on your other side casting spells. Nicodemus says he will be at your side casting spells. Hakasan says she will defend you from the onrushing Skeleton horde. You volunteer to lead the attack on Zanbar Bone. You hurriedly decide your battle plan with Yaztromo, Nicodemus and Hakasan. there is a gigantic five metre-tall tentacled beast following behind the throne, hideous in appearance, the like of which you have never seen before. The Skeletons' army parts down the middle to allow their leader a passageway to the front. His unmistakable spiked skull is now twice the size it was before, and he has grown bat-like wings and cloven hooves.

Returning as a Demon Prince, he is evil personified. Hakasan looks out of the window and makes a solemn announcement: 'He's arrived.' You walk over to the window and look out to see Zanbar Bone, scythe in hand, leaning on silk cushions of an ornate gilt throne carried on the shoulders of four skeletons. He smiles on seeing his good friend Nicodemus, and gives him a big bear hug. You follow Hakasan up the winding staircase to the library, where Yaztromo is pacing anxiously up and down. Hack at the vines climbing the tower with your sword? It is Hakasan, screaming at you to come inside. Suddenly the great oak door flies open and a figure emerges from the Tower. Huge numbers of Skeletons stream out of the forest and march to a halt, standing to attention in perfect formation, fifty across and twenty deep, one thousand armed Skeletons awaiting orders. Purple vines as thick as rope burst out of the ground around the tower, climbing rapidly up the walls like fat worms. The tower is totally black from its base to the parapet on top. 'There is not a moment to lose!' You ride east through the forest beyond the Skeletons, and circle back towards Yaztromo's Tower, arriving at last at a scene of despair. I feel his presence,' Nicodemus shouts in your ear as you urge Stormheart on through the forest. You calm Stormheart down and spur him on again, taking a detour around the back of the Skeletons.

Which is the correct call, because riding through is a Game Over.

Fighting fantasy books nicodemus