“Ah! You’ve found me clown! I’ve been wondering where this had got to. Cheers!” said Motley, delighted. “Here, tell you what. I’ll gift you some magic. I use it when my act is getting thin. It’s called: DASH. Get your spellcaster to cast it when it’s necessary. I’ll also give you a password to this level’s blocker. The password is: POINT BLANK. Got it?” “Yes, thanks.” replied Truro. “Now, I don’t want to worry you,” said Motley. “but these punters ain’t half giving you some funny looks, so if you come with me, we’ll make ourselves scarce.” Motley led Truro to a downward leading staircase, which led to an opening, in which was a stump with a brick wall beside it. Carlnados directed Truro to the stump. “What’s on that stump, Truro?” he asked. “It’s some cheese.” Truro replied. “And guess where it’s going…” Truro put the cheese in the knapsack, replenishing his life force clock again. Suddenly, a face appeared in the wall. “Oh no! It’s a blocker!” cried Pickle. And it was. “PASSWORD!” it demanded, menacingly. “POINT BLANK!” replied Truro, even more menacingly. POOF! The blocker cowered and disappeared as soon as it appeared, revealing the next portal. Carlnados directed Truro to that portal, which led to a causeway. “Truro, you’re on the first causeway. There’s a number on each one of the hexagons.” Dan said. Truro thought back to the useful information which he found out through the spyglass. “I have to use the odd path, correct?” he called. “Yes, that’s correct.” Dan replied. The team took it in turns to guide Truro along the odd path on the causeway, the wrong numbers fell into the abyss behind him. Soon, Truro was safely through the next portal, which led to the back of a dragon. He turned his great head and noticed Truro. “Hmm. Another dungeoneer, eh? And what are you called?” he asked. “I’m Truro.” “Truro, hmm. Well, Truro. You may call me Smirkenorff.” said the dragon. “Now, I expect you wish to travel to Level 2. Am I right?” “You are indeed correct.” replied Truro. “Well, if you’ve come for a flight, you must have the fare.” said Smirkenorff, grandly. Truro held out the gold bar. “Will this suffice?” he asked. “Gold, eh? Ah, yes. That will do nicely.” replied Smirkenorff. “Well, don’t just stand there, into the saddle with you.” Carlnados directed Truro to the saddle, and he was soon seated. “Ready!” he called. “Very well. Hold tight, and chocs away!” called Smirkenorff, who flapped his great wings and took off. Presently, Truro looked underneath the helmet and saw the sea rolling past him. “Blimey!” Cedric and Carlos told Truro that he’d be landing shortly in Level 2. “I think this’ll be a perfect spot to land.” said Smirkenorff, shortly. Truro held on as Smirkenorff landed on the ground with a THUMP. “Thank you.” called Truro, putting the gold in the saddle pouch. Carlos guided Truro from the saddle and down Smirkenorff’s back. “Mind my spines, and good luck to you.” called Smirkenorff. “I will, and thank you once again!” Truro called back. No sooner had he reached the bottom of Smirkenorff’s tail, when he realised he went through another portal. “Where am I?” he asked. “It looks like the entrance to a wood!” exclaimed Pickle. “Dunkley Wood! But, what’s it doing in Level 2, Master? This is most extraordinary!” “You silly sprite! You should know that the dungeon and beyond never stay the same forever. Really!” Treguard laughed. As the team guided Truro through the forest, with help from the Eyeshield, they soon found themselves beside a tree. Truro noticed a stump with some objects on it. “Ooh! Bananas!” he said gleefully, putting them in the knapsack. Just then, a face appeared in the tree. “Stand still, thief! Nothing may you take without the earning!” it barked. “Nothing may you know without the learning! Test you, we will, and test you now. Crush you we will if you fail.” “Truro, turn a quarter to your right.” Dan instructed. Truro turned so he was now facing the tree. “What is the fruit of the oak?” asked the tree. “An acorn!” said Truro. “Truth accepted.” replied the face. “How do you turn an oak into an ash?” “By burning it.” Truro said. “Truth accepted!” growled the face. “Now, how can you tell how old a tree is?” “Er…By counting its rings?” Truro asked. “Truth accepted!” laughed the face. “Well enough! Follow the path you may, and some further knowledge is now yours. Listen, for I trust you now. The blood-red stone will only lead to bloodshed. Goblin Master may be bribed. To continue, be even. Good fortune on your journey, but mind where you step!” Then, the face vanished from the tree. “That was Oakley, team. He is old and suspicious to newcomers. Good thing you pleased him!” Treguard said. “What was on the stump besides the bananas, Truro?” asked Carlnados. “Oh. There’s another bar of gold, a red gem, a sock and a small scroll.” replied Truro. “Could you unroll that, please?” “Certainly!” replied Truro, and he unrolled the scroll. “It’s one word and that’s ‘ANVIL’!” he called. “Ah. That must mean it’s a spell scroll.” Dan said. He wrote it down on his paper. “Could you take the gold and the sock?” “Er, sure. Why not?” said Truro, picking up the objects. “I hope that sock is clean.” He called as he was directed through the portal. This time, the team found Truro at the exterior of a ruined castle. “Ah. Now this looks like the Castle of Doom, team. I’m not sure what happened during the last time shift, since everything changes in time shifts. All I know is that there should be a portal around these ruins which leads back into the dungeon.” Treguard explained. Then, an alarm blared out. “Dragon’s Breath! What was that?” gasped Carlos. “I believe that’s a goblin horn!” replied Dan. “Dan’s right, team. I strongly suggest that you speed up!” Treguard advised. As Cedric directed Truro to the entrance, the goblin horn sounded again, and Skarkill appeared. “Right! Gotcha!” he sneered. “Spellcasting!” called Dan. “A-N-V-I-L!” An anvil appeared above Skarkill and bonked him on the head. “Ooo!” he said, and fainted. “Now’s your chance, Dan! While he’s out for the count.” Pickle said. “Right, spellcasting: D-A-S-H!” called Dan, and Truro sped up and into the entrance, leaving Skarkill seeing stars! Quite soon, Truro had entered another dwarf tunnel. “I’d move quickly team. He’ll soon be upon you again!” warned Treguard. At that moment, Cedric guided Truro to the end of the dwarf tunnel and into the next room. “Where am I now, fellas?” asked Truro. “It looks like you’re in some sort of kitchen. To your left is the next portal, and…oh, blast.” Dan’s sentence was cut short as the goblin horn sounded again, and Skarkill reappeared with a bandage on his head. “Right! Gotcha again! You’re gonna pay for what you did back there!” he sneered. “Oh, I am, am I?” retaliated Truro. “No-one bonks me on the ‘ead, and gets away with it!” snapped Skarkill. “Truro, wave the gold in front of his nose.” said Dan, quickly, as he noticed Skarkill raise his chains. “’Ere! Whatsis? Whatsis? Wha…?” Skarkill said quickly. Suddenly, his face gleamed. “Ooh, gold!” he added as Truro waved the gold in front of him. “I’ll hand it over in exchange for something useful.” Truro said slowly, still waving the gold in front of Skarkill’s nose. As quick as a flash, Skarkill offered Truro a FREEZE spell, and Truro gladly exchanged the gold. “’Ere! Tell you what. I’ll also give you the password for this level’s blocker. It’s FEATHERBRAIN.” “FEATHERBRAIN? OK, thanks.” said Truro. Skarkill soon scarpered and Carlos directed Truro to the portal which led to…some kind of laboratory. A mysterious figure was sat at a desk, when he caught sight of Truro. “Ah. Come this way, please.” he boomed. “It’s Hordriss, master!” observed Pickle. And so it was. Pretty soon, Cedric guided Truro to the seat opposite Hordriss, and he sat down. “Name, please.” said Hordriss. “I’m Truro, sir.” “Truro?” repeated Hordriss. “Hmm. Very well. My name, as your friend Pickle rightly points out, is indeed Hordriss the Confuser. One assumes that you’re on a quest, correct?” “Absolutely correct.” replied Truro. “One thought so, and what do you seek? What is the objective of your quest?” “To search for the Sword.” Truro replied. “The Sword. Ah, a quest worthy of a knight.” murmured Hordriss. “Now, one wonders if you could help one. The Sword of Freedom, which you seek, lies in Level 3. Before you reach it, you may find a little trinket which one desires. It’s a vial of potion, and it’s clearly marked as my property. Agree to collect it, then on arrival, one will aid you with the gift of magic.” he explained. “What do you think, guys?” asked Truro. “I’d agree, Truro.” replied Dan. “Hordriss shouldn’t be a person who you should disagree with.” “We have a bargain. I agree.” Truro said to Hordriss. “Excellent.” replied Hordriss. “Now, when you find the vial, call me three times. My calling name is MALEFACT. On your way now, and fair chance to you.” Cedric guided Truro through the next portal. Whoosh! “Surprise, surprise, Truro. It’s another stump with a brick wall next to it!” called Carlnados. Truro made out the base of the stump and walked forward. “Hello. It’s a croissant!” he said, putting it in the knapsack. The life force turned from red to green. Then, once again, a face appeared in the wall. “PASSWORD!” it bellowed. “FEATHERBRAIN!” called Truro. At that instant, the blocker disappeared. Then, Carlos directed Truro to the portal. This time, it led to another causeway puzzle. “OK, Truro, it’s another causeway puzzle. We need to take the even path this time.” reported Cedric. Once again, the team took it in turns to guide Truro over the even numbers on the hexagons and he reached the portal. Whoosh! Now, the team found Truro in a largish room with some sort of giant elevator in the background. Just then, a monk appeared. “Ah! Greetings!” he laughed. “And who are you?” “I’m Truro, sir.” “Ah! Truro. One of my favourite places. Mm-hm-hm! Well, my name is Brother Mace. I am, in my way, a tavern monk. Now I expect you wish to continue to Level 3, right?” “You most certainly are.” Truro replied. “I thought so. But first, you must pay the toll. I tell you what. I’ll set you a little question. If you answer correctly, you may descend to Level 3. Now, Adam was the first man, Eve was the first woman. But tell me, who was the first zookeeper?” “Was it Noah?” asked Truro. “Excellent!” said Brother Mace, excitedly. “Now, you have earned the right to go down in the descendor. The first thing you do, when you get on, is to shout ‘Down!’, and the descendor will start. Next, remember to count six stages, and don’t forget to shout ‘Halt!’ on the seventh. Good day, Truro!” Once he was directed into the descendor, Truro shouted “Down!”, and the descendor started up. Pickle and the tam counted the stages until they got to number six. Then, Truro shouted “Halt!” and the descendor stopped moving. Directly in front of Truro, there were two doors, each with a knight above them. “Treguard, these are Frightknights, aren’t they?” asked Treguard. “That’s correct, Cedric. These are indeed Frightknights. I think it’s safe to say team, that beyond these doors, things tend to get stickier.” remarked Treguard. “Well, onward!”