You lift your shield as boiling oil pours down on you. It bounces off your upraised shielda"then it flows down the shield you're wearing on your back. Your plan worked!

You battle your way to the guard tower. You tip a vat of hot oil onto the street below, then grab a torch from its wall sconce. You fling the torch into the oil, sending up a wall of flame.

You rejoin Bis, and together you push open the outer gate. Your battalion roars into the city.

Dawn is just breaking now. This is when your brothers planned to attack. You've cleared a path for them. You climb onto a parapet to signal your brothers.

The battle begins in earnest.

FIGHT YOUR WAY TO PAGE 5.

The sandstorm has not dulled your senses. It would be foolish to follow someone blind while surrounded by enemies. You ignore the person's call and hunker down.

You cover your face with your shirt, to keep from breathing in all that sand. You turn your back to the wind. You can't see a thing, but you try to get to higher ground. Finally you sit and cover your head, hoping the storm will roll over you. You know that some storms last only a few minutes and hope this is one of those.

The roar is deafening and sand pummels you. Quickly you realize it's piling up on top of you. Soon, you can't breathe. You're being buried alive!

Frantically, you try to claw your way out of the sand. But it's no use. This is . . .

THE END.

"What kind of place is this?" Tamina says as you enter the village.

You're wondering the same thing. The structures look more like army barracks than huts or cottages. There's a stable and a locked storehouse. But no people.

"I have a bad feeling . . ." you murmur.

You hear faint chanting. It sounds vaguely like the kind you used to do during your military training.

"What's that?" Tamina asks, pointing to the ground, Your throat tightens. Furrows have appeared in the ground, as if something is wriggling just below the surface. You've seen this beforea"and never thought you'd see it again.

"Pit vipers!" you cry.

At that moment, a dozen snake heads burst out of the grounda"hissing and flicking their tongues.

70.

You know he's speaking of your earlier disobedience and going against Tus's battle plans. "I understand, Father. I thought my actions would spare our men unnecessary losses."

Sharaman nods. "A good man would have done as you did, Dastan. Acting boldly, courageously to bring a quick victory and spare lives. But a great man would have stopped the attack from happening. A great man would have stopped what he knew to be wrong. No matter who was ordering it. When I first saw you as a child, those years ago, in that street, I saw a boy capable of being more than just good, but of being great. Tell me, Dastan, was I right to hope for so much?"

You look up and meet his eyes. You can see the deep love behind this challenge. "I wish I could tell you," you say softly.

The king nods. "One day, in your own way, you will."

8.

You scowl and start walking, leading Aksh by the reins.

"You know you even walk like one," Tamina taunts. "Head held high, chest out, long stomping strides. The walk of a self-satisfied Persian prince."

She starts imitating you. You ignore her.

Still she keeps talking. "No doubt it comes from being told the world is yours since birth. And actually believing it."

You can't take it anymore. You whirl around to confront the princess. "I wasn't born in a palace the way you were. I was born in the slums of Nasaf. I fought and clawed to live."

Tamina stares at you, stunned. "Then how . . ."

"The king rode into the market one day and found me. Took me in. Gave me a life. A family. A home." Your fists clench and unclench. "So what you're looking at is the walk of a man who just lost everything."

You quickly turn back around and start walking again, not caring if she follows or not.

89.

The soldiers never look up! They race out the other end of the alley, a.s.suming that's where you went.

You drop back down to the ground, wiping sweat from your brow.

Then you do the only thing you can. You head off into the desert. There is someone you need to find.

10.

"We have been told that the Alamutians have secret weapons forges here underground," you tell Yusef. "Have you heard anything of this?"

You watch his reaction carefully. "I have heard the same rumors, Prince," Yusef says, "but I have no direct knowledge of any."

"Could it be true?" you press.

He shrugs. "There are miles of tunnels; I've been in barely a fraction of them. And my familya"they are simple people. They wouldn't be privy to such information."

If you could locate the secret forges, you'd be able to bring an end to the fighting quickly.

"What do you say, old friend?" you say, clapping him on the back. "Shall we go hunting for the weapons?"

Yusef grins. "Better than fighting that sandstorm. Or sitting here waiting it out."

You grab a torch from the sconce, and you and Yusef make your way through the narrow tunnel. Very soon you come to a triple fork.

"The one straight ahead leads into the center of the city," Yusef tells you. "The others I've never investigated."

You lift your torch and try to peer down the pa.s.sageways, but it's no use. The flickering flame just creates jagged shadows.

One tunnel seems to lead deeper into the earth; the other appears to run parallel to the surface. Which way should you go?

If you take the tunnel leading down, GO TO PAGE 42.

If you take the level tunnel, 114.

You leave the bundle where it is and race out of the alley. Your men need you.

As you dart around a corner, you run right into an Alamutian soldiera"and his sword runs right into you.

Gasping, you clutch at the handle, but it's no use. His are the last eyes you ever see. Your brothers will have to fight without you. For you, this battle has come to its b.l.o.o.d.y . . .

END.

You need to make your uncle understand. "Let mea"" you start.

Your eyes go to his hands, holding the bundle.

"Your hands, Uncle. They're burned," you comment.

"Yes," Nizam replies. "From trying to pull the poisoned cloak off your father."

Something's not right here. You can feel it.

"Is something wrong, Dastan?" Nizam asks.

You shake your head, stalling.

"You're certain?" Nizam presses. "You know you can trust me, boy."

You look back up into his eyes. He smiles at you.

"Tus is my brother," you say. "How could he betray me like this?"

Nizam puts his hand on your shoulder, consolingly. "I can't say, Dastan. Perhaps he never respected you as you deserved. Only saw you as someone he could use."

You frown, recalling Nizam's words at the banquet. "*Someone to keep his winegla.s.s filled,'" you murmur.

Your mind whirls, thoughts colliding with one another. "How many times did Sharaman tell of you saving him from that lion? It was his favorite story."

Nizam's eyes narrow. "One of many."

"No," you press, trying to figure out what is at the tip of your tongue. "That was his favorite."

"I'm afraid you're speaking in riddles," he says.

83.

Despite Tamina's serious tone, you burst out laughing. "I believe in what I can hold in my fist and see with my eyes."

"Then you limit your sight. You miss your sacred calling."

"Spend some time hungry and cold in the gutter," you tell her. "Then talk to me about sacred callings."

"I know what the G.o.ds have asked of me. And I've dedicated my life to it," Tamina says. She brushes back her long dark hair. "Dastan, I've lost my home, my citya"I understand what you feel. But I'm begging you. Stop thinking about what you lost, what you used to be. What are you supposed to become?"

You stare down at her, her words slowly sinking in despite your hesitations.

"I suspect it's greater than marching into this funeral and getting your head chopped off," she adds.

You take in a long, slow breath, turning over all the tumult in your mind.

What if she's right? Maybe your destiny is to bring the Dagger to the Guardian Temple. But you'd never clear your name, or avenge your father's death. And if she's wrong . . .

Do you do as she asks and travel north to the Guardian Temple? 115.

Do you continue as you planned and enter Avrat to find your uncle? GO TO PAGE 41.

"Ha.s.sansins no longer exist," Garsiv hisses at you when you are inside the house.

One of Garsiv's lieutenants bursts in. "Four dead, sir," he reports. "More in the village."

Garsiv nods, but he doesn't lower his blade from your throat . "Nizam wants me dead," you say. "Wants me silenced. A trial is too public!"

You see something flicker in your brother's eyes. He's starting to believe you, you can tell. "He said as much, didn't he?" you demand.

Garsiv says nothing, but at least he's listening now. "I know it's never been easy between us," you continue. "But stilla"you and I are brothers!"

"Touching words with my sword at your throat," Garsiv replies.

"Before our father died he told me *the bond between brothers is the sword that defends our empire.' He was praying that sword would remain strong." Garsiv frowns. "Nizam recommended your death," he says. "Tus disagreed and ordered you brought back alive."

"Don't you see? Nizam's using the Ha.s.sansins to make sure that never happens. He's afraid of what I might say, who I might tell!" Garsiv lowers his sword. "Tell me, Dastan." Thwunk! Thwunk! Thwunk! Three long metal needles puncture Garsiv's chest!

GO TO PAGE 102.

Later that day, you ride with Sheikh Amar and his men through a desolate rocky valley. "There!" you cry, pointing at a rider in the distance.

The fierce men thunder toward the rider, catching up easily. Now you can see Tamina's furious face. Her eyes blazing, she leaps from Aksh and draws your sword from your horse's saddle.