CHOOSE YOUROWNADVENTURE18UNDERGROUNDKINGDOMBY EDWARD PACKARDILLUSTRATEDBYANTHONYKRAMERBANTAM BOOKSTORONTO NEW YORK LONDON SYDNEY AUCKLANDWARNING!!!!Donot read thisbook straight throughfrombe-ginning to end! These pages contain many differ-ent adventures you canhave as you try to reachthe Underground Kingdom. From time to time asyoureadalong,youwillbeaskedtomakeachoice.Yourchoicemayleadtosuccessortodisaster!Theadventuresyouhavewillbetheresult of the decisions you make.After you makeyourchoice,followtheinstructionstoseewhathappenstoyounext.SPECIAL WARNING!!!!The UndergroundKingdom is not easy to reach.Manyreadersnevergetthere.Othersneverre-turn.Beforestarting out onyour journey,youmaywanttoreadProfessorBruckner'stheory,whichisset forthon thepagesthat follow.ProfessorBrucknerisaratherboringwriter,and I wouldn't suggest that you bother to read histheory,except that,if you ever get to the Under-groundKingdom,it might save your life.Goodluck!PROFESSORBRUCKNER'STHEORYThediscoveryof theBottomlessCrevasseinGreenlandbyDr.NeraVivaldisupportsmytheory that the earth is not solid,as has beenthought,but that it is hollow.TheBottomlessCrevasseisprobablythesoleroutefromtheearth'ssurfacetoavast"UndergroundKing-dom." The only other possible link would be anunderground river, flowing in alternating direc-tionsinresponsetothetides,but thisseemsunlikely.How, youmay ask,was theearth hollowedout? My studies show that more than a billionyearsagoatinyblackholecollidedwithourplanetandlodgedinitscenter,pullingthewholemoltencoreintoanincrediblymassivesphere only a few hundred meters across.If you were tostand on the inner surface oftheearth,likeaflyontheinnershellofanenormouspumpkin,youwouldseetheblackholedirectly overhead,like a black sun.Thegravityof theearth's thickshellwouldhold you to the inner shell of the earth, thoughyou would weigh much less than you would ontheoutersurfacebecausethemassoftheBlack Sun would tend to pull you toward it. Ifthere were a very tall mountain in theUnder-ground Kingdom and you were to climb to thetop of it, you might be pulled up into the BlackSunbecausegravitygetsstrongerasyouap-proacha massiveobject.InallotherrespectstheBlackSunwouldnot bedangerous toany creaturesin theUn-dergroundKingdom.Onthecontrary,theBlackSunwouldbenecessarytolifeintheunderworld,butintheoppositeway thatthesunisnecessary tolifeon theearth's surface.Our sun gives us heat and keeps us from freez-ing. The Black Sun absorbs heat. If there is anunderground kingdom, it is the Black Sun thatkeepsitsinhabitantsfrombeingbakedtodeath by theheat within theearth!1You are standing on the Toan Glacier in north-ernGreenland,staring downintotheblack voidofthecrevasse.Youshiverasyouwonderwhether you were lucky or unlucky to be invitedonthis expedition.Standing next to you are Gunnar Larsen of theNational Research Institute and Dr. James Sneed,a geologist. A small black box containing a signaltransmitter is suspended over the crevasse by twolong poles. The transmitter is wired to a console afew yards away in the ice.Dr.Sneed turns a dialashemonitors thedisplay screen."Well?"Larsen's voice is impatient.Sneedlooksup,abroadsmileonhisface."This is it,friendsthe Bottomless Crevasse.""Any radarreturn?"Larsenasks.Sneedshakeshishead."None."Foraminutenoonespeaks.Likeyou,theothersmustfeelexcitedtohavereachedtheirgoal but also a little sad. It was just a year ago thatyouroldfriend,Dr.NeraVivaldi,radioedfromthisspotthatshehadreachedtheBottomlessCrevasse.Afewmomentslater,herradio wentdead.Shewas never seen again.Goonto page 2.2Nowyoustandattheedge,lostinthoughtHow could the crevasse have no bottom? Could itreallyleadtoanundergroundkingdom?Whathappenedto Dr.Vivaldi?Butyourthoughtsareshattered.Youdidn'tseem toslip, yetsuddenly you arefallingintothecrevasse!Aledgeiscomingupfast beneath you.Youcouldlandonit,butyou'refallingsofastyou'resuretobebadlyinjured.Youmight onlybesavingyourself foraslow,agonizingdeath.Thesethoughtsracethroughyourheadinasplitsecond.If you try to land on the ledge,turn to page 5.If not, go on to the next page.3Your consciousnessslipsawayas you fall fasterdown,down,down.Thenext thing you know, you're floating in air.In thesoft,reddishlight youcanseethat youarein a cavern,drifting toward the ceilingor is it thefloor?In a flash you realize what hashappenedyou've fallen to a point where gravity above youis almost equal to gravity beneath you!Youbrushagainstafirmsurfaceawallthatfeels like clay.You cling to it for a moment.Thenyou'refloatingagain,driftingslowlydown.Youbegin toloseyour fear asyourealizethat gravityhereissoweakthat youcan fall mileaftermilewithoutbeinghurtAfterawhileyoubegintorelaxandenjoydriftingthroughafantastictwi-light world. You only wish it weren't so hot! Clos-ingyoureyes,youtrytopretendthatyouaresafelyhomeinbed.Turn to page 6.5Yourwholebodyisrackedwithpainasyoucrashonto theledge.You'reshakenandbruisedbut stillalive!Asnowbank cushioned your fall."HELP!"you cry."Hold on!" Larsen yells."It's going to be tricky,but we'rerigging our ropes.We'llget you up."Youfeelaflashof joy;thenyouremembersomething that chills you to thebone.You wereverycarefulnot to fall in.You'requitesureyoudidn't slip;you werepulled asif byan unknownforcewithin theBottomlessCrevasse.Shouldyouwarnyourfriendsaboutthestrange force? If you do, they may be afraid to getcloseenoughtorescueyou.If you warn Larsen and Sneed,turn to page 13.If you just yell, "Please hurry!" turn to page 9.Onceagainyoubrushagainstafirmsurface.This time it's the floor of the cavern.In fact,youhavetoucheddownonthemossybankofanundergroundstream.Youdrinkfromthecool,clear water,thenstepoutof thecavernintothisstrangeworld.The only illumination is a dim red-orange glowthat seems to come from the ground. The air is soclear that you can see shadowy, curving hills andvalleys stretching out in all directions, even aboveyou.Why do youfeel so good? It must be becauseyouaresolightyoucouldhardlyweighmorethantenorfifteenpounds.YouspringtoyourfeetEvery movement is easy. You jumptwentyorthirtyfeethighandfloatgentlytotheground.Then you realize that you are not alone. Only afew yards away is an odd creature. As big as youare,itseemstobesomekindofbirdyetmuchmorethanabird.Under acrownof softgoldenfeathersareenormousblue-greeneyes,so vividandintensethattheyseemtobenotonlyameans of vision,but also ameans of power.Thereissomethingterrifyingaboutthatface,but also something angelic, something that drawsyoutoitInfact,youfeelasifyouarebeinghypnotized by those eyeseyes of an angel bird!If you run from the strange creature,turn to page15.If youhold your ground and faceit,turn to page10.68Yourunasfastasyoucan,hoping thatoncethemotherseesherbabyissafe,shewillnotpursueyou.Youdartintoacavern.It'sdarkerandhotterthan the pleasant spot where you found the fledg-ling.Isitthesamepassagewayyoucamethrough?Still running, you look back over your shouldertoseeifthemotherbirdisfollowing.Atthatmoment you find yourself falling,or ratherrising,towardtheearth'ssurfacedrawnupintowhatmust be the same shaft that forms the BottomlessCrevasse!Soon you stop rising and start falling. Then youriseashorterdistance,stop,andbegintofallagain.Youfeellikeayo-yo,bouncingupanddown, up and down, until you finally come to restat the centerof gravity,thepoint whereyouwillneitherrisenorfall.Likeacorkthrownintheocean,youseemdoomedtodriftforever.TheEnd"Hurry!" you yell.A moment later you see Dr. Sneed's reassuringfaceononesideoftheopeningaboveyou.Larsen peers over the other side."Don't worry,"he calls."Hey,what's..." Dr.Sneed's voice is cut off asheslidesovertheicylipofthecrevasse.Youwatchwithhorrorashisbodyhurtlesby,downinto theabyss!Youyellat Larsento get back fromtheedge.But a blur whirls by, and you feel the rush of air ashisbodyplummetsafterSneed's.They'rebothgone,andnowyouarealone,trappedonanarrowicyledge.Ifonlyyouhadwarnedthem,youwouldhavesavedthemandprobablyyourselftoo.Now your chances look slim. A search helicop-termightflyover.Butwillitland?Willanyoneeverfindyoudownhere?Willyouevensurvivethearcticnight?Turn to page 12.9You stand there and watch as the strange crea-turewalks slowly toward you.Thenyou seethelarge,blue-white pieces of broken shell.This an-gelbird is onlyafledgling,just hatched!Losingyourfear,youwalkupandstrokethecreaturegently.It cocks itshead to the sideandtouches you with one of its wings. At that momentit seemsalmost human.But suddenlyyouhear a loudwhirring sound.Hoveringaboveyouisanotherangelbird,amuchlargerone.Itmustbethemotherofthefledgling.She swoops toward you.Ifyou run,turn to page 8.If you grab the fledgling and try to use it toshield yourself, turn to page 14.If you dive to the ground and shield your facewith your arms, go on to page 11.1011Youdivetothegroundandshieldyourfacewithyour arms,hoping theangel bird willleaveyouunharmed.Nothinghappens;theangelbirdmusthavetakenheryoungoneaway.What'smore,youbegin to have the feeling that you are completelysafe.Slowlyyougettoyourfeet.Standingnearby are three more of the large creatures.Oneofthemeffortlesslyleavestheground,glidesthrough the air, and lands beside you. You have astrong urgeto climbonitsback.Whyisityoufeelsosafe?Theangelbirdsbegintomakemusicalsounds,morebeautifulthan anything you've ever heard.Is it this musicthatcausesyourgoodfeelings,orsomethingmore? These creatures seem to communicate notin words,or evenideas,but in feelings.Withoutthinkingmoreaboutit,youleapup,and because there's very little gravity,you almostfloatonto the creature's feathery back. You nestlein. It feels like a bed of goose down, soft and silky.Turn to page 16.12You look along the ledge.It curves up towardthe surface, but it also becomes narrower. You trytogaugehow closeto the surface youcouldgetwithout losing your footing. By cutting a couple ofhandholds in the ice with your pocket knife,youcouldmakeit tothetop,if youdon'tloseyourgrip.Ifyou try to make it,turn to page 18.If youdecide to wait,turnto page 20.13"Get back from the edge!" you yell. "I didn'tfall, I was pulled in!"Forafewmomentsyouhearnothing;thenSneed yells,"Thanks for warningus.Theremaybesomeforceherewedon'tunderstand.Butdon't worry, we're rigging a brace so we can pullyouupwithout gettingtooclose."Afewminuteslater youseeanylonclimbingrope dangling in front of you. You pull in enoughtotiearoundyourwaistandunderyourarms.Takinga firm grip,youcalluptothetop,"I'mreadypullaway!"Your heart skips a beat as you're yanked off theledge.Youdangleforamoment;then,slowly,footbyfoot,yourfriendspullyouupovertheedge. You scramble across the ice into their arms."Thankgoodnesswegotyou!"saysLarsen."The Bottomless Crevasse is a killer.I think we'dbetterquitnow.""I agree.I'vehad enough,"Sneedsays.Afterwhatyou'vebeenthrough,you'renotabout to argue with them. The three of you packup and begin the long trek back across the glacier.You'rehappytobealive,butyouknowthatyou'llalwaysregretthatyouneverreachedtheUndergroundKingdom.TheEnd14You lungefor thebaby bird,hopingthat youcanuseit asashield.Even as you move,youfeel a rushof wind asthemother dives to protect her baby.You realizethatyou'vejustmadethestupidestdecisionofyourlife.Strangely,themotherbirddidnotharmyou.Instead,youfeelthatyouhavebeenputintoatrance.Strangerstill,yousensethatsomethinghas set time backthat you arebeing givenan-otherchance!Turn to page 10.15You run from the angel birdup a hill that getssteeperandsteeper.Inthelightgravityof theunderworldyoucanrunfaster thanadeer,evenupthismountain.Twenty,thirty,fortyfeetatabound!You feel even lighter than you did before.You try to leap only a few feet in theair,but youfind yourself floating. There is no way you can getdown.Youareentombedbetweenthegroundaboveandthegroundbelow.Youcloseyoureyes.Then,insteadof feelingwarm,youfeelcold;insteadof feelinglight,youfeelheavy.Insteadof floating, you'relyingonahard,coldsurface.Openingyoureyes,youseeice walls rising above you.Now youunderstand.Whenyoufellintothecrevasse,youlandedonthisledge,about thirtyfeetbelowthesurface.Youmusthavehityourheadontheice.Whatastrangedreamyou'vehad!Itseemedsorealasif theangelbirdputthedreaminyourhead!Butthereareotherthingsto think of rightnow."HELP!"youshoutNo one answers.Larsen and Sneed have prob-ablygivenyouupforlostTurn to page 12.16The angel bird glides through the canyons andcorridors beneath the earth. It increases its speed,andyouholdtightasitswoopsthroughlong,curving passageways. It's the most exciting ride ofyourlife,andwouldcertainlybethescariestifyoudidn'tfeelthatyou'veneverbeensafer.Then, ahead of you,is a tunnel that flares outintoabroadnewworld.Anendlesslandscapestretches before you.It is bathed in soft,reddishlight, as if the sun had just set everywhere aroundyou!Agreat river formsacurvinglinethatdividestheland.Trees line its banks.Farther back fromthe river aremountains,someof themlavenderorblueandothersthatflickerlikeglowingem-bers.Strangelythereisnohorizon;insteadthelandscape fades into dusky reds and browns thatcurve over your head, forming a sky that is almostthe same color as the ground.Directly above youissomethingthatlookslikethesun,butitisabsolutelyblack!So this is the Underground Kingdomstrange,vast, and very beautiful. What people or creatureslivehere?What mysteriesdoes it hold? But youare swept from your daydreaming by the realiza-tionthat your lifeherecouldbeindanger.If you set out to explore the UndergroundKingdom,turn to page 19.If you concentrate on getting safely back home,turnto page 22.18Youinchyourwayalongtheedge,keepingyourbodyflatagainstthewallofthecrevasse.Youshouldbeabletomakeit,aslongasyoudon't panic.You try not to look down.Afteralmost anhourof slowprogress,you'reabletoraiseahandovertherim.Butyoustillcan'tpullyourselfup.You hack away at the ice,gouging out anotherhandhold,thenanotherfoothold.Itseemslikehours before you can take even one step higher.Then,withonegreateffort,youheaveyourselfover the edge,then twist and rollaway from thedeadlyopening.Stiff and shaky,you manage to stand and stareat thebleakworld aroundyou.The sunhassetbehind the western mountains,and you begin toshiver in the chill wind. You're thankful that in thispart of Greenland it never grows dark in July. Butitdoesgrowcoldwellbelowfreezingandyou'retooexhaustedtorunand jumptowarmyourself.Turn to page 21.19You know how you feel: the risks don't matter.You want to explore theUnderground Kingdom!Theangelbirdseemstounderstand.Steeplybanking, it swoops down along the great river andglidesgentlyontoamossyplain.Nearbyisagroveoftalltrees.Shortstumpybrancheswithclustersofmulticoloredleavesthrustoutfromtheir trunks.They look almost like hands holdingbunches of flowers.You slide to the ground,and at once the angelbird rises intheair.As it glidesup into the darkred sky, you feel a wave of happiness. You followitspathwithyoureyeslongafterithasdisap-peared. Then,turning to survey the strange land-scape,youwonderwhereyouwillgo.Whatdangers await you?Turn to page 40.20You decide not to risk the treacherous climb tothe surface.Surely help is on the way.You huddleon theicy ledge,stamping your feet and clappingyour hands,trying tokeep warm.You feelyourbodytemperaturedropping.You'vegottostayawakeuntilasearchpartyarrives.The hours pass slowly.Thesun dips below thehorizon, but there is still light in the sky. Straining,you think you hear something....Pocka pockapockapockapocka...overhead.AchopperisHovering over the crevasse!For a moment you'reblindedbyasearchlight.Thechopperdropstojustafewyardsaboveyou.Thecrewlowersaharness.Eagerly you grab it and buckle it aroundyou."HOLDON.WE'REPULLINGYOUUP."Beautifulwordsoverthebullhorn.You'resud-denly yanked into the air.Moments later a pair ofhandspullsyouthroughthehatch.Thepilotpoursyouacupof hotchocolate from hisTher-mos."Thanksforstayingalivetillwegothere,"hesays with a grin.You soon feel life seeping back into your body."Thanksforpullingmeout!""Thisistheoneplaceintheworldeveryoneshouldstayawayfrom,"thepilotsays."Nothingcouldgetmebackhere,"yousay.TheEnd21There is no shelter from the relentless wind andnosignofLarsenorSneed.It'sgettinghardtobreathe.Yousoonbegintofeelthedullaches,stiffness,and sick feeling you've read aboutthedreadsymptomsofhypothermia;youarefreez-ing to death. Maybe a search helicopter will arriveanymoment.Maybeinafewhours.Maybenever.You are very tired.You desperately need rest.If you huddle in your parka and try to conserveyour strength,turn to page 32.If you force yourself to keep walking,turnto page 25.22Your strongest desire now is to be homeagain.You cling tightly to the angel bird. As if it knowswhatyou'rethinking,itrisesintheair,bankssteeply,and then,accelerating,hurtles into a cor-ridor within theground.Younestleinto its thickdowny coat as it streaks through the darkness. Allthewhileyoufeelcompletelysafe,andintimeyou sleep.Whenyouawake,itismuchcolder.Achillwindbitesagainst yourbody.Thebrightnessofthe world around you is not the warm red light oftheUndergroundKingdom,butthecoldwhitelightoftheArctic.Thebarrenlandscape,pocketed with ice and snow, is a familiar scene, asis the rude village of shacks and tin-roofed build-ingsnearby.You'reinGreenland!Thevillageisthecoastalsettlement from whichyour party be-gan its trek across the ice fields to the BottomlessCrevasse.Go on to the next page.23Asyoutrudgeacrossthefrozenslopetothevillage,youthinkabouttheangelbirdandtheUndergroundKingdom,andyouthinkhowmuchmoretheremustbeintheuniverse,andevenonour own planet,than wecan ever imag-ine.TheEnd24"There'snochanceofthat,"ProfessorBruckner'sassistanttellsyou."Anaerialphoto-graphtakenafewweeksagoshowedthattheglacierhasmoved,sealingthecrevassewith6,000feetof solidice."Youhang up the phoneandstand by the win-dow,thinkingabouttheworldthatliesbeneaththe earth's surface.What is it like? What creaturesmightlivethere?WhathappenedtoProfessorBruckner?Didhe find Larsen andSneed?IsDr.Vivaldistillalive?Now,of course,you'llneverknow.TheEnd25Youforceyourselftokeepwalking.Ifyouwander toofar from thecrevasse,asearchteammightmissyou,soyouwalkinalargesquare:fifty paces north ... fifty east... fifty south ...fifty west...fiftynorth...again...again.Your legsfeellikelead.Youreyesarehalf shut.You hardly notice when the weak arctic sun reap-pears. . .the sun...you can't think...dizzy... you can't stand....It seems like another world when you wakeupin a room with pale green walls and gleaming tilefloors.Yourheadisswimming.Whathappenedto Larsen and Sneed? You feel as if you've livedthroughanightmare."You're lucky,we were able to save your leg."Atall,beardeddoctorisspeaking."You'llbeOK."Thenhis voice trails off ashe tells you thatyour friends,Gunnar Larsen and Dr.Sneed,havejoined Dr.Vivaldi,alllost forever."Larsen . . . Sneed." You keep mumbling theirnamesuntil finally sleepcomes.Bymorningyourheadhascleared.Itwasaterrible ordeal,but at least you survived.In a fewweeks you'llbehomehomefor good,becausenothingcouldeverpersuadeyoutogoneartheBottomlessCrevasseagain!Go on to page 26.26Threemonthshavepassed.Youreturnhomelateoneafternoontofindamanwaiting at yourfrontdoor."I'mProfessorBruckner.FromtheNationalResearchInstituteinWashington."Heshakesyourhandwarmly."Pleasecomein.AreyoustillstudyingtheBottomlessCrevasse?"Bruckner nods."We've identified the force thatmay have pulled Larsen and Sneed into thecre-vasse.Would you be willing to go back? Precau-tionswouldbetakensotherewouldbenochanceof itshappeningagain."27Youshakeyourhead."I'mafraidnot,Pro-fessor.Idon't think Icouldgoback to theplacewheremyfriendsdied."Smiling,theprofessorleanstowardyou."Would it change your mind if I told you that yourfriendsmaystillbealive?""What?""It's true.We received faint radio signals from apoint far beneath theearth'ssurface.I believe thatoneormoreoftheothersmustbealivesome-whereintheUndergroundKingdom,andwehavethemeanstoreachthem.Nowwillyoucome?"If you say that you'll go on the expedition,go on to page 28.If you decide it would be too dangerous to gowith Bruckner, turn to page 30.28"Professor Bruckner,countmein!""Good,"hesays."This time we'll be far betterequipped.NASAhasput twohelicoptersatmydisposal. One of them will transport our party ofscientists and technicians. The other will carry theVertacraft,arocket-propelledcapsulespecificallydesignedfor thismission."Go on to the next page.29Threeweekslateryoufindyourselfstaringonceagainat theBottomlessCrevasse."Itlooksnarrower thanwhenIwasherebe-fore,"youremark."Yes,"Brucknersays,"theglacierhasbeenadvancingaboutthreefeetayear.Itwon'tbelongbeforethecrevasseiscompletelysealed."Whileyouandtheother membersof thepartystandatasafedistance,theprofessorcautiouslywalkstotherimof thecrevasse.Inonehandheholdsanoblonginstrumentthatemitsanin-creasinglyrapidclicking."Don't get tooclose!"youcry."Indeed."Bruckner takesa fewstepsback."IthinkIknowwhathappenedtoLarsen,Sneed,andVivaldi.""What?""Gravitywavescomingfromthecenteroftheearthhavedisruptedspace-timeenoughtopullthemin."Theprofessorlooksdownintoyourpuzzledface."And you,as well,"headds."I'vealwayssuspected that thelawsof physicsmaybedifferentinthevicinityofablackhole.Nowwehaveproof!""What doesthismean?"The professor smiles."It means that the interiorof theearthbeginningabout800milesdeepis hollow."Turn to page 75.30"No, thank you, Professor,"you say."I've seenenough.Inever want toget near theBottomlessCrevasseagain."Bruckner shrugs."I understand," he says as heholdsouthishand.Fromthenon,youfollowthenewseagerly,hopingtohearsomereportonProfessorBruck-ner'sexpedition.Oneday,passinganewsstand,you see a headline that makes your heart sink:PROFESSORANDPARTYMISSINGINWORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS ICE FIELDS!Inthemonthsthatfollowyouhearnothingfurther about theBottomlessCrevasse,untilonenight,watching thenews,youhear aninterviewwithtwoscientistswhoclaimtohavepickedupradiosignalscoming from insidetheearth."Wecan'texplaintheirseeminglyimpossibleorigin,"oneof themreports,"norcanwedecipherthemessage,exceptfor twowords, All Safe."ThenextmorningyoucallProfessorBruckner'sofficeattheNationalResearchIn-stitute."I was wondering whether there were anyplansforanotherexpeditiontotheBottomlessCrevasse,"you say.Turn to page 24.32Youhuddlein your parka,but thecruelwindpenetratesyourbody.Youfeelyourself growingnumb.You try tostandup,but your legswon'tmove. You feel as if you are drifting through timeandspace.Then you feelnothing at all.Thesearchandrescueteamalmostreachedyouintime.TheywereneverabletolocateLarsenandSneed.Afew dayslateramemorialservicewasheldforthebravepeoplewholosttheir lives exploring the Bottomless Crevasse.Ev-eryonespokeveryhighlyof you.TheEnd33"All right," says Bruckner, "if no one will volun-teer, I'llgoalone."Therest of youhelppositionthe Vertacraft over the crevasseand wish him wellashesnaps thehatchshut andreleasesthecraftintofree-fall.HankCrouter,Bruckner'sassistant,glancesathiswatch."Ifhesurvives,we'llgetasignalbackwithin tenminutes,"hesays.Youallwaitanxiously,watchingtheclock,watching the crevasse.Ten minutes go by,fifteen,twenty, twenty-five.A chilling windbites throughyourparka.Youkick theicyground."Thirtyminutes,"saysCrouter."There'snoway ..."Weary andsad,your party trudgesback acrossthe ice fields. The moving glacier is rapidly closingthecrevasse.Therewon't beanother chance.The End35Youknowthatyourchancesof survivingtheexpeditionareslim.Evenif yousafelydescendinto the Bottomless Crevasse, there's no assurancethattheVertacraftwillbeabletogetyououtagain.Still,it's your only chance to find your lostfriendsandtoexploreanew world.Yougrityourteethandclimbaboard.Theprofessor climbsinbesideyou."Ready?"he says."I'm going to activate us assoonaswe'recentered.""Ready."Youstrapyourselfinandsayaprayer.You feellikea larva inside a cocoon.Lookingthroughtheport,you watchtheoth-ers position theVertacraft over thecrevasse.Youwave at them, and they wave back. Suddenly youare fallingfaster and faster, plummeting towardthe center of the earth. Has the Vertacraft goneout of control?"ProfessorBruckner!"youyell."Won'ttherockets work?Can't youslow us?""We'resavingourfuel,"heshouts."Gravitywillslow usyou'llsee."Hashe gonemad? You notice a red button onthe controlpanel.Next to it is asign that reads:EMERGENCYREVERSE/RETURN TO INITIAL POSITION.Turn to page 37.36Youand Dr.Vivaldi cross theGreat River andstartyourtrektotheShiningMountains.Alongthewayyourguide,Mopur,bringsbackmoun-taingame,breadbush,andtanga.Theairseemslighterandbrighter thaninthevalley of theGreat River.Neverhaveyoufelt sohappyas youdo right nowhikingthroughtheShiningMountains.ButyourArchpodguidegrumblesandfrets.Heblinks and rubs his eyes.Turn to page 92.37Thanks to the dual control system, it looks as ifyou havea chance toescape thismadness.Still,you can't be sure it willsave you....If you decide to push the Emergency-Reversebutton, turn to page 89.If you try to reason with Dr. Bruckner,turn to page 38.38"We'regoingtoofast!Can't weslowdown?"you call."No. We have hundreds of miles to go. We'vegot to get through the earth's mantle fast,or we'llbe baked todeath."Bruckner's voiceiscoolandreassuring.Maybeheknows what he'sdoing.Buteveryminute,thetemperaturerises.Youbegintosweat.Whatevermadeyouthinkyoucould survive such a trip?Sipping cold lemonadefromaplasticbottle,youtrytocloseyoureyesandrelax.Thenitseemsasif theVertacraftisslowing,but youcan't besure.Suddenly everything isstill.The Vertacraft hascometorest.Lookingthroughaporthole,youseethatyouhavelandedinsidealargecrater.SlowlyyouclimboutoftheVertacraftandopentheother compartment.Professor Bruckner's faceis ashen gray. You feel for his pulse. Nothing.Thestrainof thedescentmusthavebeentoomuchforhisheart.Turn to page 43.39Youcouldprobablyclimbanearbytreeandhideamong theclustersof giant leaves.But is itwisetorunlikeafrightenedanimal?Maybethings will go better for you if you bravely face theinhabitants of this world.If you decide to face the creatures,turnto page 42.If you decide to hide in a cluster-leaf tree,turnto page 46.40The scene around you reminds you of a photo-graphicnegative.All theshades and colors seemreversed.Thegroundisgrayishpinkclaywithwhiteoutcroppings.Inthedistanceyoucanseeareas that glow like beds of hot coals. Nearby is aforest of trees with green trunks and white leaves.Thetreesareshort;yettheirbranches,takingadvantage of the light gravity, spread out for hun-dredsof feetinalldirections.Youclimbasmallhilltogetabetterview.Wherever you look, the land curves upward, as ifyou were standing in the bottom of an enormousbowl.Theskyiscoveredwithwhatlookslikereddishyellow clouds.Mostamazingof allisthesightdirectlyover-headadiscalmostthesizeofthesun;but,insteadof shiningbrightly,itisabsolutelyblack.Youcanfeelitscoolness,asif itweredrawingheatfromyourskin.It'stheblackholeatthecenterof theearth!Youturnsharplyatthesoundofchattering.Cominguptheravinearemorethanadozencreatures,smallerthanyou,yet walkinguprighton twolegs.Half human,half ape, they look likecreaturesthatmighthaveoncelivedontheearth's surface.They are carrying ropes and nets.Turn to page 39.42Youstepforwardtomeetthestrangeproces-sion.Theunderworldcreaturesformacirclearound you,cackling and gesturing to each other.Yousmileandholdoutyourarms."Hello,"youbegin,but thecreaturesraisetheirnetsandcloseinonyou.Oneof thembarksanorder.Theymotionforyoutofollowthem.Youdon'thavemuchchoice.Despitetheirsmallsize,theymove rapidly through the thick woods.Occasion-allytheyfreeze,andyouhearthemwhispering,"Kota, ib saben Kota."You march a mile or so through groves of trees.It's as hot as you've ever known it, and you feel asif you're going to faint, but finally you reach openland.Instantly youfeelcooler.TheBlackSunisdrawingheatfromyourbody.Soon you reach a village of igloo-shaped struc-turesthatlookasif they'remadeof greenclay.One of your captors leads you to the nearest one."Ibagon," hesays as he takes you inside.Turn to page 44.43Youburytheprofessor'sbodyneartheVer-tacraft,andsayaprayer.Youfeelsadandafraidof setting forth alone in a strange world. But thereisno choice.You must search for foodandshel-ter.First, you've got to get out of this crater. Thereis a tunnelnearby.Peering inside,you see that itleadsstraight down.Suddenlyyourealizethat itwasthroughthistunnelthattheVertacrafttrav-eled; you're looking through the other end of theBottomlessCrevasse.Thetunneldoesn'tleadstraightdown,butstraightuptothesurfaceoftheearth!SoProfessorBruckner wasright.Theearthislikeahollowed-outpumpkin,andyou'restand-ingonitsinnershell.Yourfeetmustbeheldtothegroundbythegravityof theshellitself.You look around at the walls of the crater. Theyare too steep to climb.But you feel so lightas ifyouwerewalkingonthemoonyoumightbeable to jumpout.Youstand therea minute,wondering why thepullof gravityhereisn'tasstrongasit isontheearth'ssurface.ThenyouremembertherestofBruckner'stheory:Thereisablackholeatthecenterof theearth,pullingyoutowardit.Youleapashighasyoucantwentyfeetintheair!Then, with one great bound, you'reout,standingonthesurfaceof theUndergroundKingdom.Turn to page 40.44Theinterioroftheagon,asitseemstobecalled,islitbyglowingstonescirclingtheinnerwall.In the center is a small fountain.Clear waterbubblesforthandflowsalongasilvertroughbeforedisappearingunderground.Thefloorissoftandspongy,likea thickbedof moss.Theleaderstepsforward."Ket,"hesays,pointingtohimself."Ket Raka."Pointingtotheothers,hesays,"AkimRaka,TorRaka. . . "Yourepeateachname,thenpointingtoyour-self,tellthemyourname.TheRakaslaughastheytrytopronouncethestrangesound.Tor, who seems younger than the others, bringsyousomethingthatlookslikecheesebuttasteslikehoney.Ket givesyouasmallpinkfruit."Ibtanga," he says,smiling.Tanga is delicious, and you are eating a secondonewhenalargeblue-furredRakarushesintotheagon.Pointing at you,he speaksexcitedly inhisowntongue.Torbeginstoarguewithhim.The others join in."Narmgcalla!"theblue-furredRakasaysloudly. It's clear he wants you to come with him; itseemslikelythatherepresentsthechief,orleader.KetandAkimgestureasif youshouldobey.But Tor shakeshishead,warning you not to go.If you follow the blue-furred Raka,turn to page 48.If you refuse, turn to page 50.46Youhideinthecluster-leaftree.Thestrangecreaturespassbyexceptforonestraggler,whostopstostretch.Foramomenthelooksrightatyou."Kota zaark!" he cries,then turns and runsaftertheothers.Perhapsyouneedn'thavebeensocautious.Thecreaturelookedmorelikeafrightenedani-malthanafiercehunter.Asyouclimbdownfrom thetree,youhear alowmoaningcomingfromthebrush.Apairofbright blue lights is shining from within thedark-ness.Goontothenext page.47Nowthemoaningcomesfrombehindyou.Turning,youseeanother pair of bluelights.Be-neath themare long,glisteningfangs.Slowly thecreaturescloseinonyou;theirmoansriseintohigh-pitchedshrieks.What are they?Youhaveonlyafewsecondstolive,soithardlymatters.TheEnd48Hoping for thebest,you follow theblue-furredRakatothecenterof thevillage.Asyouwalkalongthenarrowfootpaths,otherRakasemergefromtheir agonsandstareat youcuriously.Whenyoureachthecentralagontheblue-furredRakaletsoutalong,lowhootingnoise,whichisansweredfromwithin.Insideanoldwhite-headed Rakasitsnear thecentralfountain.A large black disc hangs from his neck. For a long49timehestaresatyou.Finallyherisesandstepscloser."So,you are what my hunters found.Myname is Arton.I am the High Raka of the villageof Rakmara."You are so startled by the familiar words that ittakesyouaminutetoanswer."Howisityouspeakmylanguage?"youfinally ask.Arton smiles."A visitor from the Nether World.ShecalledherselfNera.""Dr. Vivaldi? She's alive? Where?"TheoldRakashakeshishead."Shetriedtoswim across the Great River. The river spirits haveswallowedher.""She might have madeit across!"you say."Even if she did, the Archpods would have fedher to theKotabeasts.""What are Archpods?""TheArchpodslivebeyondtheGreatRiver.ForalongtimetheRakasandArchpodshaveeachhad onehunting boat;that is the law.NowtheArchpodsbuildmanyboats.Theyarenothunting boats; they are war boats.The ArchpodsplantoconquerRakmara."Youholdyourheadinyourhands.PoorDr.Vivaldi!Andnow thethreat of war.Turn to page 51.50Youshakeyour headandstandyourground.Theblue-furredRakaglaresatyouandstridesfromtheagon.Hereturnsafewmomentslaterwith twoother Rakas,eachholdingropesandanet."Iwon'tbetakencaptivelikesomeanimal!"youshout.A Raka tries torope you,but you duck out ofreach.Theydraw closer.Likea footballquarter-back,youspinanddartpast them."Kela! Zaark!" theRakas yell,but you'real-ready out of the agon, running across the dimly litland.Helped by the light gravity, you quickly reach agrove of cluster-leaf trees, and you keep running,onandon.Atlastyoureachtheopencoun-tryside.Inthesoftreddishgraytwilightyouseethe Great River just ahead. You stop to rest besideits waters.Turn to page 53."Yes, bad times are upon us," Arton continues."But we shall protect ourselves.We have learnedto mix powders and call up the fire of the earth inagreatblastof noiseandheat""You meanbombs?""Wecall thembrakpa.With brakpa and withyourhelp,weshalldestroythe Archpodsbeforetheydestroyus.""What do you mean,'with my help'?" you ask."You come from the Nether World, where waris the way of life. If you ride with us, our warriorswillhave courage.""What aretheKota beasts?""You ask toomany questions!"the High Rakasnapsback."Nowyoumustanswermine:Willyou go with our warriors to attack the Archpods?"Youshrinkbackfromthechoice.TheHighRaka's voice grows stern and cold "If you are notwith us, then you are against us, and we shall dealwith youasourenemy."If you tell the High Raka that you will go withhis warriors, turn to page 52.If you tell him that you won't take part in awar, turn to page 56.5152"I'll go with your warriors,"you answer."Verywell,"saysAlton."YouwillstaywithTomo.Vivaldi taught him English, and he will tellyou what youneedtoknow."Immediatelyoneof theRakasstepsforwardand takes your arm."I am Tomo,"he says.Thenheleadsyoutotheoutskirtsof thevillageandintohisagon.Hebrings you wovenmats."Youmust rest now,"hesays.Youpeeroutsideatthered-streakedsky."Doesn't itever getdarkhere?""Wehavenonight or day,"saysTomo."Wemeasure time by the tides of the Great River. Dr.Vivaldisaidtwoof ourtidesequaloneof yourdays.It is sleeping tide now."Yourealizethatyouhavenotsleptsinceyouarrivedin theUnderground Kingdom.How longhave you beenhere? How many tides?Too tiredtothinkaboutit,youliedownandquicklyfallasleep.Turn to page 54.53Onceyou'vecaughtyourbreath,youwalkalongtheriverbankandsoonreachacrudewoodendock.TwoRakasareguardingtheirhunting boat, a long flat-bottomed shell fashionedfrom duster-leaf wood.Nearby is a smaller boat,one you could paddle yourself. You just might beable to untie it, push off,and get across theriverbeforetheguards catchyou.Ifyou try to take the small boat and make abreak for the other side, turn to page 57.If you try to bluff the guards into thinking youhave permission to use it, turn to page 58.54When you wake, Tomo gives you a bright pinktanga.Youhadn'trealizedhowlittleyou'veeaten,andyouwolf it down.Smiling,Tomo re-places it withanother."Someday we will go hunting,"says Tomo."Are you ahunter?""Almost.ImustfirstgoontheHuntoftheBlack Sun.I must kill a Kota beast.""A Kota beast? What are they?"Tomofrowns."Greattoothedanimals,witheyeslikeblueflamesandteethlikeironfangs.Theyliveinthedarkest,hottestpartsofthewoods.Theytearanythingapart,eventhem-selves."YoustarttoaskabouttheHuntoftheBlackSun, but Tomo raises a hand."Now we must talkofwar.TheArchpodswillnotexpectanattackwhen the river is low. That is when we shall crossanddestroytheirboats."The next morning as the Great River begins tofall, the Rakas load their hunting boat, now calledthe war boat, with brakpacrude bombs packedinhollowed logs.Youshudder to think that youare about to witness the beginning of a war.Butthere seems tobeno way to avoid itBeforethesleepingtidehasended,Tomo,you,andfivehunters set off inthe war boat.Go onto thenext page.If you dive overboard and swim for shore,turnto page 61.If you stick it out in the war boat,turn to page 62.55TheRakahuntersareclumsyatrowing,andthe boat is so heavy that a few small waves wouldeasily swamp it.You realize you might be able toswimtoshorebeforetheRakascouldturnaround and catch you.It's risky, but it's your onlychancetoavoidthewar!Turn to page 63.56"Iwon'thaveanythingtodowithyourbrakpa,"you say."I am not an enemy of you orof the Archpods.""Ig krig zaark!" the High Raka says angrily.Two Raka guards seize you and march you outoftheagon.Butthemomentyougetoutside,youmakeabreak.You'vealwaysbeenabletorun fast when you needed to.In the light gravity,you'reevenfaster.Asyoudartthroughthegroves of duster-leaf trees,you can hear the criesof the Rakas from both sides and behind you. ButtheGreatRiverliesjustahead,andforonceyou're in luckthere's a crude raft tiedup alongtheshore.Youquicklyuntieit,andpushoffasyoujumpaboard.Thecurrentsoontakesyouaround a bend in the river and safely out of sight.Youlielowontheraft,afraidof landinguntilyou are well past Rakmara. Now you have time tothink. Where will the river take you? What will beyourfate?57You quickly reach the boat, but you can't untiethe rope! Instantly the Rakas are upon you. Utter-ing angry cries, they fling their nets over you. Oneofthemblindfoldsyou.Thentheymarchyoualong awinding,bumpypath."Where are you taking me?"you ask.But theRakas ignore you,muttering angrily in their owntongue.Deathseemscertain.Howwilltheyexecuteyou?Theyseemtolikeropes;maybetheywillhang you.As you march on,hour after hour, the air turnscolder.Youfeel your strengthebbing.Finally theRakasstop.Exhausted,youcrum-ple to the ground.All is silent, and you fall into adeepsleep.Turn to page 60.58Youthinkfast.Luckily,yourememberthecommandthattheblue-furredRakagave.Youwalk upto theguards,smiling.Youpoint inthedirectionyoucamefrom,thentoyourself,andthen to oneof the boats."Nar mg calla," you say with authority.The guards mutter. Then, to your surprise, theysmile.One of them unties a boat and motions foryoutoboardit.Theymustthinkyou'reaprivi-legedguestoftheHighRaka.Youquicklygetaboardandpushoff.Asthe current takesyouaroundabend,younoticeArchpodsettlementsontheoppositeshore.Soonyouspot agoodlandingplace.Asyougetcloser,younoticeabandofArchpodsstandingontheshore.LikethefirstRakasyoumet,theyarearmedwithropesandnets.Theydon't look very friendly.You could be in for moretroublethanyouhad with theRakas.If you continue in to shore,turn to page 66.If you start back across the river,turnto page 65.60Hourslateryouawake,stiff andshakingfromthecold.Cautiouslyyoupulloffyourblindfold.Yourcaptorsaregone.Allaroundyouisdarkbrown clay.There are no trees,no water,and noshelterfromthecoldwindthatblowsacross thevast,empty plain.So this is your intended fateyou will be left to die of exposure under the BlackSun.It's a long trek across the desert of theUnder-ground Kingdom, but if you can only reach sometrees,youmaybeabletofindawarmplacetorest.Somehowyouknowthat you'llmakeit,ifyou have the will.Do you?TheEnd61Ina flash you'reover thesideandswimmingforshore.TheRakasyellatyou.Oneofthemtries to hit you with an oar while the others strokefuriously,tryingtoturntheirunwillingcraftaround.Swimminghard,youhearscreamsbehindyou.Thewarboathasoverturned!Thebrakpahavegonetothebottom,andtheRakasarestrugglingtosavetheirlivesandrighttheboat.Using all your strength, you swim in to shore andstartrunningfor thegrovesof duster-leaf trees.Almostatonceyouhear aloud,trillingsong.Aboveyouisanenormous flying creaturewithwings stretching twenty feet across! You stare intoitsgreatblue-greeneyesandatoncefeelcom-pletely safe.You know you've seen it,or at leastdreamed of seeing it, before. It's like some kind ofangelbirdsent toprotect you.Without thinking,you leap right ontothecreature'sback.Turn to page 22.62Swimmingtoshorelookstoorisky.Yousitquietly in the boat, hoping for the best. As the warboat nears the middle of the river, the current getsstronger.TheRakawarriorscanhardlyrowagainstitAstheRakasstrugglewiththeiroars,the boat is swept farther and farther downstream.Youwonderwherethecurrentwilltakeyou,untilyouhearasoundupaheadthatquicklygrows into a roar."Ig riba!"theRakas shout."Ig zaark!" Theybegin to unload the heavy brakpa. Frantically youhelp,butatthesightof theboilingwhiterapidsahead,youloseheart.Momentslatertheboatsmashesintotherocks,andyouandtheRakawarriors areswept away by theraging torrent.TheEnd63Yourraftfloatsonpastmarshybanksandyellow clay islands.The river growsnarrowas itflowsthrough adeep canyon.Rock cliffs rise uponbothsides.Youholdon,hopingtoreachaplacewhereyoucanland.Never have you experienced as dark a night asthis.It'sasiftheriverwereflowingthroughatunnel somewherein thedepths of the earth.Finally you sleep, and it seems as if a very longtimehaspassed whenyouawakeand find yourraftpitchingupanddown.Whyhastherivergrownsorough?It'sstilltoodarktoseemuch,but at least thestars areout.Stars?Therearen'tanystarsintheUnder-ground Kingdom. You're not on the riveryou'reonanocean!Goonto page 64.64So,theGreatRivermustbeanundergroundlink between the earth's seas. The tides were withyouandcarriedyouthroughtheearth'smantleand crust to the surface.There's land nearby. Andyounotice a faint glow onthehorizon.Soonthesunwillberising,not thecoldBlackSunof theUndergroundKingdom,butyourownwarm,bright,life-giving sun!The End65You try to row back to the Rakmara shore, butthe current isnow so swift that you find yourselfbeing carried downstream.Desperately you try topaddleagainstitIt'snouse.Andthere'sbadtroubleupaheadfoaming,whiterapids!Youhang on for your life, but your raft smashes into arock with a terrific thunk. One end tilts straight up,dumping you into thewild,swirling waters.Youtrytograbtheraft,but youcan'treachit.Youstart swimming toward shore, but you can't makeanyheadway.You're not a quitter.You'll go down trying.TheEnd66Tryingtoactunafraid,yourowstraightintoshore,hopoutof theboat,andstepforwardtomeet the Archpods."Hello.I come as afriend!"you call out. But their only response is to take youprisoner andmarchyoubacktotheir village.Yousoonfind that the Archpodslive inagonssimilartothoseoftheRakas.Yourcaptorsleadyou into thelargest one,where you expect to bepresentedtotheirchief.Instead,awomancallsyour name.It's Dr.Vivaldi!67She hugs you warmly."I thought I'd never seeanotherhumanface!"shecries,tearsstreamingdownher cheeks.One of theguardssays something youcannotunderstand.Then the Archpods march out of theagon,leavingyou alonewithyour friend.Dr.VivalditellsyouhowshebarelysurvivedherfallthroughtheBottomlessCrevasse,howshelivedforalmostayearwiththeRakasandfinally swam across the Great River to the land ofthe Archpods.You tell her of your descent to theUndergroundKingdomandyouradventuresinRakmara."Wemustsetuponaplan,"shesays."TheArchpods have learned that the Rakas are makingbombs. They think we may be Raka spies. That iswhyyouweretreatedsorudely.Theyhavetoldmethattheirchief,theGrandAkpar,willsoondecide whether to executeus."Go on to page68.68"What can we do?"youask.Dr. Vivaldi looks at you thoughtfully, then says,"If thereis a war,we cannot expect to survive.IamgoingtotalktotheGrandAkpar.But here,take my gold bracelet. If you give it to the guard,he willlet youescape.""But what willhappen to you? I don't want toleaveyouhere.I'llgototheGrandAkparwithyou!"Dr.Vivaldi replies,"Think carefully before youmake suchadecision."Ifyou decide to face the Grand Akpar with Dr.Vivaldi, turn to page 70.If you decide to escape while you still have achance,turn to page 100.You're glad that your friends are still alive,andyou hurry to meet them. A few minutes later youareexchanging storiesof your adventuresintheUndergroundKingdom.ButLarsenandSneeddonotseemhappy."Isanythingwrong?"Dr.Vivaldifinallyasksthem."I'mafraidso,"Larsenreplies."We'vejustinspectedtheBottomlessCrevasse.Theglacierhas sealed it tight.We are trapped here forever!""We'll never get home now,"you say."That's the way it looks,"says Larsen."Like itor not, we're pioneers. The only thing for us to dois to make the best of our lives in this new world.""That'snotgoodenoughforme,"saysDr.Vivaldi."We're going to find a way out of here!"She looks at you witha broad smile."Right?""Right,"you answer.TheEnd69"I'llface theGrand Akpar with you.""That's a brave choice," says Dr. Vivaldi,"but italsowouldhavetakencouragetoescape."Shesmiles."Sometimesthere'snothing todobut tobebrave!"Asshe speaks three Archpod guardswalk into the agon. They motion for you to followthem,but when Dr.Vivaldi tries to join you, theyblockher way."Goodluck.. . . "Dr.Vivaldi'svoicefadesastheguardsmarch youout of theagon.Afewminuteslateryouarestandinginthecentral agon.Facing you is the Grand Akpar.Hislong,silkyfuriscombedlikeanovalframearoundhis stern,grayface.A pendant madeofsmoothblack stonehangsfromhisneck.He studies you a moment and says,"Wehavelearned fromDr.Vivaldi that you come from theNetherWorldtheworldof warfare.Youknowmuchmoreabout suchthingsthanwedo.Youcan prove that youare not aRaka spyby tellingushow wecandefeat them!"You stand silently, trying to think of what to say."I'm waiting,"theGrand Akpar says.What will youdo?If you try to play along with him,turn to page73.If you refuse,turnto page 104.7072Suddenly, you feel a presence.Looking around,youseepairs of bright blue lights staring at you.Then you see brown bristly faces,iron fangs, andlongcurledclaws.Kotabeasts!Thelastsoundsyouhear are their unearthly shrieks of triumph.TheEnd73Youtrytothinkfast.Youdon'twanttoberesponsible for killing the Rakas,but you have tosound helpful."Land your fleet during the sleep-ingtide,"yousay."Thatwayyouwillsurprisethem.""Thank you." The Grand Akpar smiles. "But, ifyour advice fails,you will be taken to the Mouthof Fire."The Grand Akpar motions to his guards.Theylead you back toDr.Vivaldi.You and Dr. Vivaldi wait anxiously, wishing thatyou could do something to prevent the war.Youknow that the Archpods are building boats as fastas they can.Dr.Vivaldi pleads with the guards toletherseetheGrandAkpar,buttheyrefusetolisten.One day the Grand Akpar comes to your agon."Our boats are ready,"he says."We invade Rak-maranow."That sleeping tide, you lie on your bed, dream-ing of home.An explosion startles you.The warhasbegun!TheRakasmusthavehadtheirbombsready.Youwaitanxiouslyfornewsofwhat's happened. Finally it comesin the form ofArchpod guards carrying ropes andnets.Turn to page 84.74Yourheadaches.Youfeelasifyou'vebeenrunover by asteamroller. . .but a coolhand ispressedagainstyourforehead."Don'tworry,you'regoingtobeOK,"Dr.Vivaldi says."Theradio worked.Help is ontheway."Yourfaceisbruised.It'spainfuljustopeningyoureyes,butwellworthit.Forinthebrightsunlightyoucanseeicefieldsallaroundyou.You'rebackinGreenland,andrightnowthewhole surfaceof theearthfeelslikehome!You look up at Dr. Vivaldi.Her face shows she,too,isinpain."Abrokenarm,"sheexplains."Otherwise,I'mOK.""We were lucky,"you say."Yes."Shesmiles."TheVertacraftJustsqueakedthrough.Thecrevassehasnarrowedtwomorefeet.Inanotherfewweeksitwillbeimpossible to get through. You and I will probablybethelastonesevertovisittheUndergroundKingdom.""I'mgladwehadthechance,"yousay."Iwouldn't havemissedit for theworld."TheEnd"But what does that have to do with the blackhole?"youask Bruckner.Theprofessor pauses tofillhispipe."AsI ex-plained in my published theory,a tiny black holelodgedinthecenteroftheearthmorethanabillionyearsago.Itpulledtheinterioroftheeartheverythingexcept forthecrustandman-tleinto itself, leaving the earth hollowed out likeaHalloweenpumpkin.Thatiswhatthegravityreadings tell us.""Thenwhereis theUnderground Kingdom?""Itisthewholeinteriorsurfaceoftheearth.Andifyoustoodthereandlookedstraightup,youwouldseetheblackhole.Itwouldlookexactlylikeoursunexceptthatitwouldbejetblack."Professor Bruckner lights his pipe, then says,"Idid not expect to undertake this mission for somemonths.Ionlyplannedtoinspectthecrevasseand test the Vertacraft, but the crevasse is closingrapidly.Imustmakethedescenttoday.Other-wise,my return path might be blocked.Who willvolunteer to comewithme?"Turn to page 77.7576WhenyoutellDr.Vivaldioftheadviceyougave the Grand Akpar,she shakes your hand."Iwould have said the same thing.If our destiny isto die at the hands of the Archpods, it will not beyourfault."Now three tides have passed.You and Dr.Vi-valdiarestillwaitingforthenewsthatwillsealyourfate.It must be midway through the second sleepingtidewhentheguardsawakenyou.Amomentlater, the Grand Akpar walks into your agon. Withhim is theHighRaka."TheArchpodsandtheRakashavemadepeace," says Akpar."From now on we shall buildboatsforbothtribes,andthereshallbenobombs!"Turn to page 78.Oneafteranother,theteammembersshaketheir heads.Finally Bruckner turns to you."Well?"Youhesitate.Youdon'twantto risk yourlife.But this could be the only chance of finding yourlostfriends.If you decide to go with him,turn to page 35.If you decide not to risk it,turnto page 33.77FromthenonyouandDr.Vivaldiaretreatedlikehonoredguests.TheArchpodsbringyoubaskets heaped with tanga, and cakes made fromgoldengrain.They show you their mineral poolswhereyouswimintheswirling,bubblywater.Later you lie in the warmth of the glowing rocks,thencooloff undertheBlackSun.A few tideslatertheGrandAkpar paysyouavisit."Would youliketo stay longer and exploretheUnderground Kingdom?"he asks."We shalllendyouthreehunterstoguideyou.Or,if youwish,youmay return to the Nether World.""Whichdoyouprefer?"Dr.Vivaldi asks you."Theremaystillbeachancetoreturnhome,thoughthe risks aregreat."Ifyou say that you want to explore theUnderground Kingdom, turn to page 81.If you say that youwant to try toreturn to thesurface, turn to page 82.78"Thismaybetheonlychanceearthpeoplehave to explore the Underground Kingdom," yousay,"and I don't want to pass it up.""I'mgladtohearyousaythat"Dr.Vivaldiunfoldsamap of theUndergroundKingdom."ImadethismapfromwhattheRakasandArch-podshavetoldme.AlthoughtheUndergroundKingdom has an area sixty percent as large as thesurfaceof theearth,onlya very smallportioniscool enoughto behabitable.Most of the land istoohottosetfooton.Itisthemoltenredrock,youknow,thatprovidesthereddishglowthatlights this dim world. If it were not for the tremen-douscoolingeffectoftheBlackSun,lifecouldnot existhere."SometimesDr.Vivaldigetstooscientificforyou."Wheredoyouthinkweshouldexplore?"youask.Turn to page 83.81"If there's a chance of making it,"you say,I'dlike to try to get home.""Thenwemusthurry,"saysDr.Vivaldi."Ak-par,there isnot much you can dobut lead us tothecrater wherewearrived."The Grand Akpar speaks in his own tongue toa guard, who quickly leaves the chamber. Turningtoyouhesays,"Ishallhaveaboatreadiedtotake you across the Great River.Come then,wewill guide youback tothesecret canyon."After a three-tides' journey you and Dr. Vivaldi,guided by a party of Archpods, reach the Bottom-lessCrevasse.Dr.Vivaldirunstowardasmallmetalcraft onthecraterfloor."A Vertacraft!" she says. "With luck this will getusbacktotheearth'ssurface."Dr.Vivaldigives instructions totheArchpods,whothenusetheirropestosuspendthecraftdirectly over the shaft of the crevasse. You and Dr.Vivaldithankyourhostsandbidthemfarewell.The canopy cover closes.You watch anxiously asDr.Vivaldichecks out the instruments."Areyouready?"she asks."Ready."Yougrit yourteethas theVertacraftaccelerates into the crevasse and begins the 800-miledescenttothesurfaceoftheearth.You'repressedflatagainst your seat.Thegforceister-rific!It's getting worse.What'shappening? Can'tDr.Vivaldi stop it? You're blacking out.Turn to page74.82"Therearethreeareasthatfascinatemeequally,"sheanswers,"soI'llletyouchooseamongthem.Tothewestaret he WeightlessPeaks,where you become lighter and lighter,thehigheryouclimb.TothesoutharetheHillsofDiamonds.TheArchpods areafraid to go there.They say it is too close to what they call the Lair oftheGhostWolf.""WhatliesacrosstheGreatRiver?"youask."BeyondRakmara.""TheShiningMountains.TherewemayfindcreatureswhomtheArchpodscalltheFlyingClera.They are great birds, who may be the truerulersoftheUndergroundKingdomhighereventhanhumansontheevolutionaryscale.What wouldyouprefer?"If you decide to explore the Weightless Peaks,turn to page 85.If you decide to go to the Hills of Diamonds,turnto page 88.If you decide to explore the Shining Mountains,turn to page 36.83"You betrayed us," says the head guard."TheRakas threw bombs into our boats.Nearly all ofthem were lost Many of our hunters were killed."Heturnstotheothersbehindhim."Bindthemand take them to the Mouthof Fire."You cry out for mercy, but you know there willbenone.TheEnd84A few tides later you and Dr. Vivaldi set out forthe Weightless Peaks.With you is a young Arch-podnamedKatu,chosenbecauseshespeaksyourlanguage.OnthetrekfromtheArchpodvillagetotheWeightless Peaks, Katu tells you the legend of theArchpods who traveled through a shaft that led toanewuniverse.FewArchpodsbelievedtherecould be such a place.Most of them thought thattheearthwasinfinitelythick,thatnothingcouldliebeyondit."Nowthathumanbeingshavear-rived,weknow thatthereisawholenew worldrightunderourfeet.WecallyourworldtheNether World,"she says."We are curious aboutit.But we are also afraid of it, and of its creatureswhocoulddestroyus.""Sometimeswehumanbeingsareafraidofourselves,"you reply.Afterhikingforfourteentides,youbegintoclimbfirstgentlehills,thensteepmountains.Youtireundertheweightof yourpack,butDr.Vivaldi urges you on."It will soon be easier,"shesays.And she is proven correct, for as you strug-gleupthenextsteephill,youfeelyourpackgrowing lighter, and you feel lighter too. Ahead ofyou,Katu is bounding up the higher peaks like amountaingazelle.Turn to page 87.85"Now you can see,"says Dr. Vivaldi,"how ontheWeightlessPeaksthehigheryougo,thelighter you'll get Look!" She points to the highestpeak of all.Its top is a spire jutting into the sky. Athinplume of smoke rises from the top."It must bea volcano,"yousay."No,"saysDr.Vivaldi."Somethingelseisgoing on.The mountain's gravity at its peak is soweak that dust is being pulled off by the tremen-dous gravityof theBlack Sun.""I bet I only weigh five or six pounds," you say."I could easily climb to the top of that spire.""Better not,"says Dr.Vivaldi.Yourealizethatifyou'resolight,thehugebouldersaroundyoucan't weighverymuchei-ther. You decide to test your theory. You nudge aboulder twice your size.It rolls into another boul-der.Thenaboveyou,Katuscreams,"Ava-lanche!"Turn to page106.87CertainlytheHillsofDiamondsmustbeanamazing sight And, if you ever do make it back tothe surface,it wouldn't hurt to have a few dozendiamonds in your pocketsyou could be rich forlife!The Archpods provide you and Dr. Vivaldi withtheir largest boat for the trip down the Great Rivertothediamondhills.After a journey of six tides,youhear a roaringup ahead.The Archpods quickly beach the boat."Wecangonofarther,"theleadertellsyou."Therearedeepcanyonsandfiercerapidsahead.Wemustgoonfootacrossthefieldofwhiteclay."Yousoonfind that thewhiteclay isextremelyhot.Your feet wouldburnupwereit not for thelight gravity of the underworld that permits you toraceacross the field in great leaps.Finally you reach cooler ground. Ahead of youis a dazzling vision: dozens of little hills of brilliantdiamonds!Turn to page 91.88YoupushtheEmergency-Reversebutton.In-stantlyyouarepressedtoyourseat,almostcrushedbytheforcesastheretro-rocketsfire.The artificial weight squeezes the air out of yourlungs.Then,slowly,thepressureeases.Foramoment you're completely weightless. Your heartispoundingas youcheck thedepthmeter.TheVertacraftisrising!"Youfool.Whathaveyoudone?"Brucknersounds wilder thanever."I'mreturningustothesurface,Professor."Yourvoiceiscool.YoufeelconfidentnowthattheVertacrafthasrespondedtoyourcommand."Why didn't you ask?"Bruckner's voice is bit-ter."Theauto-returnisn't programmed toadjustfor thisgravitation."Bruckner sounds more sane now. It's you who'sbeginning to feel crazy."What will happen then?"youask.Suddenly thedarkness is replaced by blindingsunlight.TheVertacrafthasreachedthesurface,yet it's still accelerating, shooting up into the strat-osphere!"Can't webring it backdown?""I'mafraidnot,myfoolishyoungfriend,"Brucknerrepliesinacold,deadtone."It'sacommand procedure.There's no override.We'reheaded into outer space.Within a few hours we'llbefrozensolid."TheEnd8991"Lookatallthosediamonds,"yousay."I'msurprisedtheArchpodshaven'talreadytakenthem.""Villa tarem, zaark!" One of the Archpods isscreaming.Severalof thempointtothenorth."Tarem Agax!"Youcan'tseeanythingunusual,but the Arch-podsaredesertingyou,racingbackacrossthefield."What's going on? Do you see anything?"youask Dr.Vivaldi.Sheshakesher head,seemingly as confused asyou are."It must be the ghost wolf.What we arewitnessingmaybemoreinteresting than thedia-mondhillsthemselves.Wemaybein thepres-ence of a life force that the Archpods can see butwecan'tOr maybewhat theyseeisanillusion,andwe are right in thinking nothing is there.Thisis something that has always interested me:differ-entrealitiesfordifferentobservers.""Idon'tthinkwehavetimetofigureitoutnow,"you say."You may be right," Dr. Vivaldi admits."In anyevent, I would guess that the Archpods have goodreasonsfortheirfears.Areyouwillingtoriskcontinuing on to the Hills of Diamonds, or do youwant toturnback?"If you say you want to continue,turn to page 94.If you say you want to turn back,turn to page 97.92"Ithink Iknow why the Archpodsand Rakasavoid this beautiful land,"says Dr.Vivaldi."Theyareconditionedtothedimredlight of theGreatRivervalley.ThebroaddaylightherebothersMopurasmuchasit wouldbotherustoliveinsemidarkness.""Why is it so bright?"YouareinterruptedbycriesfromMopur."Clera! The Flying Clera!"Craning your neck,youseeseveralgreat bird-like creaturesswooping across thesky."Theyarelikenothingthathaseverlivedonthesurface,"saysDr.Vivaldi."Theymayhaveevolvedonsomeotherplanet."Youfallsilent as themusicof theFlying Clerabeginsagreatchorusyouhearnotonlywithyourears,but with your wholebody.Like you, Dr.Vivaldi seems hypnotized."Theysound trulyangelic,"shesays.But Mopur tugs at your sleeves. "This is not theplacefor us,"hesays."Weare not ready.""Ihaveastrongfeelingthatwemustturnback,"says Dr.Vivaldi."Yes," you say,"I have the same feeling.Someforceispullingusback."Dr.Vivaldi's gaze is fixed on the Shining Moun-tains."TheFlyingCleraareaveryadvancedspecies,"sheexplains."Theyhavetheability toproject their feelings ontous.Their presenceandpurposehereisamysterythat Isuspect wearenot yet ready to understand,but I feel certain thattheyrepresentaforceof goodin theuniverse.""If the Flying Clera are so advanced," you say,"whydon'ttheyruletheUndergroundKing-dom?"Dr.Vivaldismiles."I don't know,but I wouldguessthatnotwantingtoruleothersispartofbeingadvanced."At that moment youareovercomebyastrongdesire to return home, to the surface of the earth.You exchange glances with Dr.Vivaldi."Do youhave thesamefeeling Ido?"you ask.Shenodsandmotionsyoutofollow.Turn to page 98.94"Let'sgettothosediamonds,"youcry.Andyou run toward the points of sparkling white light.At thesametimeyoubeginchokingonthicksulphurousfumes.Behind you,thunder rumblesfrom the ground!Dr.Vivaldihasreachedthefirsthillofdia-monds."They're the real thing!"she calls,siftingthemthroughher hands."Within afew yardsofusaremorediamonds thanarewornbyallthepeopleonearth!""Look!" you shout, for now the fields of whiteclayarebubblinglikeboilingsoup.Paleyellowgasesrisefromcracksintheground."Wearetrapped."Dr.Vivaldi'svoicesoundsfar away."By the time the claybeds stop erupting,these fumes will... p u t . . . u s . . . t o . . .sleep."She coughs and staggers a few feet up a smallhillofdiamonds."Quick,overhere!"shecalls.Gasping,youstumbleup thehillandcollapseinamoundofdiamonds.Dr.Vivaldibreathesdeeply."We'resafefor themomentThishilliswell above the toxic gases." Her voice is drownedoutbythegroundthunder.Go on to the next page.95"Itlookslikewe'restuckherewithallthesemillionsof diamonds,"yousay."Maybenot,"repliesDr.Vivaldi."Theerup-tions are quite localized.The gases are rising, butI think wecanmakeit across thedeadlystripofclayit'slessthanahundredfeet,I'dguess.There's only one way to do it - take a deep breathandrunasfastasyoucan.Don'tbreatheuntilyouabsolutelyhave to.Are you willing to try?"If you're willing to run for it, turn to page 101.If not, turn to page 102.97"I don't believe the Archpods are running fromnothing,"yousay."Let's get out of here!""OK!" Dr.Vivaldi starts back across the field ofwhiteclay,and youareright behindher.Runningasfast as youcan,stillloadeddownbyyourpack,youfeelarumblingbeneathyourfeet.Thegroundbeginstosplitapart.Greatsliversof clayareheavedup.Widecracksopenaround you.You think back to when you fell intothe Bottomless Crevasse in Greenland.This timetheremaybenoescape.You see Dr.Vivaldicrawling on her hands andknees, trying to work her way from the edge of acrevice.Thegroundisshakingsohard youcannolongerstand.Theairis filled withyellowishhazeassulphurousfumesescapefrombeneaththe surface.Looking up, you see the blurred grayformof awolf loomingaslargeasamountain,crowding out half the sky! Its bared, curving teethare like rows of elephant tusks. Its hot breath takesyour breathaway,andthered world aroundyougoesblack.Turn to page 103.98"Wemustn'twastetime,"saysDr.Vivaldi."The Bottomless Crevasse closes a bit more everyday."Led by the Archpod guide, you begin the longtrekback totheGreat River.Sixtideshavepassedbeforeyourpartyde-scendsthemountaintrailintothevalleyof theGreatRiver.YouareeagertogetbacktotheBottomlessCrevasseyouronlyhopeof return-ing to the surface of the earth and home. As youstrain your eyes, looking for the Raka village, youseetwofiguresheadedtowardyouupthetrail.They'rehuman!"Can it be?"youcry.Dr.Vivaldistares throughher mini-binoculars."Nodoubtaboutit,"shesays,"LarsenandSneed!Theymade it here alive!"Turn to page 69.100At the change of tide, Dr. Vivaldi leaves for herinterview with the Grand Akpar.Only one Raka isleft to guard you.You hand him the gold bracelet.Taking it,hesmilesbroadly.You hurry past him,butanotherguardisstandingoutsidetheagon.You wheel past him and run for it.ThesurprisedArchpod yells; you soon hear others chasing you.But in a few moments you reach the shelter of thecluster-leaf groves, and as you go deeper into thewoods,youarerelievedthat younolongerheartheArchpodsbehindyou.It'sstrange,though,that theydidn't follow youintothewoods.Turn to page 72.101"Let'srunfor it!"you shout.Dr.Vivaldi scans the bubbling fields of clay."IthinkIknowthebestdirectiontorun,soI'llgofirst, and you follow." You can just barely hear hervoice. "Remember to hold your breath, and don'tforgetto..."Hervoiceiscutoffbymorethunder assheracesacrossthewhiteclay.What was she tryingto tellyounot to forget?No more time to think! You take a deep breathandrun!Turn to page 108.102"I'mworriedwewon'tmakeit,"yousay."Maybetheeruptionswillendsoon,ifwejustwait here awhile.""Maybe so," Dr. Vivaldi observes without look-ing at you."Andmaybe it will get worse."Thetwoofyousit,waiting.Soonabreezebegins to blow.A minute later you are coughingandsputteringasthetoxicgasesriseoveryourhill.Youtrynottobreathemorethanyoucanhelp,but your visionblursandyour headspins.Youcan'tevensitup.. . .It'sstrange.Diamondsarethehardestsub-stanceintheworld;yet,if theyareseveralfeetdeep and you lie down on them, they make a softbed.And so theendcomeseasily for you.TheEnd103Youarelyingonahammockwovenoffineclimavines.Youfeelflushedandfeverish,yethappy: you're alive! Dr. Vivaldi is beside you. Shebrushes acool,wet clothacross your forehead."Wherearewe?"youask."Howdidwegetout of there?Did you see the ghost wolf?""We'rebackwiththeArchpods,"Dr.Vivaldisays,smiling."AndIdidseeagreatbeastwithtongues of fire, but in truth there was no wolf,norany other beastAnd the cracks in the field wereonlyafewincheswide,justwideenoughtoreleaseapoisonousgasfrombeneaththeground. A few whiffs of it was enough to make ushallucinateandhavethemosthorriblenight-mares.It'sfascinating thatthegas causes suchaspecific commonvisionI'd liketoresearchthissomemore.Inanyevent,wewereluckytobeclose to the edge when I realized what was hap-pening, I was able to pull you away so you couldgetfreshair.""Thanks,"you say."After this I'm not going tobeafraidofanythingintheUndergroundKing-dom.""That'sgood,"shereplies,"becausewestillhavea wholenewworld toexplore!"TheEnd104"I won't help you fight the Rakas," you tell theGrandAkpar."Warisaterriblething.Yourvil-lageswillbedestroyedandyourpeoplewillbekilled.Our warshave always brought grief."The Grand Akpar is silent for a time."Thenitwould be like that here," he finally says."But howcanweavoidwar?If wedonothing,theRakaswill destroy us.""Talk to them,"yousay."Work out a plan forpeace.""No,"hesays,shakinghishead."Wecan'ttrustthem.""And they think they can't trust you! You musttell them what you fear from them,and ask whatthey fear fromyou.You might discover that youfearthesamethings.Onceyou'vereachedanunderstanding,you can work out a plan that willlet theRakas and the Archpods live in peace.Goon to thenext page.105TheGrandAkparpaces fromonesideof theagon to the other.Rnally he stops and stares intoyour eyes. You shrink back from his stern gaze."Iwill try what yousuggest,"he says."Meanwhileyou will be kept under guard with Dr.Vivaldi.Ifallgoeswell,youshallbefreed,and wewilldoeverythingwecantomakeyouhappyhere.WhenyouarereadytoreturntotheNetherWorld,we shallhelpyou."YoustarttothanktheGrandAkpar,butheholdsuphishand."Donot thankmeuntilItellyou this:If we are betrayed and the Rakas attack,you and Dr.Vivaldi will die."There is not much you can say, and you wouldhardlyhavetimeanyway,for the guards quicklylead you away.Turn to page 76.106It's an avalanche all right, but the boulders arerollingupthemountain!Panicked,youruntowardKatu.Thebouldersarecomingrightatyou.Atnearzerogravitythey'rebeingpulledtowardtheBlackSun."You've got to rundown!"Dr.Vivaldi shouts.But the boulders have cut off your escape. Theonlythingyoucandoisrunupthemountain,tryingtokeepoutoftheirpath.You'rerunninghigherandfaster,leapingfiftyfeetatatime.Ahead of you,Katu flies off the mountain.Beforeyoucanstopyourselfyourfeetlosetouchwiththeground,andyou'reintheair,beingswepthigher and higher, straight toward the Black Sun!You'veread that a black holemight somehowbeanentrancetoanotheruniverse.Ifonlythatwerepossible!It'syouronlychanceonceyoureachtheBlackSun.Achanceinamillionmaybe,but still a chance ...TheEnd108You made it!Across thefieldsof whiteclay and safely backto the land of the Archpods.And,ifyourememberedtofillyourpocketswithdiamonds before you ran across the field ofwhite clay,you're very rich!TheEnd