Forbidden Quest (16 page)

Shoving a torch into the large hole they discovered a small room surrounding a seemingly endless crater in the center of the chamber
.
Nicole grabbed the edge of the pit and swung herself into the room. She reached up and took the torch from Jack.  Hopper insisted on guarding them

from above, as Jack and Sarah carefully followed Nicole
.
A
soft breeze came out of the dark crater as they searched the remains of the small chamber, careful
to
stay clear of the abyss.  Near the edge of the chamber was a series of small shelves, filled with what had once been books and charts. Sarah gasped as she spied The Rook of Conjugation, safely nestled in among the decaying texts.

She snatched it up and gently examined the shelf. Each book disintegrated at her touch, giving no indication of whom or what had hidden them there.  Nicole silently motioned to them, and they
rushed to her side. From under the remains of a small wooden bed she produced a small wooden chest, similar to the
one  they
found under the waterfall.

"This is it." Nicole smiled at them as her
eyes began to t
ake on the soft green glow once more. This time Sarah could feel the magic radiate out from the small wooden box. Stuffing it inside her belt, Nicole reached up for Hopper's hand and disappeared back up into the tunnel.

"Hurry, they're coming." Hopper called down and reached back into the pit. "They're not afraid of the torches." 

Sarah climbed up beside Nicole, and the two raced for the steps
as
Hopper pulled Jack clear of the stone chamber.  Snarls sounded from behind them
as
they reached the door and

rushed
into the shack. 

"Burn it!
"
Hopper yelled to Sarah as they ran for the door.

The same chant she had used earlier in the pit came back to her. Within seconds the shack burst into flames as with screams of rage rose from within
.
Without hesitation they mounted their horses and galloped toward the crest of the glen
.
Night would soon fall. They were determined to be as far away from the sorrowful creatures of the tunnel as possible.

"The entrance to the cave is back in the valley with the trolls .
"
Sarah explained, stretching out on the cool grass grateful for the warmth of the sunlight. "It's impossible to tell how
extensive
the tunnels run. They
could even be attached
to the Cave of Sorrows.  The entire mountain range
is riddled
with caverns.  We could run into them again at any time."

Hopper scratched his hairy arms and moaned as he glanced over Sarah’s to the map that she had just examined.  "Then I better get a bigger club . . .  and a flea collar. I think I've been infested.”

"Go take a bath in the stream.”  Sarah smiled and leaned slightly away from him.

             
“We're on top of a mountain. Do you have any idea how cold that water is going to be?" He whined, scratching the back of his neck.

"If you want
to
sleep next to me tonight, you'll get rid of them." She answered sternly, turning back to the map.

Skulking toward the brook that ran alongside
of  their
camp, Hopper dove into the icy water and scratched at his fur trying to drown every flea on his body.  Having overheard the conversation

stifled
a smile and sat down in the grass next to Nicole as she reexamined the small jewel covered.

"Give it up,"  Jack advised, "We blew it
.
The box is empty there’s no talisman.”

"No," Nicole swore, darkly.

“Someone beat
us
to it." Jack reasoned, sliding his arm around her.

"That's impossible," She answered and shoved him away.  "Why don't you give me a hand instead of trying to distract me
.
I don't have time to play
.
Your primal desires are going to have to wait."  Nicole glared at him then turned back to the chest.

"What's with you?" He growled, pulling back. "Last night you couldn't keep your hands off me. Today, all
I get is cold stares and arguments."

"I'm sorry, Jack." Nicole turned back to him, sighing.  "I don't want to go in there again.  Hopper can't take any more abuse and we're running out of time
.
This has to be what
we're
looking for. 
It's just another i
l
lusion like the tunnel."

"What about last night?
"
Jack asked softly
.
"Was that just an illusion?"

 
             
Nicole’s expression softened
,  “
It was great, Jack. 
But
can you honestly say we really made love?  After all, this is a fantasy.”

He
frowned and pulled her close. "Last night was the most incredible experience I've ever had and I'd like to repeat it as many times
as
possible.”'

"That’s what I mean, Jack.  It was too incredible to believe." She kissed him, lightly. "Everyone has
an
image of the perfect lover
.
Last night I met mine and so did you. But was my perfect lover really you or someone my mind fabricated, with the help
of
Dr. Strong?"

             
“It was me." Jack announced, sternly. "Dr. Strong is not in control of our every move. You said so yourself."

“Jack, I'm not trying to destroy what happened last night.  I'm just trying to understand it." Nicole caressed his cheek with the back of her fingertips.

"Don'
t
try to understand it, Nicole. 
Just be1ieve it."
  Jack whispered, kissing her deeply
.
"It was me.  Maybe you're just a bit embarrassed by the thought of
us
making love on the floor of that obstacle course with Dr. Strong looking on
.
"

“I admit, the idea of his voyeurism has occurred to me and strangely enough, it doesn't bother me at all." She whispered, snuggling close to him.

“Then maybe what you need is to stop over analyzing and listen to reason." Jack winked at her.

"All right, if it will make you feel better, I'll stop thinking about it all together.  All of this so called analysis is giving me a headache." She started to kiss him, then gasped and turned back to the box.
''That's
it! 
I'm
over analyzing!  Everything about the troll's tunnel was deceiving. It wasn't  what we expected
.
We worked too hard to find something that was right in front of our eyes."

She drew the small knife from Jack's belt and tested each jewel imbedded in the top of the chest with its point.  Only one came away at her urging, the large oblong jewel in the center. Hidden below the sparkling black crystal
was a long brass chain attached
to the top of the gem by a tiny pewter gargoyle.  "The talisman.
"
She declared with triumph.

The glow of the sun disappeared behind them as they headed back into the mist of the trolls’ valley.  Hopper, free of his infestation, led the silent riders toward the long, deep gorge the map described. The entrance to the cavern was located at the base of a large ravine. 
A
thick mist greeted them as they neared the remains of the charred shack. The silence of the forest sent chills through Jack.  It reminded him of the sensation that Shala had given him that night in the clinic.  What was it about her touch that sent such iciness through him?  Why was he secretly grateful for the elderly doctor's intrusion on their plans?  Was it was possible that Dr. Strong
hadn't
known about Shala's promise to 'entertain' him?  Either way, Jack felt Dr. Strong had rescued him from some unknown disaster.

Shala and Homun
didn't
fit into Dr. Strong's world.  Perhaps they had been patients of his once.  Homun certainly seemed strange enough to be under psychological counseling
,  and
there was something unusual about the way Shala oozed with raw sexuality.  Shaking off the eerie sensation that the curvy blonde was hovering over him waiting to pounce on Jack’s sleeping form
.  
Jack searched the mist for signs of the diseased trolls. Several times Hopper motioned for them
to  stop
tilting his head, he would listen to the silence that threatened to smother them.

Jack caught sight of something large moving in the shadows of the mist, parallel to their trail.  It disappeared before Jack could speak. He kept
his
silence
no sense in upsetting Sarah any further.  Yet the shadow continued to follow them.  Jack caught brief glimpses of its existence, teasing him, taunting him to pursue.  Something inside warned him not to rush into battle in the darkness of the mist.  He would wait for it to show itself, if it dared.

“Todd, I think we're traveling in circles.
"
Sarah said as she  moved her horse closer to the blonde troll
.
"That bunch
of  trees
looks familiar and I think that's the same thicket we passed over an hour ago.”

“I can't see anything in this fog.
"
He admitted
,  “
Why don't we find a place to sleep and start fresh in the morning?  The mist should clear by then."

Nicole nodded, in agreement. "That cluster of trees is in a hollow.  It's as good place as any."

They headed for the trees dismounted and made camp. Believing the fog too thick for enemies to spy a fire
,  they
warmed themselves.  Nicole made a small bow using a long thin branch and hair from her horse’s tail,  then went in search of wild game
.
Without mention of the shadow, Jack silently followed her into the night.  She ventured a mere three meters into the darkness when a large jackrabbit appeared before her. 

Nicole sent an arrow through its heart.  “Thank you.”  She whispered and returned to camp. 
             
Nicole tossed to Hopper. He skinned it deftly and placed it on a makeshift spit, consisting of two large forked sticks leaning over the fire
.
The others gathered bits and pieces of dry wood from under the large trees nearby. They ate in silence, fatigue and muscle ache consumed them.  When the last of the rabbit disappeared and the remainder of the berries and nuts
were eaten
, Sarah and Hopper nestled together against a large fir tree, a short distance from the flames.

"Have you checked that dense patch of brush behind you, Hopper?" Jack asked, gazing past them from his perch on a small log.

"Checked it for what?" Hopper yawned and stretched his long back then pulled Sarah back into his arms.

" Trolls
, snakes, badgers, wild boars . . .”

"Is
our little adventure finally getting to you, Barbarian?" Nicole teased from across the fire.

"No, I just thought that might be a good hiding place for a bear or something.”  Jack stammered trying not to sound paranoid.

"Is there something you're not telling us?" Sarah asked softly as she leaned forward
staring
at him.

Gazing into the fire, Jack silently assessed their situation. "I'm pretty certain that something has been following us.  I caught sight of it in the shadows a while back."

"What is it?" Nicole asked, rising to throw another log on the fire.

"I'm not sure. It stays back out of sight. I've only been able to catch glimpses of it." Jack sighed.

" It's big and there could be more than one, I’m not sure
.
It doesn't always walk upright
.
I can't tell you anymore all I've seen are shadows.”

"When was the last time you saw it?"  Hopper shifted, slightly. Sarah slid gently off his lap and
onto
the grass beside him.

"About an hour ago.
"
Jack rose and met Nicole's eyes
.
"Just before we broke for camp."

"That explains why the hair on the back of my neck
was standing
on end.
"
Hopper smiled wickedly.

"I'll take the first watch."  Nicole offered as she moved into the shadows. "Get some sleep, I'll wake you if anything comes near
. "