Pulling on the door, Nicole shook her head and glanced around the room. "It's locked and there’s no keyhole."
Each in turn looked to Sarah to provide the answer. She shrugged coming toward them."Why don't you try knocking.”
Nicole ignored her and dug through the debris around them pieces of furniture flying around as Hopper joined in. “There must be a lock mechanism in here somewhere, we just have to find it."
They searched the tiny shack to no avail. It consisted of four walls of thinly sliced wood and a dirt floor that gave no indication of a secret door or the source of the incredible stench.
"This is crazy!" Jack snarled, heading for the door. “We're in the wrong place. There's nothing here!"
"No!" Nicole insisted. "This is the place.” She turned to Hopper, "You've got the key, Hopper. Use it."
Staring down at her, Hopper shook his head confused. Then in one swift movement he smiled and charged at the door, throwing his full weight against it. Surprised by the frailty of the rotting wood, Hopper sailed through it and rolled down a flight of winding stone steps to land on the stone floor beyond.
“Todd?" Sarah started forward, "Are you alright?"
"This is it!"He called up brushing the dirt and grime from his hairy limbs “It has to be, there’s a long hallway down here. It looks like it goes on forever."
Chapter Seven
The two elves stared into the glowing orb as it died when the adventurers disappeared into the bowels of evil. The elder gently wrapped the sight giving treasure in a dark velvet cloth and placed it in a small silver chest on a high shelf.
"The counter spell was effective, but it hasn't hindered their progress.” He said,
"If anything, it has aided them." The younger replied, sitting down at the long stone table they had gathered around. The large sword he pulled from his belt slammed into the table echoing his frustration.
The darkness of the chamber swallowed the echo quickly. The small candle in the center of the table gave little light to the elves as they discussed their newest threat. The barbarian did not change, but is the most affected." The elder frowned, stroking his long thin white beard.
“And the elf is a Woodland." The younger cautioned. "That was not expected. It is a great concern. They could succeed. "
"No, the troll will turn. His true nature will soon surface.” The younger pushed back from the table picking up his sword as he rose. "They will not reach the cave. "
"There is much you do not understand." The elder called after the tall dark warrior as he disappeared into the shadows.
The hallway seemed to stretch on forever. The further the adventurers traveled into the tunnels the more uncertain they became. Before them was only darkness. The only sound they
could distinguish was that of their own controlled breathing. The stench did not elude them, instead it grew in strength, nearly choking them with its potency. The walls of the tunnel were built of large stone block, never changing. Only giving way to another long corridor to the left or right with no promise of discoveries or escape.
Jack grabbed Nicole’s arm holding her from another long tunnel. “We're lost.”
"No, we're headed in the right direction." She insisted.
"Nothing is in here, except the stench we're swimming in." Jack growled, glancing past her.
"We can't just stand here in the dark.” Nicole snapped, jerking her arm away and turning to continue.
"We've been walking for miles." Sarah said, "I'm taking a break." She sat cross legged on the dark stone floor and leaned back against the wall. Hopper joined her, producing a small pouch of their breakfast berries. Jack sat across from them, extended his hand and looked up at Nicole. "Sit down. A few minutes delay won't take the edge of the adventure, I promise.”
The small group sat quietly in the purple halo of Sarah's torch eating berries and trying not to think about the source of the stench. Finished with her snack, Sarah opened her book and searched for something that might help.
"There's nothing in here about finding talismans. What exactly did the boy in the stables say about the treasure at the falls? " She asked, glancing up at Jack and Nicole.
"He said we needed it." Jack answered, shaking his head.
"He didn't say why?" Sarah frowned.
"Sorry he . . . Uh . . . wasn't too . . .articulate."
"And he smelled." Nicole added, smiling, "Pretty much the same as this place."
Staring down at the floor, Sarah concentrated on what the deception of the tunnel could be. Finding a large crack running across the floor, she ran her fingers along it absent-mindedly. She jerked her hand back as a large brown spider slipped through the crack and skittered across the floor. Glancing around, she realized their mistake.
“Todd, which way did we turn at the first side tunnel?" She asked.
"Left, I think." Hopper answered, straining to remember.
"Go back down the hall and take a look to the right. " She ordered, scrambling up from
the floor.
Hopper rose and jogged back down the hall to the first open hallway and peered around the corner. “It's the steps up to the shack," He called back to them.
Following him, Jack and Nicole stared at the same stone steps they had used to enter the tunnel. "How can that be? We haven’t made enough turns to have reversed our steps." Jack scowled, "Right?"
"We were never more than a few meters from the entrance the entire time." Sarah announced, from behind them. "We're caught in some kind of illusion."
"So what do we do?" Hopper asked, pushing past Nicole
and Jack as they moved to join Sarah.
"You see this large crack in the floor? It runs across the hall. Maybe it's what we've been looking for all along." Sarah explained, "I saw a big spider climb out of it. I bet there's another passage below us."
Kneeling down to examine it, Jack held his hand over the crack and nodded. "I can feel a breeze."
“How do we get in?" Nicole questioned, starting to examine the walls around them.
"Stand back." Hopper ordered, raising his club over his head. He hammered on the floor for several minutes with the large tree limb before surrendering, exhausted.
"Not a mark on it." Jack said, tracing the border with his fingertips. "The edges go under the walls, there's no way to pry it up."
"Then it's got to slide to one side or the other." Nicole added, still examining the walls. "I can't find any loose stones that might trigger it."
"There has to be some way.” Sarah said then started, gagging as the stench suddenly grew overwhelming.
"Behind you!" Hopper shouted, pushing Nicole to the floor in his attempt to reach Sarah.
Wheeling around, Sarah could see only darkness beyond their dim torch light. A large black claw reached out, and snatched the Book of Incantations' from her hands. Hopper dove over Sarah's shoulder, shoving her to one side as he threw himself into the large hairy creature. They disappeared into the darkness, grunting and squealing. Jack snatched the torch from Nicole and rushed forward drawing his sword. Stopping abruptly near the far end of the corridor, Jack found Hopper lying unconscious on the stone floor his chest covered in blood.
"Todd ! " Sarah screamed, rushing to his side, she pulled the torch from Jack's hands and knelt over Hopper to check his wounds. There was a large slash across his chest and a deep wound to the side of his neck. Handing the torch back to Jack, Sarah tore at her robes and applied pressure to the flow of blood coming from Hopper's throat.
"He's still alive." She whispered to Nicole as she grabbed her hand and placed it on Hopper’s neck. "Keep pressure on it until I get the bandage secured."
"What was it?" Nicole looked up at Jack, as he explored the darkness around them.
"I don't know, but it was big, almost as big as Hopper," Jack said. "I'm going after it."
"No, we need you to help us get Todd up the stairs."
Sarah ordered as she slipped one of her makeshift bandages under Hopper's
back and across his chest. "I think he may have some broken ribs."
Jack tossed his sword to Nicole and handed Sarah the torch. He grabbed Hopper by the shoulders and started to drag him toward the stone steps. "Keep your eyes open. It may come
back."
Sarah handed the torch to Nicole and Sarah picked up Hopper's large feet and followed Jack. As they reached the steps the stench grew worse, Nicole spun around and brought Jack's sword to bear just as the creature reached her. Nicole thrust out and upward and severed the clawed hand from the beast. An ear piercing screech sent the torch flying and forced back as the creature fell to the ground, squirming an enormous mass of greasy brown hair. Behind him appeared another beast of equal size and strength that hesitated for only a moment before charging Nicole.
Using all his might, Jack tossed Hopper on to the floor of the shack and dove down the
stairs to help Nicole. Jack pushed Sarah upward as he passed her. "Get Hopper out of here!” He yelled and yanked Nicole's short sword from her belt to attack the nearest of what seemed to be an unending stream of smelly monsters converging on the tiny stairwell.
The beasts dove sporadically at the pair of warriors, lashing at them with their tremendous claw then disappearing into the darkness. Jack and Nicole were unable to force them backward. Their best effort barely kept the creatures from overtaking them. Backing up toward the stairway, the monsters tore at their legs as they fought to escape. Then Sarah appeared at the top of the stone steps chanting. Suddenly a bright purple light flared between them and their attackers, giving them a clear view of the creatures. Nicole gasped and stumbled up the stairs . The beasts screeched in agony as the flames reached them. Jack crawled up the last few steps and to be pulled free by Nicole.
The two warriors scrambled for the doorway of the shack as Sarah threw the small door closed and shoved as much debris as she could find in front of it. She found Nicole and Jack lying next to Hopper's still form under a particularly thick stand of gnarly trees some distance from the shack. Sarah began to tear at the arms of her robes, making bandages for the deep gashes Jack and Nicole’s arms and legs. As she finished tending their wounds as best she could, Hopper moaned and tried to raise his head.
Sarah rushed to his side. "Todd? Can you hear me?" tears welled in her eyes. "It's Sarah."
Hopper opened his eyes and stared up at her. "It was . . . sick." He said softly, reaching for his neck.
"The tunnel trolls, there was something wrong with them.” Nicole clarified, leaning back against the small tree they had taken shelter under, her eyes no were longer glowing.
"They were trolls? " Sarah stammered. "The smell, it came from them."
"This doesn't sound good." Jack interrupted, rising to test his aching legs. "If they're sick, they could have infected us.”
Nicole looked at Sarah. “You’re the practitioner?”
Staring back at them, the young sorceress shook her head, dumbfounded. She turned back to help Hopper sit up. Checking his wounds, she sighed, "How could you tell they were sick?"
' 'The smell for one, that's not the way I smell.” Todd answered as he arched his back to test his injuries . He felt hot and greasy.”
"They were covered in large sores. It was hard to tell what they had once been." Nicole added.
"Then how can you be sure they were trolls? " Sarah reasoned jumping up and moving toward the horses.
"They were trolls alright." Jack followed her, slowly, wincing from the pain of the slash wounds on his arms. “They were almost the same height as Hopper and wore the same type of fur clothing, right down to those furry boots of his. Add the big head thing to the picture and what else could they be."
"Okay, then the sickness could be almost anything, ranging from Chicken Pox to an allergic to fleas or the plague. Any of which may or may not be contagious. But I would expect that we, being of another species and having been through the normal childhood and diseases and inoculations should have nothing to worry about." Sarah said as she grabbed her horse’s reins and led him into the shade of the trees. "Besides it'd be a bad business decision to kill off one of your adventurers off with a plague. Aren't we supposed to die in battle?"
"Hopper's the same species as they are." Jack said, "And I'm not so sure Dr. Strong knows what he's doing." Jack took his horse's reins from Sarah as she gathered the remaining horses. "What are you doing?"
" We have to get out of here before those creatures decide to come after us. We're out numbered and injured. It’s crazy to stay."
"I don't think they'll come out of the tunnels." Hopper offered, appearing beside them. "They've been down there too long.”
"Todd, how can you know that?" Sarah questioned as she reached up to touch the bandage at his throat.
"I could make out some of their language, they were scared. They attacked us because we came into their home."
“All the more reason to leave them alone.” Sarah said.
"They have your book.” Nicole's voice came across the quiet clearing, through the deepening fog .
"And the talisman?" Jack asked.
“If we go down there, they'll attack us again." Sarah answered looking to Hopper for assistance.
"I think that fireball of yours scattered them." Jack insisted, "Now would be the perfect time to try."
“Todd," She pleaded with him.
“He’s right,” Hopper shook his head swaying slightly.
“You're in no condition to go back into that hell hole.” Sarah pulled him back toward the trees.
"I'm just a little dizzy, give me a couple minutes and I'll be fine.” Hopper said as she pulled him down on the grass beside her and checked the wound on his neck.
"The bleeding has stopped but you need stitches. How do your ribs feel." .
"He's fine, Sarah.” Nicole assured her and headed toward the shack.' "We've got to get moving. The talisman is in there somewhere and hopefully your book is with it. They might have even made a nice little meal out of it by now. We know the trick to the maze and where the talisman is hidden. All we have to do is find the release for the slab." She stopped and turned around expectantly.
"We looked everywhere, there isn't one!” Sarah snapped
"There's one place we haven't checked and Hopper’s the only one that can reach it." Nicole answered.
Reluctantly, Sarah followed her three limping companions back down into the tunnel. They filled the tunnel with torches from one end to the other. Jack and Nicole stood guard at either end as Hopper examined the ceiling. In a manner of minutes he located a small rock protruding further than the others and pushed it slowly. Hopper jumped backward and knocked the others off their feet just inches clear of the void that was left as the stone slab broke apart and fell silently into the darkness.
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 take 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.”
Forbidden Quest Page 9