"Nicole and Jack gathered some berries for us." His large crooked smile met her eyes. He opened her hand and filled it with the smooth round berries, popping several in his mouth. "They're sweet and juicy."

Following his lead, she tried the colorful fruit , surprised at her appet.i.te. "Where are our two protectors?" She asked, jumping up to help herself to more.

"Beats me. They'll turn up. Let's find some place to wash up." Hopper responded.

"Good idea and the horses could use some water." Sarah said as she grabbed another handful of the berries and headed for their mounts.

Hopper led the horse into the trees following after Sarah. At the bottom of a small rise they found Jack leaning against a hollow log, half dressed and sound asleep. Todd cleared his throat loudly and nudged Jack in the side with his foot.

"I was wrong about the fairies, Sarah. It looks like our benefactors were more of the nymph variety." Hopper said with a grin.

Startled by their presence, Jack sat up quickly and glanced around for Nicole. Finding no sign of her, he stared up at his smiling companions. "I was . . .uh . . . the fire was too hot."

"Oh yeah, that's a common phenomenon in the forest at night." Hopper explained seriously with a wink at Sarah.

Taking the horses downstream Hopper released them and waded into the rushing water to splash his face. Sarah sat at the edge of the brook, next to Jack and scooped up a handful to do the same.

"Whoa!" She gasped, releasing the icy water. Shaking the residue from her hands,, she dabbed lightly at her face with what little moisture remained. A shrill whistle came from behind them. Nicole's speckled stallion turned and trotted up the slope followed closely by the other horses.

"Jane of the jungle, no doubt." Jack muttered, pulling on his boots.

The trio arrived at the camp site to find Nicole stuffing their food satchel with a variety of roots and nuts. She motioned for them to hurry, then quickly threw one blanket after another onto the horse's backs. Tossing Hopper his club as he neared, Nicole nodded toward the east. "The warriors are moving in this direction. We're about an hour ahead of them."

Hopper quickly saddled the horses as the others gathered up their belongings and scattered the remains of the fire. Sarah pulled her book of incantations out of her saddlebag and tied it onto her saddle horn. A few minutes later the small group was heading deeper into the mountains. They moved up toward the crest of the nearest rise hoping to find a trail that would take them across the ridge and into the valley beyond.

By midday they were heading down into the valley below with no sign of pursuit. The bright sun that warmed them despite the cool mountain air disappeared suddenly into thick gray clouds. A thick layer of fog crept across the forest floor and down into the glen below. The dim light and thick fog increased the difficulty of locating the fortress. There were no roads or even small a dirt path to a.s.sist them. Only an unnatural silence. Not a sound came from the forest around them. No animal calls or bird song. Not even the flutter of wings or the buzz of insects could be heard.

They descended into the dark glen and the wind disappeared, the ominous silence that followed caused the adventurer to slow their pace. Even the footsteps of their horses were swallowed by the soft moist ground and the dark spreading mist. The beautiful silver trees became gnarled and twisted, their gleam turning to a tarnished gray. The underbrush became thick and unyielding they had to retrace their steps several times in the growing bleakness. Their moods darkened with the sky. No one spoke. Hopper urged his horse closer to Sarah's as they reached the base of the forest valley.

"Look there," Sarah pointed to a tiny shack that had fallen into decay. "Could that be it?"

Moving toward it, they dismounted a few yards away and stood staring at the decrepit ruin. It was little more than a storage shed. It had only one door, no windows and a roof of rotten wooden slats.

Jack shook his head, "This can't be it. Dr. Strong described it a stronghold."

"And it stinks! " Hopper added, wrinkling his nose at the overwhelming stench that flowed from the shack.

"This is it." Nicole said moving forward. "I can feel the magic."

"All I feel is nausea." Hopper grumbled, backing away. "It smells like something died in there."

"Something probably did." Sarah added, quietly. "But I feel something too. A glimmer of warmth, like I felt when I cast those spells."

"We'll never know unless we take a look inside." Nicole said declared reaching for the broken door that hung precariously from a rusty hinge.

Jack stepped in front of her, "I should go first."

"All right, barbarian," Nicole smiled wickedly and stepped aside.

Staring into her eyes, Jack was startled to find they were glowing. "Are you alright?" He asked, reaching for her.

"Fine." She answered, brushing his hand aside.

The instant she touched him the night before came, rushing into his mind. The scent of her, the softness of her skin. The sensations of making love by the edge of the brook sent him staggering backward as he fought to maintain control. Her touch had lasted but an instant and Nicole gave no indication, no acknowledgment of the encounter.

Nicole stared at him, waiting. Forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand, Jack pushed the thoughts from his head, yanked open the half hinged door and stepped inside. Darkness and the stench of death greeted him. Jack turned with a devilish smile and motioned for the others to follow. Nicole pulled her short sword free and entered. Sarah opened her book of magic, grabbed Hopper by the front of his fur vest and pulled him in behind her.

"There's nothing in here," Hopper growled in the darkness.

"How can you tell? " Jack said, unable to see any of them once they cleared the outline of the door.

"I'm a troll? I can see in the dark," Hopper explained impatiently, s.n.a.t.c.hing a torch from the debris of what appeared to be a rotted table and chairs scattered throughout the small shack. He raised it out in front of him and said, "Sarah, I ' m holding a torch, can you light it?"

Turning toward the sound of his voice, she began to chant the spell Nicole had taught her. The torch flared and glowed with a bright purple light as did two others on the far wall. The two small tar soaked torches stood on either side of a small doorway that wasn't quite tall enough for Nicole to pa.s.s through without ducking.

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 pa.s.sage 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 s.n.a.t.c.hed 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 s.n.a.t.c.hed 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 ma.s.s 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 pa.s.sed 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 pract.i.tioner?"

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."