"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 a.s.sistance.

"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 h.e.l.l 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 gra.s.s beside her and checked the wound on his neck.

"The bleeding has stopped but you need st.i.tches. How do your ribs feel." .

"He's fine, Sarah." Nicole a.s.sured 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 s.n.a.t.c.hed 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 gra.s.s 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 gra.s.s 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 illusion 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 embarra.s.sed 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 a.n.a.lyzing 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 a.n.a.lysis is giving me a headache." She started to kiss him, then gasped and turned back to the box. ''That's it! I'm over a.n.a.lyzing! 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 bra.s.s chain attached to the top of the gem by a tiny pewter gargoyle. "The talisman." She declared with triumph.

Chapter Eight.

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 s.e.xuality. 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 pa.s.sed 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 cl.u.s.ter 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 a.s.sessed 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 gra.s.s 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. "

"How about you and me checking out that patch of brush?" Hopper said to Jack as Sarah moved closer to the fire and opened her book.

Jack and Hopper headed into the thicket, taking two thin logs from the fire to act as torches. Surprised at the dampness inside the underbrush Hopper thrust his makeshift torch ahead of him and moved inside. The bushes gave way quickly to reveal the narrow entrance to a cave in the side of the knoll. Smiling in triumph the two friends headed back to inform the women they had found the entrance to the cave.

"I guess Dr. Strong's taken pity on us." Hopper said.

"Or you had a better idea of where you were going than you realized." Jack countered as they cleared the brush and glanced around.

Sarah sat before the fire studying her book, Nicole was nowhere in sight. Looking up, she smiled and beckoned them near. "I've found the incantation to set the Elf Queen free. There's an emanc.i.p.ation spell that sounds right."

"Great! We found the entrance." Hopper announced, "its right behind the brush."

"Where's Nicole?" Jack interrupted, searching the darkness surrounding them.

Sarah frowned. "She insisted on taking a look around. I told her it was a bad idea, but she wouldn't listen."

"Which way did she go?" Jack asked as he pulled his sword free.

"Calm down, she can take care of herself. She promised she'd stay within hearing distance." Sarah reasoned.

"I'm going after her. You keep your eyes open. If anything happens head for the cave." Jack ordered and headed in the direction Nicole disappeared.

"Should I go with him?" Hopper asked, staring after him.

"No, Jack can handle it. Sit down and relax." Sarah tugged at his enormous hand.

"Tell me about the spell." Hopper asked as he settled down beside her.

The mist caressed Jack, embracing him with its musty scent as layers of dampness penetrated his clothing. The coolness sank into his muscles sending them into spasms of protest against the further strain of his search. The twisted trees thickened as he entered an area of tiny knolls and hollows. Climbing the embankment Jack followed an unknown path, not thinking, only searching. The trees grew spa.r.s.e, revealing a small glen carpeted with tall gra.s.s. The moon broke through the thin layer of clouds to reveal a white fog laying low along the length of the glen. The silence of the forest gave way to the songs of its creatures as Jack realized his search had ended.

In the center of the flowing gra.s.s Nicole stood, swaying to the music of the forest. Jack stood at the edge of the glen, frozen at the sight of the dark nymph dancing in the pale light. Her movements, subtle at first, changed to a graceful array of swirling limbs as she moved slowly across the glen. She danced as if making love to the darkness, offering her delicate talent to the G.o.ds of the night. Her long ebony hair swirled around her as their eyes met. Jack's breath left him as her glowing emerald eyes searched his.

Si1ently, ceasing her dance of enchantment, she reached out a delicate arm toward him. Without hesitation , he crossed the glen and took her in his arms. Her kiss burned like fire, he pulled back, uncertain. What was the magic she held over him? Since the first time he'd laid eyes on her, no other woman had interested him. She gazed up at Jack, her eyes compelling him back toward her. They fell into the mist as their lips met, oblivious to all that surrounded them.

Hopper gazed into the fire as he gathered Sarah in his arms and pulled her to him. "This would have been the perfect adventure . . . " He began, quietly.

"If you hadn't been turned into a troll?" Sarah finished his sentence for him.

"You've got to admit, I'm not one of the best looking guys you've met today." Hopper said, twirling her curling red hair around a long black claw.

"I don't care what you look like, Todd. You're still the same old hockey jock to me." Sarah snuggled into his large hairy chest.

"I'd planned something special for this journey. Something I've been planning for a long time." Hopper whispered as he cupped her chin in his hand and turned her face toward him. "I hope you understand why I can't see it through like this."