Forbidden Quest, 2nd Edition Read online

  Chapter Five

  “One more boulder and we’re finished,” Sarah hollered from the edge of the cliff.

  “My back is killing me!” Hopper complained as he lifted yet another massive rock onto his broad, hairy shoulders then started up the steep hill.

  “I’ll give you a massage before we go to bed,” Sarah smiled at her big, disfigured boyfriend.

  “Bed, huh that’d be a neat trick,” Hopper grumbled under his breath. He dropped the last boulder on top of the flowing water completing a partial barrier on one side of the spillway.

  “Don’t think of this as camping along a river bed. Think of that sweet soft cot back in the ballroom.” Sarah waited for him to reach her then dug into his massive shoulders with her knuckles and began kneading the tension away from his muscular back.

  “Just how comfortable do you expect those cots to be Sarah?” Hopper chuckled as he began to relax under her soft touch.

  A shout from below drew their attention as Jack and Nicole appeared at the edge of the woods, carrying a food satchel. The pair headed for the base of the rocks to examine Sarah and Hopper’s handiwork. They had succeeded in diverting nearly half of the rushing water away from the entrance to the cave. What spilled over was much more violent, but the brunt of the force tumbled to one side.

  “Perfect!” Nicole shouted up to them, shading her green eyes from the bright sunlight reflecting off the wet white stones.

  “It looks great, but will it hold?” Jack asked.

  “It’ll serve our purposes.” Hopper jumped down from a large boulder then turned and gently lifted Sarah down beside him.

  “What’s that?” Sarah asked, reaching for the satchel.

  “Fairyland’s first air tank,” Jack answered.

  “We lined it with pine tar. Hopefully, it will hold as long as your dam.” Nicole handed it to Sarah and said, “We were just about to test it.” Moving to the edge of the pond, Sarah gave Jack the satchel. He blew it up like a giant leather balloon and shoved it under the surface. After a few seconds, a small number of bubbles appeared.

  “Okay, so it’s not perfect. But I think it should last long enough to give me the air I need to check out the cave.” Jack pulled the satchel from the water and emptied the small trickle of water from the bag. “A little more tar and it will be perfect.”

  “I’m not so sure this is a good idea.” Sarah frowned with concern, “It could make you overconfident. You’ll go in too deep and get lost.”

  “We’ve thought of that,” Nicole said. She grabbed the satchel from Jack and proceeded to smear the dark pine tar she had collected on a large oak leaf along the outer seams. “We’ll tie a rope from our climbing gear around his waist. He can secure it to a rock near the entrance. Then follow it back if he gets confused or kicks up too much dirt. And if he doesn’t reappear in a sufficient amount of time, one of us can swim down and pull him out using the small wineskin as a secondary air tank.”

  “I don’t know,” Sarah stared at the satchel, “It just sounds reckless...”

  “Sarah, it’s only a game, remember?” Hopper added, putting his large arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. “If we don’t take some chances, we’ll never win.”

  “Hopper’s right, all we need is a good plan.” Jack smiled softly, touched by her concern, “Remember, I won’t really be in the water. It’s all in our minds.”

  “Ok, so tell me then, how are you going to see in that cave?” Sarah countered.

  “That’s where you come in babe.” Jack slid in between her and Hopper, sliding his arm around her waist.

  “Uh oh.” Sarah glanced at Hopper for assistance.

  “Remember the spells I had to memorize? Those are now yours to use.” Nicole moved closer. “One was a spell of light.”

  Nicole repeated the strange words to Sarah until she memorized them. Hopper found a small tree branch and placed it on the rocks at the edge of the pond. Sarah stared at the limb and concentrated on the incantation. She stopped and glared at the others through narrowed eyes saying, “No cracks about wicked witches or warts popping out on my nose.” She felt like the Queen of Fools as she waved her arms for emphasis and shouted the magic words.

  No one was more surprised than she was when the limb sputtered, sparked, and then burst into flames. Nicole snatched it up and thrust the burning end into the churning water. The fire continued to burn, unaffected.

  “Jack, hypnosis is a powerful thing,” Sarah cautioned.

  “Relax, if I am in there too long, Strong will pull me out of the trance, and you’ll go on without me.” Jack smiled and filled the satchel with air. “Wish me luck.”

  The three remaining adventurers stood at the edge of the pool and watched as Jack disappeared into the darkness of the cave. With the torch in his teeth, satchel in one hand and a rope tied around his waist.

  Jack found a rock to anchor the line. He then swam toward what appeared to be the back of the oval shaped cave. The area inside was small, no more than six feet wide and twenty feet deep. Jack was sure he’d quickly locate the object in such a confined space.

  The water poured viciously over the falls after crashing into the newly constructed dam above. Sitting in silence, staring at the swirling waters, the seconds seemed like hours as the others watched and waited for Jack to emerge from the cave.

  “How much time does the satchel give him?” Hopper asked, bending so close to the water his nose touched the surface.

  “It took five deep breaths to fill it...” Nicole answered, “I’d say about 45 seconds per breath considering his exertion. Maybe three and a half to four minutes?”

  “You mean you didn’t figure that out before he dove in the water?” Sarah glared at her.

  “And just who’s watch would we have used to calculate that?” Nicole calmly met her gaze.

  The trio stared into the water in silence, leaving their concerns unspoken. Finally, Hopper asked, “How long has it been?” Hopper glanced up at Sarah as he pulled off his vest.

  “At least three minutes,” Sarah said.

  Hopper pulled off his boots and dove into the water.

  “It’s just a game,” Nicole whispered.

  “Yeah, and if they both end up out of it, it’s over.’’ Sarah turned to face her. “I came here to spend time with Todd, not you!”

  “What is all this hostility, Sarah? I’m just trying to be nice and offer some comfort.”

  “Why would you do that? You never cared about my feelings before, and it is too damn hard to believe you have started now. It is all just part of the game. You’re trying to be the friendly elf, lover of nature and all that crap.” Sarah moved forward closing the space between the two of them. “You’ve never said a civil word to me the entire time I’ve known you, Nicole. So don’t think I’m going to fall for your manipulative dribble now.”

  “Calm down, Sarah. You are just upset because Hopper is taking a chance. He’ll be back in a few seconds. You are worried for nothing. You have not lost your Paladin. He’s not in any danger.”

  “Todd is not my Paladin. He’s a little overprotective. Unlike you, he treats people with respect. Now if you don’t mind, I think Hopper and Jack are more important than your return to humanity.” Sarah actually growled at Nicole before turning back toward the water.

  Nicole was stunned by Sarah’s word. She wondered why it had never occurred to her before why she and Sarah had never become close. Nicole stopped and stared at Sarah recalling the first double date they had with Todd and Sarah. They were so warm and fuzzy calling each other sweetie and sharing their food Nicole could hardly eat. She recalled Sarah reaching out to her asking, “What is it like to be the right hand of the District Attorney?” Nicole gave her a snide remark, “Right hand is such a cliché. I am the power that drives the District Attorney’s office. I have personally driven our conviction rate to over ninety-seven percent.”
r />   Sarah’s face lost its sweet smile, and her eyes turned to look out the window of the restaurant. Nicole realized it was her harsh superior attitude that day that left her without a close friend to share her triumphs and losses with. She wasn’t close to anyone. It occurred to her, how empty her life truly was.

  No one knew the real Nicole, deep down inside. Not even Tom. Especially not Tom, the man she was supposed to marry. He was just another corporate decision. Part of her overall plan. Nicole’s life was structured entirely around her career. Just like her parents, she left no room for those warm and fuzzy moments. Nicole’s breath caught in her throat as she recalled the first time a boy tried to kiss her. The human contact had felt so foreign, so unnatural because her parents hadn’t held or hugged her since she was a child.

  In fact, her relationship with Tom was basically sex and business dinners. Nicole’s eyes fell to the ground as she realized she did not particularly even like Tom. It was his career, his future that attracted her. He was all work, and no play. They hadn’t even discussed children.

  Nicole frowned at the sweet girl before her as regret flowed through her. Sarah was smart, kind, and genuine. Nicole had dismissed her as unimportant and boring because she had no part to play in Nicole’s upward climb.

  It was time to make a change. Nicole decided to stop pushing people away with her superiority. When the weekend was over, she would end her loveless relationship with Tom and search for someone who lived life to the fullest. Nicole’s eyes gazed back into the water as Jack’s smiling face echoed through her mind.

  Hopper reached the entrance to the cave. His giant troll eyes adjusted to the darkness inside without him even trying. Following the rope, he located Jack’s still, lifeless form, floating less than a yard inside the entrance. Below Jack, lying on the stone floor of the cave was what was left of the burning torch and a small jewel encrusted chest about the size of a deck of cards. Grabbing Jack’s arm, Hopper stuffed the chest into his mouth and swam out of the cave. Staying near the bottom of the pool, Hopper cleared the turbulent waters and raced for the surface. He shoved Jack out of the water above him and hit the surface at a faster swim desperate to get to the shore.

  “He’s not breathing!” Hopper’s deep voice boomed over the roar of the falls. Gasping for air, Hopper allowed Sarah and Nicole to drag Jack over the rocks and onto the grass. Sarah forced Jack into a sitting position and used the Heimlich maneuver to purge his lungs of water. Then she laid him on his back and forced air into his lungs.

  Nicole placed an ear to Jack’s chest. “No heartbeat!” she gasped.

  Sarah pushed her away and started pumping his chest. Hopper appeared at her side and began puffing air into Jack’s lungs.

  “It’s only a game.” Nicole managed to hug herself as she watched them struggle to bring Jack back to life.

  “It can’t be safe to allow someone to think they’ve died. I don’t care if it is just hypnosis, this is insane,” Sarah said as she continued to force Jack’s heart to beat. After what felt like a lifetime, Jack coughed, and his head jerked forward. Hopper roared with delight as his friend rolled to his side gasping for air. Sarah hugged the giant troll, relieved they did not have to wait until the adventure was over to find out if Jack had actually suffered from the ordeal.

  “What happened?” Jack squeaked, looking up at his three nearly hysterical friends.

  “You were dead.” Hopper smiled weakly. “I pulled you out of the cave just in time.”

  “Dead?” Jack coughed, rolled over onto his back and sat up.

  “Absolutely,” Hopper added, “Sarah revived you.”

  “I guess I wasn’t cut out for underwater spelunking,” Jack said with a forced smile.

  “Maybe not, but you’re a great treasure hunter.” Hopper’s huge hairy face glowed with excitement as he presented Jack the small chest and added, “The honor is all yours.”

  “I saw you dive into the water and pull me out,” Jack whispered softly to his friends, oblivious to the chest. “Nicole grabbed my arms and Sarah kissed me...”

  “Are you all right?” Nicole moved forward. She stared at him with such intensity; Jack could no longer meet her gaze. He fell silently back onto the grass.

  “My chest hurts, and I’ve got a massive headache.” He sighed, clutching his head in both hands.

  “Let’s get him out of the sun,” Sarah ordered, pulling Jack to his feet. “Can you walk?”

  “I didn’t get hit by a bus,” Jack growled, but leaned against Hopper’s hulking form nonetheless. “How long was I out?”

  “How long before you ran out of air?” The Hopper asked, leading Jack to a large evergreen tree.

  “The bag sprang a leak, after my second breath. I was pretty far in…” Jack stammered, trying to remember. “There was a side tunnel near the back. I had just entered it after searching the central area and finding nothing.”

  “Two minutes tops,” Hopper answered firmly, stopping inside the tree line. “I found you just inside the main entrance.”

  “Two minutes, I guess that’s okay.”

  “Of course, it’s okay,” Nicole said. “Do you really think you stopped breathing?”

  “It sure seemed like it to me,” Hopper offered, lowering Jack onto the soft grass.

  “It’s just part of the game. We wanted some excitement. So Strong gave it to us. He’ll be as good as new in a few minutes, and then we can head out.” Nicole grinned, tapping on the jeweled chest. “It’s not locked.”

  Taking the chest from Nicole, Jack set it on the ground before him. Using a small knife, still stuffed into his belt, he pried the rusted latch open. Inside was a bundle wrapped in a thick layer of wax. Turning the chest over, he let the bundle fall onto the grass. The others knelt beside him gazing at the lump of hardened wax. Using his long black claws, Hopper gently poked at it.

  “It’s solid,” Hopper said.

  “Think your seven-headed monster is hiding inside?” Jack rolled his eyes and slammed his fist into the package. The wax cracked and splintered apart revealing a leather wrap secured tightly with burlap straps.

  Excited, he cut the straps with his small knife and pulled back the leather to reveal its contents. “I thought it’d be some kind of potion or a magic wand.” Jack frowned.

  “So did I,” Sarah said reaching for the worn, brown leather book. Two thin ornate silver snakes served as binders. The eyes were tiny sparkling rubies and the winding bodies adorned with small blue and yellow gems that sparkled like crushed glass in diamond-shaped clusters.

  “Is that it?” Hopper looked over Jack’s shoulder. “There’s got to be something else.”

  “Conjuration,” Sarah said, looking up at him.

  “Yes, that’s a given, Sarah.” Jack smiled weakly.

  “No, that’s what it says.” She shook her head at him.

  “What says?” Hopper stared at her. “You mean the book is talking to you?”

  “No, silly.” Sarah giggled and shoved at Hopper’s massive shoulder, which did not budge an inch. “The title, on the cover.”

  “You can read it?” Jack asked running his fingers over the strange runes that ran across the top of the book.

  “Duh,” Sarah stared at him, uncomprehending. “It’s English, Jack.”

  “No, it’s not,” Hopper chimed in.

  “It’s not?” Sarah stared at the writing. “It is to me.”

  “Then I guess it belongs to you.” Nicole smiled as she grabbed the book and tossed it to Sarah.

  The others dove into the book while Jack slept, exhausted from his ordeal. Sarah read the titles of the spells and incantations aloud as she flipped through the pages. Hopper insisted on earmarking certain incantations for easy future access. Tiring of the search, Nicole left them to their work. She decided her time was better spent examining the map they had gotten at the Inn. She grabbed the satchel and headed over to sit next to Jack’s sleeping form as Hopper and Sarah began to work on a levitation
spell.

  “Okay, raise your arms out in front of you and command it to rise,” Hopper instructed as Sarah concentrated on the spell.

  The words were unnatural and hard to form, much harder than the magic spell Nicole had taught her. She was not entirely sure she was even pronouncing them correctly. The book contained no instructions, merely the incantations. Nothing happened as she stood over the small loaf of bread, her hands stretched out above it. Sarah frowned and wiggled her fingers at the bread on the grass before her, as if that would aid her spell.

  “Well, you cast a spell over me long ago, and you didn’t even have a book then.” Hopper grinned, his booming voice deepening further as he gazed into her innocent blue eyes.

  Sarah glanced up and met Hopper’s gaze. “That was Cupid. He got us both with the same arrow that day.” She smiled, forcing away the blush that threatened and turned back to the bread. Lowering her hands to inches above the loaf, she repeated the phrase until everything around her faded from view. Her fingers, then hands began to itch, and then tingle. The sensation moved up her arms. Then, ever so slowly the loaf began to rise off the ground, stopping to hover nearly a foot above the grass.

  “I did it!” She squealed jumping into Hopper’s arms and kissing his wide thin-lipped mouth.

  “I knew you could!” He spun her around before depositing her back in place. “Now, try something else,” he said, pulling back slightly and running his huge hand across his gruesome maw.

  “There’s a hiccup incantation. Let’s try it on, Jack.” Sarah smiled mischievously, heading for her first victim. The strange words flowed from her, dancing on her tongue. The sensation was tantalizing, invigorating. She felt the power of the magic rise inside her. Then, suddenly, Jack bolted upright and hiccupped.

  Giggling with glee, Sarah and Hopper fell onto the grass unable to contain their delight. Jack glanced around as the hiccups quickly worsened then suddenly subsided. Studying the two wriggling forms on the grass before him and judging from Nicole’s broad grin, he grew suspicious.

  “What’s going on?” Jack’s eyes narrowed at the ugly troll as Hopper righted himself and tried to look innocent.

  “She just cast a spell on you, Jack,” Nicole explained as his two friends acted like mischievous imps, gleefully staggering toward them.

  “What kind of spell?” Jack demanded looking at Sarah.

  “Oh relax, Jack. Just a little case of the hiccups,” Sarah announced, proudly.

  Jack chuckled, leaning back against the tree. “Then we can quit worrying about those warriors now. Sarah has everything under control. She’ll make them hiccup so hard they’ll fall right off their horses.”

  “I’m just getting started, Jack,” Sarah quipped with a defiant smile. “Go back to sleep, Barbarian.”

  “Not likely.” Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her down beside him. “Show me your stuff oh magical one.”

  “I should try another small spell before I attempt anything remotely threatening.” Sarah smiled slyly and turned toward Hopper.

  A look of great concern came over Hopper’s face as she began to chant. Hopper furrowed his brow, and his heart sped up. Was it his turn to be the next victim? Trying to hide his distress, he managed a smile and said, “Did I tell you how beautiful you looked just before you lay down on the cot this morning?”

  Sarah ceased her chanting and stared expectantly at Hopper. “Well?”

  “Well, what?” Hopper stared back at her. “What kind of spell was it?”

  “You tell me,” Sarah answered, rising to face him.

  “Nothing’s happening.” Hopper glanced over at Jack, “Is it?”

  “You look the same to me,” Jack said, “No feminine features yet, Sarah.”

  “What?” Hopper staggered backward terrified.

  It was Jack’s turn to fall back laughing.

  Hopper grimaced, “your hysterical, Jack.” Then suddenly he stiffened and started to squirm. “Sarah!” he bellowed, “Not that, anything but that! Stop it!”

  Sarah giggled saying, “He hates to be tickled.”

  Hopper jerked and wiggled, screaming with deep echoing peals of laughter as he worked his way toward them. “Sarah! It feels like ants are crawling all over me,” he gasped; fell to the ground and started rolling and kicking. His deep voice boomed in panic, “Enough!”

  The others laughed in spite of their empathy for the troll. “I thought nothing could bring Hopper to his knees,” Jack guffawed. “Leave it to a seemingly defenseless female to lay you out cold, eh Hopper?”

  “This will teach him to appreciate you, Sarah,” Nicole added.

  “At least he’ll never underestimate me.” The tall sorceress smiled back at her.

  Hopper rolled onto his knees and crawled to Jack, gasping for breath. “Help... me.”

  Jack knelt beside him. “Sarah, I think he’s had enough.” A shiver ran through him as he recalled Nicole’s recent fit of hysteria.

  “Your hiccups stopped right away.” Sarah’s smile vanished. “It should stop any second.”

  “I... Can’t,” gasp, “Stand it!” Hopper collapsed onto the grass. “It hurts...”

  “Todd?” Sarah rushed to his side.

  “Is there some kind of counterspell?” Nicole asked.

  “Can’t ... breathe...” Hopper gasped, his lips were turning blue. Tears were streaming down his hairy cheeks.

  “Do something!” Jack grabbed Sarah by the shoulders.

  Sarah jumped up and rushed over to the rocks where she had left the book and scanned the pages surrounding the tickle spell desperate to find anything to help. “I can’t find anything. It has to wear off?” She rushed back to them. “Todd? Hold on, just a few seconds more. Concentrate on your breathing, try to take just one slow breath.”

  Hopper was oblivious to anything, but the torturous laughter the flowed uncontrollably from his mouth.

  Sarah screamed as Hopper began to convulse. “Jack do something! I’m killing him!”

  Jack sprang up and rushed to Sarah’s side. “I can’t read it! You’ll just have to take it one page at a time.”

  Nicole moved slowly toward Hopper as Jack and Sarah raced through the book. Taking Hopper by the arm, Nicole gently pulled him to his knees. “Laughter’s unusual for a troll,” she whispered. Her eyes grew glassy and dark. “Trolls and elves have never been close friends you know, but I’ll help you, Hopper. I won’t desert you.” Her eyes began to brighten and glow the same soft green light as when she arrived. Nicole led Hopper toward the pool as she started to sing a whispering lullaby.

  Sarah’s scream jolted Nicole back to awareness. The young Sorceress’ eyes filled with horror as Nicole pushed the nearly unconscious Hopper into the dark frothy water.

  “He’ll drown!” Sarah cried rushing toward them. “He’s too weak!”

  Hopper’s head popped out of the water as Sarah reached the edge of the pond. “I’m all right.” He gasped, sucking in a deep breath of air. Jack was in the water beside him in an instant helping Hopper to the edge of the pond. Sarah’s waiting arms pulled his massive hulk out of the water and held him tight. Taking his massive head in her hands, Sarah kissed him hard on his huge lips.

  “Nicole, what happened?” She turned to the silent elf. “How did you know?”

  “Water is a pure element. It dilutes acid, stops chemical reactions, and washes away the dust of the earth. It’s a cleansing agent. What would work better to cure a dark surface spell?” Nicole answered quietly, surprised at her own words. “You could have killed him, Sarah.”

  “I didn’t realize.” Sarah’s eyes filled with tears. “Todd, you know I’d never...”

  “It’s okay, baby.” Hopper pulled her to him. “I know you’d never hurt me.”

  “Thank you, Nicole.” Sarah reached out and took Nicole’s hand. They stood staring at each other as the glow faded from Nicole’s eyes.

  “Forget it,” Nicole answered, turning away.

  “I’m so
rry about what I said,” Sarah called after Nicole.

  Nicole spun and flashed a smile to hide her concern over her own mental stability. “We better get moving, we don’t want to get caught with our backs to the water.”