“It’s belly!” Jack yelled across the dying embers of the fire. “Go for the soft skin of its stomach!” Without hesitation, Nicole slid under the serpent and slashed at the gray skin of its stomach while she rolled free.
“Quit the acrobatics and kill it!” Jack yelled as he ran forward.
Nicole jumped back and allowed Jack to move toward the snarling creature. “It’s a creature of magic; you shouldn’t have sent Sarah away. Once she calmed down she could have killed it,” she yelled, over the serpent howls of rage.
“A sword in the gut is as good as any spell,” Jack said diving on the serpent and pulling back its snout. His sword landed at Nicole’s feet. She grabbed it and shoved the long sword deep into its belly.
The black creature gasped, jerked, then fell silent at Nicole’s feet. She yanked the sword free and handed it back to Jack. A shout of fury came from the darkness. They glanced up to see the elf warriors charge into the hollow, weapons drawn. Sheathing his sword, Jack grabbed Nicole’s arm and ran for the thicket. They dove inside and raced for the narrow entrance of the cave.
They found Sarah just inside the cave leaning over Hopper’s blood-soaked body. Jack stared blankly at Hopper, so stricken he couldn’t move.
Nicole took control, “The game is over.” She gasped, fearing Jack was right about their host. “Dr. Strong has lost control, and the elves are coming. We have to assume that whatever happens to us at this point is as real to our minds and the damage is to our bodies. Let’s get Hopper deeper into the cave.”
Jack glanced toward the entrance and turned back to Sarah. “You’ve got to block the passage.”
“I don’t have my book.” She stammered, shaking her head.
“You’ve read every spell in that book at least a dozen times. You can remember. You’re a sorceress!” Jack knelt down, and took her gently by the shoulders. “Hopper’s life may depend on it!”
Sarah rose and stared at Nicole and added, “I told Strong to bring us out, and he didn’t respond. This was supposed to be a vacation.”
“Does it look like Hopper’s having a good time?” Nicole answered, softly.
Sarah glanced down at Hopper. He was dying. She took a deep breath and turned to Nicole. “Nicole, wrap his shoulder, very tightly.” She ordered, and she turned toward the entrance. “Keep the pressure on his neck, Jack.”
Sarah moved closer to the entrance. The sounds of the warriors searching the brush grew louder as Sarah recalled the fire spell she had used in the tunnels. She chanted the strange words and felt the magic surge up inside her. A purple flame flared and burned growing larger to keep the Elves at bay. She searched the magic, still strong within her for another spell. Rising to her consciousness, it came to her. A spell of disaster.
“Move Todd further into the cave!” She yelled back to them over the roar of the fire. She began the chant and slowly backed away from the entrance.
The magic tingled and grew within her, stronger that it had ever been before. Sarah felt the power surge through her, captivating her senses. The walls of the cave began to crumble. The entrance filled with dust and sand, followed by a deafening shower of rock.
Moving quickly away from the avalanche of boulders, Sarah cast a light spell in front of them. They struggled to carry Hopper’s unconscious form as they began the search for a place to rest. Venturing further into the cave, they walked until the narrow passageway gave way to a large chamber that allowed them to lay Hopper on a patch of sand bordering a small stream.
“He’s dying!” Sarah sobbed, “How can this be happening?”
“He’s going to be fine,” Nicole soothed, “The battle has gotten out of hand, and that’s all. We should be in the last hour or so of our adventure. Dr. Strong gave us a hypnotic suggestion that the fantasy will end once we free the Elf Queen.”
“Nicole,” Jack said, “Strong sent us into a fantasy he cannot control. The stress of managing four minds must be too much for him. You said so yourself, we are his test group.”
Nicole shook her head violently. “That’s not likely. He just wants us to believe he’s lost control to add to the excitement.”
Sarah interrupted Nicole, “Then why is it that I’ve asked him, begged him several times to end the fantasy and he has not? I’m beginning to think I’ve lost my mind and this nightmare is real.”
“You’re as sane as I am,” Jack countered. “Maybe Nicole’s right. Maybe Strong can’t end the fantasy until we finish the quest.”
“Then let’s get it done and get the hell out of here!” Sarah spat between clenched teeth.
“You’ll have to go on without me,” Hopper said regaining consciousness. With a grunt, he tried to rise.
“I won’t leave you behind.” Sarah sobbed as she kneeled to embrace him. She brushed the scraggly hair back from his face and began to examine his wounds.
“Stuff me under a ledge and find the elf queen. I’ll only slow you down,” Hopper insisted, falling back onto the sand. “I don’t even have the strength to sit up; you’d have to carry me.”
“Nicole, head down that passage to the right and check for another cave,” Jack ordered, nodding at Hopper.
“I won’t leave him!” Sarah rose to face Jack.
Jack’s voice softened as he stepped closer to Sarah. “There’s a ledge on the other side of the stream, he can hide in the shadows if anyone appears. They won’t see him by torchlight.” Jack reached for her hand. “We’ll travel twice as fast without him. We don’t want those wounds opening up again. Do you really want to force him to endure the pain of being dragged through the caverns?”
Sarah stared at Jack in silence then she turned to Hopper and said, “You promise to stay put?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He smiled, weakly and reached up to squeeze her hand. His hand felt like ice.
Sarah tried to smile and whispered, “We’ll free the Queen as fast as we can, then the adventure will be over,” Sarah said as much for Hopper’s benefit as her own. She was the one with the magic to free the Queen. As desperately as she wanted to stay with Hopper, she had to continue on.
Nicole returned and smiled softly at her injured friend. “There’s an enormous cavern with several passages a few meters into the tunnel.”
They carried Hopper across the shallow stream and placed him on a small stretch of sand under the rock ledge just above the water line. Sarah kissed him deeply and ripped the bottom half of her robe off at the knees, placing it over him.
Hopper whispered to her, “Promise me you won’t tear off any more of your robes until you get back. They’re looking a bit skimpy at the moment.”
Sarah smiled as she covered his chest and arms. “I love you,” she whispered, turning to follow the others to the next cavern. The light vanished as Sarah disappeared into the tunnel leaving Hopper in total darkness. Sarah glanced back and said a quick prayer that the adventure was under control and that Todd would be okay. If he believed he was dying under hypnosis what would happen?