Spoilers: Out of time, Resurrection, Cave of Fear, Camelot.
Chapter Three
Challanger kneels beside Roxton.
CHALLANGER: He's waking up.
MALONE: What are you going to do? Knock him out again? You can't chance him going after Marguerite.
In the distance they hear a voice shouting them. Tithia pops out of thin air. She looks at Roxton worried.
TITHIA: Oh dear! I knew something like this would happen.
VERONICA: Revearse this.
TITHIA: I can't.
VERONICA: Why not?
TITHIA: Only Roxton can revearse the process now.
MALONE: How? All he can think about is killing Marguerite.
TITHIA: Remind him of what he's done for her and how much she cares for him.
CHALLANGER: And Marguerite? We can't even get close enough to her to even talk let alone help her.
TITHIA: I'm sure you'll find a way.
She disappears as Roxton starts to wake up.
ROXTON: What happened?
CHALLANGER: I...
MALONE: You hit you're head on a rock.
Veronica looks at him.
MALONE: (Whispers) no sense in getting him even more worked up.
ROXTON: Marguerite?
CHALLANGER: She got away.
He stands up.
ROXTON: I have to...
Challanegr stops him from walking.
CHALLANGER: Help her. She isn't a danger to you Roxton.
ROXTON: Out of my way.
CHALLANEGR: No! You can't kill her. It isn't you, Dirron caused this remember. He wanted to hurt Marguerite...
MALONE: Yeah, and you stayed outside her room so she'd be safe.
ROXTON: No.
Dirron appears in front of them.
DIRRON: Theri lying, their all against you. Listen to me.
Malone puts the gun to Dirron's head.
MALONE: Not another word.
DIRRON: But...I...
MALONE: Shut up.
CHALLANEGR: (To Dirron) tell him what you did.
DIRRON: That won't help.
VERONICA: Tell him.
MALONE: Or I'll shoot you.
DIRRON: Y...You're under a spell.
ROXTON: You're lying.
DIRRON: No, it's true and now Samun has Marguerite...I wanted a little fun.
ROXTON: Well I'll just have to find her.
He runs before the others can stop him.
DIRRON: Can't say I didn't try.
* * * * * *
Roxton examines the tracks in the soil, one set is Marguerite's the other must be Samuns. Tithia sits on a tree branch above Roxton.
TITHIA: You stubborn mule!
Roxton aims his gun at her.
TITHIA: What does she see in you?
ROXTON: She doesn't even know me anymore.
TITHIA: That was Dirron, don't you remember how much you worried about her when she was taken by Norse warriors and you made a deal with Osric so you could go and save her...
ROXTON: That wasn't real.
TITHIA: And she was bitten by a scorpion and you thought it was poisoness...
ROXTON: I thought she might die from the bite.
TITHIA: And when she was stabbed when you were in Camelot, you comforted her.
Realisation starts to set in.
TITHIA: And in the cave of fear...
ROXTON: She almost shot herself, I stopped her just in time.
TITHIA: You don't hate her.
ROXTON: But I thought...
TITHIA: You were under a spell, as is Marguerite. She'll be harder to persuade, she doesn't remember a thing.
ROXTON: How can I help her?
TITHIA: Stop Samun first, he's going to kill her.
ROXTON: Not if I stop him first, where is he taking her?
TITHIA: Follow the signs, the Druids will lead the way.
ROXTON: Druids?
TITHIA: They will help you remember, they will try to help Marguerite.
She points to the east.
TITHIA: Follow the path and you will remember.
She disappears and leaves Roxton to follow the path.
* * * * * *
Samun and Marguerite stop near a rocky hill, its getting dark but their making good progress.
MARGUERITE: Which way?
SAMUN: Straight on, we'll be at the cave soon.
She looks over the edge of the hill and sees stones shining in the side.
MARGUERITE: Look at all these!
SAMUN: (Irritated) we should continue.
MARGUERITE: Just a minute, when I leave here I don't want to be empty handed.
SAMUN: But the emeralds...
MARGUERITE: Can fit in my other pocket.
She picks up a large blue stone.
MARGUERITE: I've seen this before, it's so familiar...
SAMUN: High priestess please.
She puts it in her pocket.
MARGUERITE: All right, we can go now...If you wanted to get to the cave so fast you shouldn't have rested for three hours before.
SAMUN: I had to, to maintain my strength for the ritual.
They start walking again.
MARGUERITE: So what does this ritual entail exactly?
SAMUN: I must call on my ancestors, stand at the alter and wash my hands in the flames, Ki...Get the emeralds and put them in place...
MARGUERITE: (Sarcastic) the usual then?
He laughs to break the awkwardness.
SAMUN: Yes, the usual...The cave is over the hill.
He almost trips over a tree root, Marguerite steadies him.
SAMUN: I grow weaker the longer we wait.
MARGUERITE: Don't worry, I'll get you back in time.
She starts walking, Samun turns around and looks into the darkness. Marguerite stops and watches him.
MARGUERITE: What's wrong?
SAMUN: He's here.
MARGUERITE: Who is?
SAMUN: Roxton, he's coming for you. Come, we must hurry.
He takes her hand and they run towards the cave.
* * * * * *
Roxton looks ahead, squinting in the darkness.
ROXTON: What happened to all the signs!
He turns to walk the other way when a shining light appears before him. He faintly makes out a man in a robe inside the light.
ROXTON: Who are you?
BOKRAH: You will not remember the last time we met, I am Bokrah.
ROXTON: A druid? I thought you were at Stonehenge.
BOKRAH: I am. This is merely a spell, what you see before you is my essence. I appear before you at great risk but you must stop Samun, stop him from performing the ritual or my people and Marguerite will cease to exist.
ROXTON: How do I stop him?
BOKRAH: He is very weak now so a single bullet should kill him. I must go Samun is at the cave, we must prepare for the worst.
Bokrah disappears leaving a faint glow lighting the way to the cave.
* * * * * *
The rest of the explorers stop after travelling for hours non-stop.
VERONICA: We can't even be sure they came this way!
CHALLANGER: I'm sure they did, from what I can see they came in this direction.
MALONE: She's right. We don't even know where they're headed or how far away they are.
CHALLANGER: We can't give up.
MALONE: It's too dangerous to travel at night.
They hear a roar not far from them.
MALONE: I had to open my big mouth.
VERONICA: We're getting out of here, now.
Three raptors jump out surrounding them on either side. Challanger shoots one and it falls to the floor, another pounces on Challanger while he's distracted, Veronica throws her knife into it's neck as the the last one goes for her, Malone shoots it in the stomach and both raptors fall.
MALONE: Now do you think it's time to go?
CHALLANGER: We can rest for fifteen minutes then start again.
* * * * * *
Samun puts his hands into the burning fire thats on the alter.
MARGUERITE: What was the other chant for earlier?
SAMUN: It just prepares the ritual.
MARGUERITE: Doesn't that burn you're hands?
SAMUN: No, come, sit.
He taps the stone slab in front of the fire, he holds out a gold goblet. She sits down and takes the goblet. She examines the gold and the jewels that surround it.
SAMUN: The importance is the content of the goblet not the goblet itself.
MARGUERITE: Habit I guess.
SAMUN: Drink.
MARGUERITE: What is it?
SAMUN: Various herbs mixed with water, fruit...It will start the ritual.
She smells it.
SAMUN: It's okay, it won't harm you...Please it's important that you drink this.
MARGUERITE: And the emeralds?
SAMUN: Will come at the end.
She drinks the goblet's contents when she's done he takes it from her.
SAMUN: Sleep, it will all be over soon.
He lies her down and makes sure she's asleep, he takes a dagger from inside his robes and raises it above her while chanting.
SAMUN: You're death will give me power it will set me free, I will be immortal and free to control all!
ROXTON: Not if I can stop you.
Roxton runs into the cave and aims his gun at Samun.
SAMUN: My death will kill him, he will be lost.
ROXTON: Really? From what I heard it'll set everything straight.
Marguerite starts to wake up.
SAMUN: There's no time for this.
ROXTON: Marguerite wake up.
He walks towards her, as Samun brings the knife down Roxton shoots him. He drops the dagger and falls back against the alter. He holds his chest and his eyes turn red. Roxton stands beside Marguerite and sits her up.
ROXTON: Are you all right?
She sees Roxton and moves away from him, she sees Samun on the floor and not knowing what just happened kneels beside him.
ROXTON: You're okay, he's dead now...Lets go home.
He takes her by the arm, she backs away from him staring at him with hate.
MARGUERITE: You killed him! Son of Bitch, (Shouts) get out!
ROXTON: He tried to kill you.
MARGUERITE: Then why are you the one with the gun?
She picks up the dagger and stands up.
MARGUERITE: Leave here now, before I kill you myself.
ROXTON: Marguerite?
MARGUERITE: (Disgusted) first you try to kill me then you pretend you saved me and I don't even know you.
He moves towards her.
MARGUERITE: Don't push me, I never want to see you again. (Shouts) go!
He looks at her sadly pain showing in his eyes, he walks out of the cave. Marguerite kneels down next to Samun in the cave. A glowing light appears before her and she sees Bokrah.
BOKRAH: Marguerite, help me!
He disappears into the darkness. Outside the cave Roxton watches her, his pain is uncontrollable as he sees her all alone.
ROXTON: I will get you back Marguerite, I swear I'll get you back.
The end
