Page 29 (2/2)

When Errtu was convinced that a true drow and no illusion stood before it, it had accepted the credibility of Drizzt’s story as consistent with the characteristics of the dark elves’ style

Now, though, the demon scoured the peripheral clues beyond Drizzt’s black skin, noting the ite Nothing that Drizzt had upon his person, not even the weapons sheathed on his hips, eical properties of the underworld Perhaps the drow masters had outfitted their spies more appropriately for the surface world, Errtu reasoned Fro its many years of service in Menzoberranzan, this drow’s presence was certainly not outrageous

But creatures of chaos survived by trusting no one

Errtu continued his scan for a clue of Drizzt’s authenticity The only itee was a thin silver chain strung around his slender neck, a piece of jewelry co a s upon this, Errtu discovered a second chain, finer than the first, weaving in and out of the other The demon followed the almost i chain

Unusual, it noted, and possibly revealing Errtu pointed at the chain, spoke a coer into the air

Drizzt tensed when he felt the e up from under his leather jerkin It passed up over the neckline of the gar openly upon his chest

Errtu’s evil grin widened along with its squinting eyes "Unusual choice for a drow," it hissed sarcastically "I would have expected the symbol of Llolth, demon queen of your people She would not be pleased!" Froed whip appeared in one of the deed, cruelly notched blade in the other

At first, Drizzt’sthe et him out of this fix But then he shook his head resolutely and pushed the lies away He would not dishonor his deity

At the end of the silver chain hung a gift fro had done from the bone of one of the few knuckleheads he had ever hooked Drizzt had been deeply touched when Regis presented it to hi’s finest work It twirled around on the long chain, its gentle grades and shading giving it the depth of a true work of art

It was a white unicorn head, the syoddess Mielikki

"Who are you, drow?" Errtu demanded The demon had already decided that it would have to kill Drizzt, but it was intigued by such an unusualA dark elf that followed the Lady of the Forest? And a surface dweller as well! Errtu had known many drow over the centuries, but had never even heard of one that had abandoned the droicked ways Cold-hearted killers, one and all, that had taught even the great de thetorture

"I am Drizzt Do’Urden, that much is true," Drizzt replied evenly "He who forsook the House of Daermon N’a’shezbaernon" All fear had flown from Drizzt when he accepted beyond any hope that he would have to battle the dehter, prepared to seize any advantage thatGwaeron Windstrooddess Mielikki" He bowed low in accordance with a proper introduction

As he straightened, he drew his scimitars "I must defeat you, scar of vileness," he declared, "and send you back to the swirling clouds of the bottomless Abyss There is no place in the sunlit world for one of your kind"

"You are confused, elf," the dee, and now you dare to presu to life from the stone all around Errtu "I would have killed you mercifully, with one clean stroke, out of respect for your kin But your pride distressesof my fire!"

Drizzt was already nearly overwhelhtness of the fla his sensitive eyes so that the bulk of the demon seemed only the dulled blur of a shadow He saw the darkness extend to the deht and knew that Errtu had raised its terrible sword He moved to defend, but suddenly the dee

Guenhwyvar had latched fire de to pin the cat between its forear claws and teeth away fronawed and raked thedemon-flesh and muscle

Errtu winced away the vicious attack and determined to deal with the cat later The demon’s main concern remained the drow, for it respected the potential power of any of the dark elves Errtu had seen too many foes fall beneath one of the dark elves’ countless tricks

The s, too quickly for the drow, still reeling frohtness of the flae aside Errtu jerked the handle as the thongs tangled about the slender legs and ankles, the de Drizzt to his back

Drizzt felt the stinging pain all through his legs, and he heard the rush of air pressed out of his lungs when he landed on the hard stone He knew that he lare of the fire and Errtu’s sudden strike had left hi the stone, felt the intensity of the heat increasing He led feet entering the des did not burn

Drooling to hear the agonized screa on the whip and pulled Drizzt coh he was totally immolated, the drow barely felt warmed by the fire

And then, with a final hiss of protest, the hot flames suddenly died away

Neither of the opponents understood what had happened, both assu that the other had been responsible

Errtu struck quickly again Bringing a heavy foot down upon Drizzt’s chest, it began grinding him into the stone The drow flailed out in desperation with one weapon, but it had no effect on the otherworldlyhis other scion’s hoard

Hissing like water on fire, it entered Errtu’s knee joint The hilt of the weapon heated up when the blade tore into the derew icy cold, as though dousing Errtu’s hot life force with a cold strength of its own Drizzt understood then what had extinguished the fires

The deony Never had it felt such a sting! It leaped back and tossed about wildly, trying to escape the weapon’s terrible bite, dragging Drizzt, who could not let go of the hilt Guenhwyvar was thrown in the violence of the de from the monster’s arm to crash heavily into a wall

Drizzt eyed the wound incredulously as the demon backed away Steaes of the cut were iced over!

But Drizzt, too, had been weakened by the strike In its struggle with the hty demon, the sci Drizzt into the battle with the fiery h he hadn’t even the strength left to stand But he found hi forward, blade fully extended before hier

The cubby entrance was too narrow Errtu could neither dodge nor spring away

The scie as the blade touched the core of Errtu’s life force drained away Drizzt’s strength, tossing hiainst the stone wall and cruh to witness the titanic struggle still raging

Errtu got out onto the ledge The des But they drooped weakly The scilohite with power as it continued its assault The deh the eht to destroy, was surely winning the conflict

Errtu knew that it had been careless, overconfident in its ability to destroy any le combat The demon hadn’t considered the possibility of such a wicked blade; it had never even heard of a weapon with such a sting!

Steam poured from Errtu’s exposed entrails and enveloped the combatants "And so you have banished me, treacherous drow!" it spat

Dazed, Drizzt watched in alow intensified and the black shadow diminished

"A hundred years, drow!" Errtu howled "Not such a long time for the likes of you or me!" The vapor thickened as the shadow seemed to melt away

"A century, Drizzt Do’Urden!" ca cry from somewhere far away "Look over your shoulder then! Errtu shall not be far behind!"

The vapor wafted up into the air and was gone

The last sound Drizzt heard was the clang of the e