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"Well, I have waited long enough!" Montolio said sternly late one afternoon He gave the drow another shake

"Waited?" Drizzt asked, wiping the sleep frohter or a wizard?" Montolio went on "Or both? One of those multitalented types? The elves of the surface are known for that"

Drizzt’s expression twisted in confusion "I a secrets, are you?" Montolio scolded, though his continuing shtened himself outside of Drizzt’s bedroom hole and folded his arms over his chest "That will not do I have taken you in, and if you are a wizard, I must be told!"

"Why do you say that?" asked the perplexed drow "Wherever did you - "

"Hooter told ht when first we met," Montolio explained, "you darkened the area around yourself and some orcs Do not deny it, wizard Hooter told me!"

"That was no wizard’s spell," Drizzt protested helplessly, "and I am no wizard"

"No spell?" echoed Montolio "A device then? Well, let me see it!"

"Not a device," Drizzt replied, "an ability All drow, even the lowest ranking, can create globes of darkness It is not such a difficult task"

Montolio considered the revelation for a moment He had no experience with dark elves before Drizzt had come into his life "What other ’abilities’ do you possess?"

"Faerie fire," Drizzt replied "It is a line of - "

"I know of the spell," Montolio said to him "It is commonly used by woodland priests Can all drow create this as well?"

"I do not know," Drizzt answered honestly "Also, I am, or was - able to levitate Only drow nobles can accomplish that feat I fear that the power is lost to un to fail me since I came to the surface, as my pii, my boots, and my drow-crafted scimitars have failed me"

"Try it," Montolio offered

Drizzt concentrated for a long hter, then he lifted off the ground As soon as he got up, though, his weight returned and he settled back to his feet He rose no more than three inches

"Ihed and shook his whiteback to his bedroll

Montolio had other ideas He had come to further feel out his companion, to find the limits of Drizzt’s abilities, wizardly and otherwise A new plan caer, but he had to set it into motion before the sun went down

"Wait," he bade Drizzt "You can rest later, after sunset I need you now, and your ’abilities’ Could you sulobe of darkness, or must you take time to contemplate the spell?"

"A few seconds," Drizzt replied

"Then get your armor and weapons," Montolio said, "and come with e of daylight"

Drizzt shrugged and got dressed, then followed the ranger to the grove’s northern end, a little used section of the woodland complex

Montolio dropped to his knees and pulled Drizzt down beside hirassyin there," the old ranger explained "I do not wish to harh toBoars are unpredictable at best"

A long moment of silence passed Drizzt wondered if Montolio sie

"Go ahead then," the ranger prompted

Drizzt turned on hi that Montolio expected hireet their uninvited and unpredictable guest

"Do it," the ranger continued "Enact your darkness globe - right in front of the hole - if you please"

Drizzt understood, and his relieved sighchuckle A rassy mound disappeared in blackness Montolio motioned for Drizzt to wait behind and headed in

Drizzt tensed, watching and listening Several high-pitched squeals issued forth suddenly, then Montolio cried out in distress Drizzt leaped up and charged in headlong, nearly tripping over his friend’s prostrate forroaned and squirmed and did not answer any of the drow’s quiet calls With no boar to be heard anywhere about, Drizzt dropped down to find out what had happened and recoiled when he found Montolio curled up, clutching at his chest

"Montolio," Drizzt breathed, thinking the old man seriously wounded He leaned over to speak directly into the ranger’s face, then straightened quicker than he had intended as Montolio’s shield slammed into the side of his head

"It is Drizzt!" the drow cried, rubbing his developing bruise He heard Montolio juer’s sword come out of its scabbard

"Of course it is!" Montolio cackled

"But what of the boar?"

"Boar?" Montolio echoed "There is no boar, you silly drow There never was one We are the opponents here The time has come for some fun!"

Now Drizzt fully understood Montolio had manipulated hiht Montolio was challenging him, on even ter to play along How Drizzt had loved such tests of skill back in Menzoberranzan with Zaknafein!

"For the sake of your life!" Montolio retorted with a laugh that ca in, and Drizzt’s scimitar drove it harmlessly wide

Drizzt countered with two rapid and short strokes straight up the middle, an attack that would have defeated most foes but did no more than play a two-note tune on Montolio’s well-positioned shield Certain of Drizzt’s location, the ranger shield-rushed straight ahead

Drizzt was pushed back on his heels before he ain from the side, and Drizzt blocked it The old ain, and Drizzt deflected itshis heels in stubbornly

The crafty old ranger thrust the shield up high then, taking one of Drizzt’s blades, and a goodwith it, then sent his sword screa across at Drizzt’s midsection

Drizzt somehow sensed the attack He leaped back on his toes, sucked in his gut, and threw his rump out behind him For all his desperation, he still felt the rush as the shisked past

Drizzt went to the offensive, launching several cunning and intricate routines that he believed would end this contest Montolio anticipated each one, though, for all of Drizzt’s efforts were rewarded with the saer came on then and Drizzt was sorely pressed The droas no novice to blind-fighting, but Montolio lived every hour of every day as a blind man and functioned as well and as easily as most men with perfect vision

Soon Drizzt realized that he could not win in the globe He thought of er out of the spell’s area, but then the situation changed suddenly as the darkness expired Thinking the ga his ith his feet up a rising tree root

Montolio regarded his opponent curiously for aattitude, then caht hi to roll to his feet behind Montolio and come back in from one side or the other as the confused huet what he expected, though Montolio’s shield roaned and fell heavily to the ground By the time he shook the dizziness away, he beca co across Drizzt’s shoulders

"How " Drizzt started to ask