Page 16 (1/2)
"I ae, Drizzt’s appointed tutor in Sorcere "Your reputation precedes you
Most in all the Academy have heard of you and of your proeapons"
Drizzt bowed low, a bit embarrassed
"That skill will be of little use to you here" the e went on "I aic, we call theer ic is the true power of our people!"
Drizzt accepted the berating without reply He knew that the traits this youngof were also neces-sary qualities of a true fighter Physical attributes played only awill and calculated e apparently be-lieved only wizards could handle, won the duels that Drizzt fought
"I will show you e went on, "artifacts beyond your belief and spells of a power beyond your experience!"
"May I know your na to sound somewhat ilorification Drizzt had already learned quite a lot about wizardry from Zaknafein, ic’s usefulness in situa-tions other than battle; droizards were accorded a high position in the society, second to the clerics of Lloth It was a wizard, after all, who lighted the glowing Narbondel, tihted faerie fires on the sculptures of the decorated houses
Zaknafein had little respect for wizards They could kill quickly and froet in close to theainst a sword
"Masoj" replied thenized as a full wizard of Menzoberranzan, with all of the privileges accorded s, then, Masoj Hun’ett" Drizzt replied "I, too, have but a year rehter spends only ten years"
"A lesser talent" Masoj was quick to remark "Wizards study thirty years before they are even considered practiced enough to go out and perforraciously He wanted to get this phase of his instruction over with, then finish out the year and be rid of the Acadeether
Drizzt found his six e actu-ally the best of his stay at the Acade wizard constantly sought ways to rehters’ inferiority Drizzt sensed a coe were setting hied his way through it, as he always had, and tried to get as much out of the lessons as he could
Drizzt found that he was quite proficient in the ways of ree of ical talent and certain innate abilities Even drow children could conjure a globe of darkness or edge their opponents in a glowing outline pf harmless colored flames Drizzt handled these tasks easily, and in a feeeks, he could e several cantrips and a few lesser spells
With the innate ical talents of the dark elves also caical attacks, and that is where Zaknafein had recognized the wizards’ greatest weakness A wizard could cast his most powerful spell to perfection, but if his in-tended victim was a drow elf, the wizard may well have found no results for his efforts The surety of a well-aimed sword thrust always i the drawbacks of drow an to appreciate the course of train-ing he had been given
He still found great enjoys Masoj showed him, particularly the enchanted items housed in the tower of Sorcere Drizzt held wands and staves of incredi-ble power and went through several attack routines with a sword so heavily enchanted that his hands tingled froh it all, study-ing the young warrior’s every ht exploit if House Hun’ett and House Do’Urden ever did fall into the expected conflict Several times, Masoj saw an opportunity to eliminate Drizzt, and he felt in his heart that it would be a prudent h, had been explicit and unbending
Masoj’s ed for him to be Drizzt’s tutor This was not an unusual situation; instruction for fighters during their six her-level Sorcere students When she had told Masoj of the setup, SiNafay quickly re Do’Urden re ht even hint of the planned conflict between the two houses Masoj was not fool enough to disobey
Still, there was one other wizard lurking in the shadoas so desperate that even the warnings of the matron mother did little to deter hi-ress" Alton DeVir said to Drizzt one day
"Thank you, Master Faceless One" Drizzt replied hesi-tantly, more than a little intimidated that a master of Sor-cere had invited hi warrior?" Alton asked "Has Masoj impressed you?"
Drizzt didn’t kno to respond 1ruly, ic had not impressed him as a profession, but he did not want to insult a master of the craft "I find the art beyond my abilities" he said tactfully "For others, it seems a powerful course, but i believe my talents are more closely linked to the sword"
"Could your weapons defeat one of ical power?" AI ton snarled He quickly bit back the sneer, trying not to tip off his intent
Drizzt shrugged "Each has its place in battle" he replied
"Who could say which is the htier? As with every coed"
"Well, what of yourself?" Alton teased "First in your class, I have heard, year after year ’The hly of your talents"
Again Drizzt found hih, he was curious as to why a master and student of Sorcere seeainst one of ainst a an, but Alton was too en to hear him
"Let us learn!" the Faceless One cried He drew out a thin wand and pro at Drizzt Drizzt was down into a dive before the wand even dis-charged The lightning bolt sundered the door to Alton’s highest cha ite back to his feet at the side of the room, his scimitars drawn and ready He still was unsure of this e?" Alton teased, waving the wand in a threatening circle "What of the other spells I have at my disposal-those that attack the mind, not the body?"
Drizzt tried to understand the purpose of this lesson and the part he was meant to play in it Was he supposed to at-tack thishis weapons out toward Alton
Another bolt roared in, forcing Drizzt to dodge back to his original position "Does this seerowled "Do you knoho I ae had come-damn the orders of Matron SiNafay!
Just as Alton was about to reveal the truth to Drizzt, a dark for him to the floor He tried to squire black panther
Drizzt lowered the tips of his blades; he was at a loss to understand any of this
"Enough, Guenhwyvar!" ca past the fallen master and the cat, Drizzt saw Masoj enter the roo away from Alton obediently and moved to rejoin its master It paused on its way, to consider Drizzt, who stood ready in the middle of the rooraceful flow of its rippling ence in its saucer eyes, that he paid little attention to the h Alton, unhurt, was back to his feet and obviously upset