Chapter 18 Chapter 15 The Eyes of the Golem

Drizzt didn't have much trouble convincing Bruenor to turn back and head west.When the dwarf was anxious to get to Sundabar to get what Helm knew, the valuable information that could be obtained in a day's journey made him set off at once and run forward. Drizzt didn't explain much about how he got the news, except that he met a lonely traveler to Silvermoon City at night.Although the story sounds made up, his friends still respect his privacy and trust him completely without pressing him about it.As they ate lunch, however, Regis wished for more information, for the biscuit the traveler had given Drizzt was truly delicious and miraculously restored their spirits.After a few bites, the halfling felt as if he had rested for a week.The magical ointment healed Wulfgar's back and legs instantly, and he could walk without a cane for the first time since they left Evermoor.

Long before the dark elf presented those magical gifts, Wulfgar suspected that Drizzt had met someone important.For within the drow elf glowed with optimism, and a certainty shone in his eyes, reflecting the full and dramatic return of the indomitable soul that had carried him through most of the If a person encounters a trial that has already collapsed.The Savage didn't need to know the man's identity; he was just happy that his friend had risen above his frustration. When they set off later that morning, they looked more like a newly embarked adventure party than a weary one.They whistled and talked as they headed west along the waters of the Loffin.Because they have survived so many critical crises, but have not suffered corresponding damage, which shows that they have moved a long way towards their goal.The summer sun was shining on them, and every piece of the Mithril Hall puzzle seemed to have fallen into their grasp.

Little did they guess that a pair of murderous eyes were watching them.High above these travelers' heads on the hills beside the mountains to the north of the Loffin River, the Golem felt the Dark Elves passing by.Pork looked down at the group as they passed down the road, following the magic of Dandiba.The monster obeyed without hesitation, and set off to find Sydney. Polk tossed a huge pebble out of the way, and climbed over another too big to move, not understanding the advantage of going around it.Polk's line is clear, and it refuses to deviate an inch from it. "Here comes a big man!" said the guard on the Loffin's sentry when he saw Pork crossing the clearing.However, just as he spoke, he realized that the danger was approaching, and it was not an ordinary traveler who came!

He bravely charged out to meet the golem head-on.He drew his sword, followed by his companions. Polk was single-mindedly moving toward his goal, ignoring their warnings. "No further advance!" the soldier ordered one last time as Polk walked the last few feet between them. The golem has no so-called emotions, so when these guards attack, it doesn't get angry.They stood there blocking the way, and Pork didn't stop to think for a second before he punched them all away, his strong magic arm piercing through their blocking defenses and sending them flying into the air.The golem didn't pause for a moment, and continued to walk into the river. It didn't slow down, and disappeared into the rushing water.

Alarm bells rang in the city because soldiers at the city gate across the river saw what was happening at the sentry post.While the Knights of the Silver Moon watched the monster reappear from the river, the huge city gates were pulled up and tightly guarded. Polk continued to walk in a straight line, crossed the bottom of the river, easily dug through the silt, and resisted the rush of the current.When the monster reappeared at this end of the river, the Silver Moon Knights could not believe it, but they still held their weapons and lined up in front of the city gate with gloomy faces. From the point of view of Polk's chosen route, there is still a long way to go upstream of the Loffin River to reach the city gate.The golem continued to walk to the city wall, but did not change direction and walked towards the city gate.

It directly punched a hole in the city gate and walked in. Entreri paced anxiously around his room at the Wayward Sage inn near the center of the city. "They should have come," he snarled at Sydney, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, tensing the rope that bound Catti-brie. Before Sydney could answer, a ball of fire appeared in the center of the room. It was not real fire, but an image of fire, phantom, like something burning at a certain place in another world. plant something.The fire began to twist, becoming a robed ghost. "Mokai!" Sydney gasped. "Hello," the spirit replied. "The striped-clothed wizard Dandiba also sends his greetings to you."

Entreri retreated to the corner of the room, keeping an eye on the thing.Catti-brie sat immobile from being bound. Because of her proficiency in magic, Sydney knew that the existence of this other world was under the control of Dandiba, so she was not afraid. "What did my master call you for?" she asked bluntly. "I bring news," replied the ghost. "The gang you're looking for turned around a week ago into the Evermoor, south of Nesme." Sydney bit her lip in anticipation of what the Ghost would say next, but Morkai fell silent and waited. "Where are they now?" Sydney asked impatiently.

Mokai laughed. "I've been questioned twice, but I haven't been forced to!" The flames erupted again, and the ghost disappeared. "Avemoor," Entreri said. "That would explain why they were late." Sydney nodded absently, because she had another thing on her mind. "Not forced to ask," she whispered to herself, repeating the ghost's parting words.Questions that bothered her haunted her.Why did Dandiba wait a week for Mo Kai to bring the news?Why can't the wizard force the ghost to tell the latest actions of the dark elves and his party?Sydney knew the dangers and limits of summoning ghosts, and knew that such an action would drain a wizard's strength.Dandiba had summoned Morkai at least three times recently, once when the Dark Elves' party first entered Luskan, and at least twice more after her own group set out in pursuit.Did Dandiba give up all caution in his obsession with the broken magic crystal?Sydney felt the stripped wizard's grip on Mokai greatly weakened, and she hoped Dandyba would hold back on future summons, at least until he was completely rested.

"It may be weeks before they get here!" Entreri said contemptuously, considering the news. "If they get there." "You're probably right," Sydney agreed. "It is probable that they have fallen in the wasteland." "What if that's the case?" "Then we'll follow in." Sydney said without hesitation. Entreri watched her carefully for a while. "What you are looking for must be of high value." "I have my responsibility, and I will not screw up Master's business," she replied sharply. "Even if they lie at the bottom of the deepest swamp, Pork will find them!"

"We must decide on our itinerary quickly," Entreri insisted.He turned his evil eyes on Catti-brie. "I'm tired of staring at this guy." "I don't trust her either," Sydney agreed. "Though she should be useful when we come across the dwarves. We'll wait three more days, and then we'll go to Nesme, and if we must, into the Wastes." Entreri nodded, reluctantly agreeing to the plan. "Did you hear that?" he hissed at Catti-brie. "You have three days to live, unless your friends get here. If they die in the wasteland, then we have no need of you."

Catti-brie had kept her emotions secret throughout the conversation, determined not to let Entreri gain any advantage by knowing she was vulnerable or strong.She believed the friends were not dead.Men like Bruenor Warhammer or Drizzt Do'Urden were not destined to die in some unknown graveyard in some barren swamp.And she would not accept Wulfgar's death until there was irrefutable proof.She held fast to her faith, and now it was her duty to her friends to maintain a dazed appearance.She knew she was winning her personal battle, that the paralyzing fear Entreri had laid upon her was fading by the day.When the time comes, she may be ready to act.All she had to do now was make sure Entreri and Sydney didn't find out. She noticed that the hardships of the road and the killer's new companions were affecting him.Entreri showed growing emotion, growing disappointment at whether the task would be completed.Is it possible he made any mistakes? "It's coming!" came a loud cry from the porch, and the three men began to move reflexively, and then recognized the voice of Gildan, who was in charge of monitoring the wise man's library. Two seconds later, the door burst open, and the sergeant He crawled into the room, breathing harshly. "A dwarf?" Sydney asked, grabbing Gildan and steadying him. "No!" Gildan yelled. "It's a golem! Pork has entered Silvermoon City! They caught it with a trap at the west gate and called the wizard!" "Damn it!" Xini cursed and walked out of the room.Entreri followed her, and he grabbed Gildan's arm and gave it a jerk, facing each other. "You stay here with this woman," the killer ordered. Gildan stared at him. "She's your problem!" Catti-brie noticed that Entreri could easily kill the sergeant here.He hoped that Gildan could read the killer's hateful eyes as clearly as she did. "You do what he tells you to do!" Sydney screamed at Gildan, ending further confrontation.He and Entreri left, and the killer slammed the door shut behind him. "He might have killed you," Catti-brie said to Gildan after Entreri and Sydney had left. "you know too." "Shut up!" Gildan snarled. "I've heard enough of your nasty things!" He approached her menacingly, fists clenched. "Hit me then," Catti-brie challenged him.She knew that even if he did strike herself, his military discipline would not allow him to continue to inflict violence on a helpless enemy. "Though I'm your only friend on this damn road!" Gildan stopped. "Friend?" He hesitated. "You'll find the closest friend you can find here," Catti-brie answered. "You're as much a prisoner here as I am." She had recognized the weakness of the proud man once enslaved by Sydney and Entreri's arrogance, and focused the conversation on it as best she could. "They intend to kill you, you know now, and even if you escape their swords, you will have nowhere to go. You have abandoned Luskan's companions, and if you return to the tower, that wizard will give you A tragic end, no matter how the circumstances unfold!" Gildan tensed up in frustrated rage, but didn't fight. "My friends are around," Catti-brie continued despite the warnings. "I know they're alive and that one day we'll meet them. Sergeant, that's when we die or live. For my part, I see an opportunity. If my friend wins, or If you release people after the agreement, my life will still be mine. But what about you, your future is really bleak! If my friends win, they will cut you down, if your partners win..." She deliberately paused for a while to say nothing of this dire possibility, so that Gildan could weigh it up for himself. "When they find what they need, they don't need you anymore," she said darkly.She noticed that he was shaking, not from fear but from anger, pushing him to the limit of his self-control. "They'll let you live," she bluffed, "if they need a dog." He literally hit her and backed off. Catti-brie took the blow without complaint, even smiling through the pain, though she was careful to hide her satisfaction.Gildan lost control of himself, proving to her that Sydney's, and especially Entreri's contempt for him had fueled his resentment to the brink of explosion. She also knew that when Entreri returned to see the bruises Gildan had inflicted on her, the fire would burn even more. Sydney and Entreri hurried through the many streets of Silvermoon City, guided by the apparent commotion.When they reached the city walls, they found Polk surrounded by a green glowing sphere.Riderless horses paced around a dozen wounded and groaning soldiers, while an old man, the wizard, stood in front of the orb, twirling his beard, studying the captured golem.A high-ranking Silvermoon Knight stood beside him twitching impatiently and clutching his sheathed sword. "Destroy it quickly and be done," Sydney heard the knight say to the wizard. "Oh, no!" declared the wizard. "It's amazing!" "Are you planning to keep it here forever?" the knight snapped. "Look around—" "Excuse me, sir," put in Sydney. "I'm Sydney of Sorcerer's Tower in Luskan. Maybe I can help." "Nice to meet you," said the wizard. "I'm Mi Zeng from the School of Second Knowledge. Do you know the owner of this huge creature?" "Pork is mine," she admitted. The knight glared at her, amazed that a woman, or something of the like, could manipulate this monster that knocked his best warriors aside and destroyed a section of the city wall. "The price will be high, Sydney of Luskan!" he growled. "Sorcerer's Tower will pay," she promised. "Now can you let go of the golem and allow it to be manipulated by me?" she asked the wizard. "Pork will listen to me." "No!" the knight snapped. "I won't let it go!" "Be quiet, Govan," Mizen told him.He turned to Sydney. "I would like to study this golem, if you will allow it. In fact it is the best framed I have ever seen, and more powerful than the Book of Creation predicts." "I'm sorry," Sydney replied. "But I don't have time. I still have a long way to go. Please write down the list of the damage caused by the golem, and I will forward it to my master, and guarantee it with my status as a member of the Sorcerer's Tower." "You pay now!" retorted the guard. Mizen calmed him down again. "Please forgive Govan for being angry," he said to Sydney.He surveyed the area. "Maybe we can talk it over. Nobody was seriously hurt." "Three people were being carried away!" retorted Govan. "And at least one horse is lame and must be killed!" Midzen shook his hand, as if these claims didn't count. "They'll be all right," he said. "They'll be all right. Anyway, the walls should be repaired." He looked at Sydney and twirled his beard again. "I propose now that you will hear no better terms than this! Lend me the golem for one night, for one night, and I will pay for the damage it has caused. For one night." "You can't dismantle Polk," Sydney declared. "Not even the head?" Mi Zeng begged her. "Not even the head," Sydney insisted. "And I come at first light in the morning to get the golem back." Mi Zeng grabbed Twister again. "What an amazing work of art," he murmured, examining the contents of the orb carefully. "make a deal!" "If the monster—" Govan began angrily. "Oh, where's your sense of adventure, Govan?" Mizen retorted before the knight could finish his warning. "Remember what our city was founded for. We're here to learn. If only you could understand the potential of this thing!" They started walking away from Sydney, not paying attention to her, and the wizard kept talking in Govan's ear.Entreri slipped from the shadow of a nearby building to Sydney's side. "Why did this thing come?" he asked her. She shook her head. "There's only one possible answer." "Dark elves?" "Yes," she said. "Pork should have followed them into the city." "Not quite," Entreri reasoned, "yet it's possible that the golem has seen them. If Pork came in with the dark elf and his heroic friends, they would have been fighting here, and they would have Help keep it out of the city." "Then they should still be there." "Perhaps they were leaving town when Polk saw them," Entreri said. "I'll ask the guards at the city gate. Don't be afraid, our prey is close at hand!" Two hours later, they returned to the room.They heard from the guards at the city gate that the dark elves and their party had been driven away, and now they were anxious to take back Polk and go on the road. Sydney gave Gildan a barrage of instructions for their morning's preparations, but it was Catti-brie's bruised eyes that caught Entreri's immediate attention.He went over and checked her ropes, satisfied that they were untouched, then drew his dagger and turned to lay it on Gildan. Sydney quickly guessed the whole situation and stopped him. "Not now!" she demanded. "Our reward is in sight. We can't afford to do this!" Entreri sneered wickedly, then moved the knife away. "We haven't talked about it yet," he snarled to Gildan. "Don't touch this girl again!" So perfect, Catti-brie thought.From Gildan's point of view, the killer seemed to have said that he wanted to kill himself. Added more oil to the fire. When they got the golem back from Mizen the next morning, Sydney was sure that Pork had seen the dark elves and his party.They immediately set off from Silvermoon City, and Pok led them along the same road that Bruno and his friends had walked the previous morning. Like the previous group, they too are being watched. As she watched the group below with growing curiosity, Alustriel moved her long flowing hair away from her face, catching the morning sun in her emerald green eyes.The lord has learned from the gatekeeper that someone has asked about the dark elves. She couldn't yet imagine what role this team that had just left Silvermoon City played in this adventure, but she guessed that these people came with bad intentions.Alustriel had sated her thirst for adventure years ago, even to the point of boredom, but now she wished she could somehow help the drow and his friends in their great quest.But the affairs of the city weighed on her, and she had no time for distractions.For a moment she considered sending a patrol to catch these men, to learn their intentions. Then she turned and walked back to her city, reminding herself that she was only a supporting player in the search for Mithril Hall.She could only trust the abilities of Drizzt Do'Urden and his friends.