Chapter 36 end

The people of Ten-Towns and their barbarian allies found the ensuing winter really hard, but they survived by sharing their wits and resources.During those long months, Cassius, Jacin Brant, and Kemp represented the people of Ten-Towns, and Wulfgar and Revje held many meetings representing the various tribes of the barbarians.The first order issued was for both parties to formally recognize and forgive each other, despite the strenuous opposition of those on both sides. Throughout the harsh winter, almost all the towns that Akar Kessell's army had not ravaged were filled with refugees.Reconstruction started after the earliest signs of spring.When the area was successfully restored to life, and the barbarian expedition followed Wulfgar's instructions to retrieve the treasure, many meetings were held to allocate towns to the survivors.During the period, the relationship between the two races was interrupted several times, and in the end, only Wulfgar's prestige and Cassios' continued calmness could bring them back together.

When the final decision came out, the barbarians were assigned to rebuild the towns of Bremen and Kekkoney, and the homeless people in Kekkoney moved to the town of Kedi Neva, and Bremen, who did not want to live with the barbarians, The original inhabitants of Gatetown found their home in the reconstructed Targos. This is a difficult situation, as two traditionally rival races are forced to put aside their differences and live in adjacent areas.Even if they won the war, these people in the town did not consider themselves victors.Everyone suffered tragic losses, and no one was better off as a result of this war.

Except Regis. The opportunistic halfling has been crowned First Citizen and has been rewarded with the best house in Ten-Towns.Cassius gave up his mansion to this "destroyer of the magic tower".Regis accepted this gift from the speaker, and gifts pouring in from every town, and though he didn't actually do any of these things, he made him a humble friend of the dark elves. The good fortune rationalized.Since Drizzt Do'Urden would not be coming to Bryn Shander to collect these rewards, he would have to resign himself to it as his duty. The halfling now lived the easy life he had always dreamed of.He likes to have a lot of wealth and luxuries, but he will learn later that he will pay a high price for his fame.

   Drizzt and Bruno spent the winter preparing for their quest to find Mithril Hall.Despite being tricked, the Dark Elf intends to keep his promise, as his life hasn't changed much after the war.Even though he was the true hero of the war, he found himself merely tolerated by the people of Ten-Towns.The barbarians, apart from Wulfgar and Revye, also blatantly avoided him, muttering prayers to their gods to ward off evil when they passed by on the road. But the dark elf accepted the situation with his characteristic generosity.    "The gossip in town says you've ceded your voice in council to Raveyer," Catti-brie told Wulfgar during one of her many visits to Bryn Shander.

Wulfgar nodded. "He's older and wiser than me in many ways." Catti-brie studied Wulfgar uneasily with her deep eyes.She knew that Wulfgar must have had other reasons for stepping down from his responsibilities as king. "You want to go with them," she said quietly. "I owe a debt to the dark elf," was Wulfgar's only explanation as he turned away, not wanting to argue with the fiery girl. "You dodged my question again," Catti-brie laughed. "You're not going to repay the favor! You chose to go on the road yourself!" "What do you know?" Wulfgar growled, exasperated by the girl's surprisingly accurate observations. "What adventure do you know?"

Catti-brie's eyes were unarmed. "I get it," she declared quietly. "Every day, every place is an adventure. You haven't learned that yet. So you've come a long way to satisfy your heart's burning thirst for excitement. Go then, Worf of Icewind Dale Plus. Follow your heart and remember to be happy!" She went on: "Maybe when you get back here, you'll understand that being alive is a thrill." She kissed his forehead and skipped out the door. Wulfgar shouted something behind her, surprised by her sudden kiss. "Maybe our discussions will be more harmonious then!"

"But it won't be as fun!" was her reply as she left.    One fine morning in early spring, the time finally came for Drizzt and Bruno to set off.Catti-brie helped them pack their overstuffed backpacks. "I'll take you there when we get there!" Bruno told the girl again. "When you see the stream of silver flowing in the Hall of Mithril, your eyes will definitely light up!" Catti-brie indulged herself in a laugh. "Then can you guarantee that you will be safe?" Bruno asked more seriously.He knew she would, but his heart was still overflowing with fatherly concern.

Catti-brie's smile widened.They had discussed this a hundred times over the winter.Catti-brie was delighted that the dwarf was finally making it, but she also knew she was going to miss him terribly, because it was clear that Bruenor would not be satisfied if he at least tried to find his ancient home. She also knew better than anyone that dwarves had great company. Bruno was satisfied.The time to move has come. When they said good-bye to the dwarves, they went to Bryn Shander to say good-bye to their two dearest friends. They arrived at Regis' house later that morning to find Wulfgar sitting on the steps waiting for them, next to Aegis-fang and his bag.

When the two arrived, Drizzt looked at Wulfgar's belongings suspiciously, probably guessing his intentions. "Nice to meet you, King Wulfgar," he said. "Are you going to Bremen or Kekoni to oversee the work of your own people?" Wulfgar shook his head. "I am not some Wulfgar king," he replied. "Meetings and speeches are best left to old people. I've had enough. Reveje is now representing the people of the tundra." "What about you?" Bruno asked. "I'll go with you," Wulfgar replied. "Pay my last debt." "You don't owe me any more!" Bruno declared.

"I've paid off your part," Wulfgar agreed. "I have paid off my debts to Ten-Towns and to my own people. But there is one debt I have yet to pay," he turned directly to the dark elf. "I owe you, dear elf." Drizzt didn't know how to answer.He patted the young burly man on the shoulder and smiled warmly.    "Come with us, glutton!" Bruno said after everyone had a sumptuous lunch in the mansion. "Four adventurers out on the open plains. It'll do you good, and make your belly go away!" Regis cupped his big belly with both hands and shook it gently. "I love my tummy and want to keep it, thank you. Maybe I'll make it a little bigger!"

He went on: "I don't know why you all insist on taking this risk anyway," he said more seriously.He had spent much of the winter dissuading Bruenor and Drizzt from the journey. "We have an easy time here. Why are you leaving?" "There are more important things in life than food and soft pillows, my boy," Wulfgar said. "The thirst for adventure burns in our blood. Now that this place is peaceful, it is absolutely impossible for Ten-Towns to provide the thrill of danger and the satisfaction of victory." Drizzt and Bruno both nodded in agreement, but Regis But shook his head. "You call this humble place luxurious?" Bruno laughed, snapping his stubby fingers. "When I come back from Mithril Hall, I will help you build a house that is twice as big as this one, and it will be studded with diamonds that you have never seen before!" But Regis still decided that he had already experienced the last adventure of his life.After eating, he accompanied his friends to the door. "If you come back..." "Your home will be our first stop," Drizzt assured him. As they walked out the door, they met Kemp.He's standing across the road from Regis's steps, obviously looking for him." "He was waiting for me," Wulfgar explained, smiling at the thought of Kemp's desperate attempts to get rid of him. "Farewell, good speaker," Wulfgar yelled, bowing deeply. "Predklabaanlindbiuiglokgron." Kemp made an obscene gesture to the Savage and strode away.Regis laughed almost twice as hard. Drizzt recognized the words, but he couldn't figure out why Wulfgar said that to Kemp. "You told me it was the old tundra war cry," he said to the barbarian. "Why would you say that to the person you despise the most?" Wulfgar stuttered momentarily, unable to explain why he was still in trouble, but Regis answered for him. "Battle cry?" the halfling yelled. "That's a swear word for a barbarian wife, usually reserved for a barbarian husband who cheats." As Regis continued, the dark elf narrowed his eyes at Wulfgar. "It means: May thousands of reindeer live on your genitals!" Bruenor started laughing, and Wulfgar soon followed suit.Drizzt had to laugh with them too. "Come, the days are long," said the Dark Elf. "Let's go on this adventure, it's going to be fun!" "Where are you going first?" Regis asked sadly.A small part of the halfling actually envied his friends, and he had to admit he would miss them. "Go to Bremen first," Drizzt replied. "We're going to get our supplies there and head southwest." "To Luskan?" "Maybe, if fate wants us to go there." "Bon voyage," Regis said to the three companions when they set off without further hesitation. Regis watched them disappear, wondering how he had come to have such stupid friends.He shrugged it off and went back to his mansion with a lot of food left over from lunch. He was stopped when he was about to go through the door. "First Citizen!" someone shouted in the street.The voice belonged to a person in charge of a warehouse in the southern part of the city, where caravans were loaded and unloaded.Regis waited for him to come. "There is a man, the First Citizen," said the warehouse man, bowing in apology for disturbing such an important man. "Ask about you. He said he was a representative of the Luskan Heroes' Association and was sent to invite you to their next meeting. He said he would pay you very well." "his name is?" "He didn't say, he just gave this!" The storekeeper opened a small bag of gold. It was the only thing Regis needed to see.He went at once to meet the man from Luskan. Sheer luck saved the halfling's life once again, as he saw the stranger before the stranger saw him.Even though he hadn't seen him in years, he recognized the man right away because of the emerald on the hilt of the dagger he wore at his hip.Regis often wanted to steal this beautiful weapon, but there was a limit to his audacity and foolishness.This dagger belonged to Artemis Entreri. The top killer in Bashar Pook's Thieves Guild.    The three companions left Bremen before dawn the next day.Eager to start their adventure quickly, they walked quickly, and they were deep in the tundra when the first light of dawn peeped at them from behind on the eastern horizon. Still, Bruenor wasn't surprised to see Regista scrambling across the open plain after them. "He must be in trouble again, or I'm a bearded dwarf!" the dwarf snickered to Wulfgar and Drizzt. "Nice to meet you," Drizzt said. "But haven't we already said goodbye?" "I decided I couldn't not be there to help Bruno when he got into trouble," Regis gasped, trying to catch his breath. "You're here?" Bruno sighed. "You don't even have any supplies, stupid halfling!" "I don't eat much," Regis begged them, a hint of desperation in his voice. "Fuck you! You eat more than the three of us combined! But it doesn't matter, no matter what, we'll let you follow." The halfling's face lit up visibly, and Drizzt thought the dwarf's guess that he was causing trouble might not be far from the truth. "Then the four of us," Wulfgar declared, "represent the most common races in the world: Bruenor for the dwarves, Regis for the halflings, Drizzt Do'Urden for the elves, and me for the humans. What a perfect match." A group of people!" "I don't think the surface elves would agree to have a dark elf represent them," Drizzt commented. Bruno also said contemptuously, "Do you think halflings would choose this glutton as their number one?" "You're crazy! Dwarf," Regis retorted. Bruenor threw the shield to the ground, jumped around Wulfgar, and struck a fighting stance against Regis.His face contorted with rage as he grabbed Regis by the shoulders and lifted him up. "You're right, glutton!" Bruno yelled frantically. "I'm crazy! You'd better not meet someone crazier than you!" Drizzt looked at Wulfgar and smiled knowingly. This will be an interesting adventure. With the rising sun behind them and the shadow in front of them, they set off on their journey. Seek out the Halls of Mithril.