Chapter 3 Chapter 1 Spring Dawn

Drizzt Do'Urden walked slowly along a path on the southern spur of the Spine of the World, a bright blue sky spread around him.Looking south, across the Evermoor, he could see the last flickering lights of distant towns.That might be Nesme, the crescendo of dawn replacing her lamps.Drizzt turned another bend in the mountain road, and saw the small town of Hard Rock far below.Wulfgar the Barbarian's people came here from far away in Icewind Dale, and now they are starting their morning work, and the old ruins are also blooming step by step. Drizzt watched all this, the bustling scene seemed small because of its distance.He remembered that, not so long ago, Wulfgar and his proud people had roamed like hungry wolves in the tundra to the north and west, a thousand miles away on the other side of the great mountains.

Spring, the season of trade, is coming soon.As long as the brave men and women of Rock Town deal with the dwarves of Mithril Hall like merchants, they will soon learn that such a life will bring them more benefits than their old life of living from day to day. Much wealth and comfort.They had come at Wulfgar's call, and fought valiantly alongside the dwarves in those ancient halls.Soon, they will be able to reap the fruits of their hard work, leaving the hopeless nomadic life behind them along with the brutal cold winds of Icewind Dale. "How far have we come?" Drizzt murmured in the chill morning wind, making himself laugh at the pun.He had just returned from Silvermoon City, a magnificent city far in the east.The tormented drow ranger had never imagined that he would be recognized there.In fact, just two years ago, when he, Bruno and other partners were looking for Mithril Hall, the magnificent gates of Silvermoon City were still tightly closed in front of him.

"You covered a hundred miles in one week," a voice answered abruptly. Drizzt's slender fingers instinctively grasped the handle of the knife, but his thoughts immediately took over his natural reflexes, and the soft voice with a touch of dwarven accent was one of the most familiar to him.Moments later, Catti-brie, Bruenor Warhammer's adopted human daughter, came running toward him, bouncing across the rocky ground.Her thick brown hair fluttered in the wind, and her aqua sapphire eyes shone like stars in the cool morning light. In front of this cheerful girl like a spring breeze, Drizzt could never hide his smile.Even the bloody storms of the past few years can't erase the slightest bit of that smile that is filled with the brilliance of life.Drizzt felt a genuine warmth at the sight of Catti-brie, a young woman who knew him better than anyone else.Catti-brie understood and welcomed his heart, not the color of his skin.The first time they had met was ten years ago, in a windswept valley with towering rocks, and she had been only half her size then.

The dark elf waited a while longer, hoping to see Wulfgar.He was Catti-brie's fiancé, so he naturally took on the responsibility of protecting her in this cliff area. "You have come too far alone." The savage was not seen.Drizzt said to the little girl. Katie folded her hands on her chest, put her weight on one foot, and tapped the ground impatiently with the other foot, "You are talking more and more like my father, did Drizzt Do'Urden walk? Do you want someone to protect you too?" "Well said." Drow Ranger acknowledged with a nod, his voice was full of respect, without any hint of sarcasm.The girl's scolding reminded Drizzt that Katie could take care of herself.She has a dwarf dagger on her body, and she wears a well-crafted dwarf armor under the leather robe. It is as light and strong as the chain armor Bruno gave to Drizzt. The bow was slung across Katie's shoulders.Drizzt had never known any weapon that could be more powerful than it. In addition to her powerful equipment, Katie, who was raised by dwarves since she was a child, and had a rock-like adoptive father like Bruno, also possessed a strong physique.

"Do you always have to watch the sun come up?" Katie asked Drizzt, who was facing east. Drizzt sat on a flat rock and beckoned Katie to sit beside him. "I've watched the dawn since my first day on the surface," he said, pulling his heavy leaf-green cloak behind his back. "At that time, it always stung my eyes, reminding me where I came from. Yes. Now I can bear the brightness, and that comforts me." "Well, it sounds very good." Katie stared at Drow's strange eyes, forcing Drizzt to look back at her, and the innocent smile that caught his eyes reminded him of many years ago, in Icewind Dale That cold and windy day.

That was the smile of his first female friend. "It seems to me," Katie went on, "that it must mean that you belong to the world under the sun, Drizzt Do'Urden, as much as any member of any race." Drizzt didn't answer, just turned his head to the east again.Katie also stopped talking, and just sat quietly next to the dark elf, the two of them staring at the quietly awakened world for a long time. "I've come to see you," said Katie suddenly.Drizzt heard the oddity in her tone, but didn't understand why. "I mean," the girl explained to him. "We heard that you will return to Panshi Town and Mithril Hall in the next few days, so I have been waiting for you here."

Drizzt's expression didn't change, "Do you have something to tell me?" Katie nodded gravely, also turning her gaze to the eastern horizon, and Drizzt realized that something must have happened. "I'll never forgive you if you miss the wedding," Katie whispered, biting her lower lip as soon as she finished.Drizzt noticed a slight sob, but Katie tried desperately to pretend it was the first sign of a cold. Drizzt wrapped one arm around the strong shoulders of the beautiful woman. "Even if all the trolls in Ivor stand between me and the wedding hall, do you believe I won't be at your wedding?"

Katie turned to him, and just as she saw his intent gaze, the girl smiled brightly.She hugged Drizzt tightly, then jumped to her feet again.Drizzt was also pulled up. Drizzt did his best to put on the same happy smile, or at least convince the girl that he was as happy as she was.Catti-brie knew full well that he would not miss her wedding to Wulfgar, they were his dearest friends.How could these tears not flow out because of catching a cold?But the ranger with keen senses still wondered why Katie blocked him on the road only a few hours away from Mithril Hall? He didn't ask the question, but it bothered him quite a bit.Drizzt Do'Urden was rather troubled every time moisture gathered in Katie's blue eyes.

※※※※ Jarlaxle's black boots clattered loudly on the stone floor as he left Menzoberranzan alone along a winding tunnel.Most drow are wary of leaving the great city alone into the Underdark.But the mercenary captain knew what was in these tunnels, what kind of creatures lived in this area. Gathering information is Jarlaxle's specialty. The intelligence network of the Dayet Independent Mercenary Group is the masterpiece of Jarlaxle's dedication and his important reliance. The complexity of its organization far exceeds that of any drow family.Jarlaxle knew everything that was and was going to happen in the city, and with this information backed up, he, a familyless exile, could still live comfortably.Since Jarlaxle had been part of Menzoberranzan's conspiracy, no one in Menzoberranzan except Matron Baenre of the First House knew the true origin of this cunning sellsword.

He was now wearing only his shimmering cloak, its enchanted colors overlapping and obscuring the mercenary's graceful figure.The wide-brimmed hat that covered the bare skull was decorated with large tufts of feathers from the ditrima, a huge underground bird.A slender sword leaped at one side of his waist, and a long dagger stuck in the other waist, these were the only weapons he could see on his body.But anyone who knows this mercenary knows that there must be other weapons hidden on his body, weapons that no living person can see. Driven by curiosity, Jarlaxle quickened his pace unconsciously.But when he realized this, he immediately forced himself to slow down, and decided to follow the fashion of being late for this diabolical meeting arranged by the crazy Verna.

Crazy Verna. Jarlaxle pondered the idea for a long time, even pausing to lean against the cave wall to contemplate the priest's countless proclamations over the past few weeks.At first, it seemed like a desperate howl of a ruined nobleman with no chance of success, but it quickly turned into a tangible plan.Until then, Jarlaxle had been playful and curious about Vierna, never thinking that they would kill, or even find, the long-lost Drizzt. But Vierna was obviously guided by some kind, and Jarlaxle could only believe that this was Lolth's will, or that a powerful servant of the Spider God Queen was at work.Vierna's priesthood powers have been fully restored, and it looks like she's gotten a lot of valuable information.She should even have a perfectly capable spy, now they have a pretty good idea of ​​where Drizzt is.Jarlaxle also came to believe that killing the traitorous drow would not be very difficult. The mercenary's boots announced his arrival, and Jarlaxle tapped on the buttress at the end of the tunnel and entered a wide, low room.Vierna was there, with Dinin at her side.To Jarlaxle's surprise (and the calculating mercenary made a mental note of it right away): Vierna, who had left for the wilderness, seemed more attuned to the Underdark than his brother.Dinin spent years in these tunnels, leading countless patrols, but Vierna, a noble priest, hardly ever left the city. If she really believed that Lolth was with her and blessed her, the priest would have nothing to fear. "Has my gift been given to that person?" Verna asked eagerly.From Jarlaxle's point of view, everything about Vierna had become an emergency. There was no greeting or questioning of his lateness, and this abrupt question made the mercenary captain feel at a loss for a moment.He looked at Dinin, who just shrugged helplessly.Vierna's eyes were burning with hunger; Dinin's eyes were filled with despair and resignation. "That man already has the earring," Jarlaxle replied. Verna took out a flat disc, the figure on it just showed the appearance of the precious earring, "Isn't it beautiful," she rubbed the surface of the disc with her hands, "Our spies are far away from Menzoberranzan City gone." "With a valuable present." Jarlaxle's voice sharpened with sarcasm. "It's necessary, it's going to advance our cause," Werner called out to him. "This man would be such a valuable informant if he is what you believe," Jarlaxle said deadpan. "You suspect him?" Verna's voice echoed in the tunnel, full of threats.Dinin looked as if he really wanted to cover his ears. "It was Rose who guided him to me," Verna sneered, "Rose showed me the way to regain the glory of the family. How dare you doubt..." "I have no doubts about the will of my god," Jarlaxle said hastily, "The earring that guides the direction has been sent out according to your instructions, and that human is also on the way." Brimmed hat, take a deep bow. Vierna calmed down, and it seemed that Jarlaxle's respect had satisfied her.Her red eyes glowed eagerly again, and a sinister smile twisted her features. "Where are those goblins?" Although she was asking, her tone seemed confident. "They will get in touch with the greedy dwarves soon," Jarlaxle replied, "which will undoubtedly frustrate them. My spies are already in place around the goblins. Should your brother show up in the inevitable During the war, we will definitely find him." Looking at Werna who was overjoyed, the mercenary captain hid his smile.The priest was only thinking of how to get the exact location of his brother from the hapless goblin horde, but Jarlaxle had other plans.Goblins and dwarves had as much blood feud as the drow and their surface elf kin, and any contact between the two races would lead directly to war, and this was undoubtedly a good opportunity for Jarlaxle to evaluate the dwarven defenses. He is interested in the weaknesses of dwarves. Verna's purpose is clear and simple, she just wants to rebel against her brother's death.Jarlaxle, on the other hand, set his sights even further. This expensive expedition to the ground, or even to the ground, must be rewarded with considerable rewards. Rubbing her hands together, Verna turned suddenly to face her other brother.Jarlaxle almost laughed out loud when he saw Dinin's flattering expression in front of his radiant sister. Verna was so engrossed in the prospect that she didn't notice her brother's helpless expression of lack of interest. "Do those goblins know how they should choose?" she asked the mercenary captain, but she herself answered the question before Jarlaxle. "Of course, they have no choice!" Jarlaxle suddenly felt the need to burst the bubbles in her eyes. "What if the goblin kills Drizzt?" He tried not to mix any emotion in his tone. Verna's face twisted strangely, and she choked when she was about to answer. "No!" After a long time, her roar finally burst out, "There are more than a thousand dwarves living here, maybe the real number is two or three times this number, and the goblin tribe will definitely be wiped out." "But the dwarves and their allies will no doubt lose a lot too," Jarlaxle responded. "Drizzt will not die," Dinin replied unexpectedly, and there was no compromising element in his firm voice, as if he did not intend to argue with his two companions. "The goblin can't kill Drizzt, and there's no way a goblin's weapon can get near his body." Vierna's satisfied smile showed that she didn't understand the horror in Dinin's words. Dinin was the only one of them who had ever faced Drizzt on the battlefield. "Has the return tunnel been cleared?" Werna asked Jarlaxle, and after seeing him nodding, the priest turned and left without saying a word. "You want it to end like this." When there were only two people left, the mercenary captain said to Dinin. "You haven't met my brother yet," Dinin replied dryly, his hand twitching close to the ornate drow hilt, "at least not in battle." "Are you afraid? Haabi." This question pointed directly at Dinin's sense of honor, and it sounded more like a mockery. But the fighter didn't try to refute. "You should also be afraid of your sister." Jarlaxle persuaded him, this sentence was enough, and Dinin immediately showed a disgusted expression. "The Spider Queen, or one of Lolth's minions once spoke to her," Jarlaxle was saying to himself, and to his trembling companion.On the surface, Vierna's obsession seemed like a dangerous gamble, but Jarlaxle had lived in the chaos of Menzoberranzan for too long, and he knew it.There are many powerful characters, including Matron Baenre, who fall into a similar, irrational hallucination. Almost everyone of importance in Menzoberranzan, including members of the ruling council, seeks strength in such a desperate effort to wriggle through the prickly web of chaos for their own glory. Maybe Verna will be the next lucky one to make it through all these dangers?