Chapter 3 -- Tantara

Drizzt woke to complete darkness. He closed his eyes and opened them into the heat-spectrum, but that didn't help answer the puzzle of where he was. He closed his eyes and lay back down, honing in on his other senses to help. There was a slight rocking, maybe the hull of a ship. No, the air lacked the smell of salt, perhaps a cart of sorts. Just then whatever it was stopped.

"It's been awful quiet back thur," He heard from outside. "Ye still alive?" Someone shouted while banging on the wall. Then someone opened a hatch and climbed up next to the drow. "Get up," said a man with a scarred face. The drow did not move, earning him a kick in the ribs.

"Do not damage my merchandise, Scully, or you'll pay for the damages with the flesh of your hairy animal back." Came a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to the dark elf. Drizzt made his way out of the wagon, his feet landing in the sand. He looked up and came face to face with a man he had encountered once before, but Drizzt could not quite place where. From under his dark cloak Drizzt could see the mans wicked grin.

Drizzt looked around him. In all directions for as far as his elven eyes could see was sand. To the east were mountains that seemed to stretch to the horizon in either direction, but directly before them lay gates of white stone blocking entrance into the valley beyond. "Welcome to Tantara, Drizzt Do'Urden," Domenico Camardella said in mock comfort.

"We leave the carts here. We'll have no need for them once beyond the gate." Camardella shouted to his men. He called a young man to his side and whispered something to him, then the youth ran off toward the city. Two men came and grabbed Drizzt from behind and the rest of the group made their way into the city.

The massive white gates of Tantara swung open emitting them to enter. The sun setting before them cast its last rays of light upon the many levels of the city carved right into the sides of the mountains. As the group walked, they past small shops, taverns and homes, all carved of the same white stone. Above those, on the next level were homes and shops far more extravagant then the ones below them. Off in the distance, on the left was a huge building that could only belong to the ruler of Tantara, with its mighty white columns, lavishly decorated balconies and framing various walkways were rare desert flowers.

On the opposite side of the valley was a waterfall, or what appeared to be a waterfall. A second glance told otherwise. In place of water was sand. Flowing sand! Drizzt stood dumfounded by this, like a little child seeing an imaginary monster. Drizzt had seen many wonderful and beautiful things in his time, but this, this was unlike anything he had ever seen.

A spear poked him in the back, rendering his mind from that simple beauty and reminding him of what foul company he was in. The group followed the river of sand for quite a ways before the young lad sent off on an errand finally returned. He whispered to Domenico then ran toward the back of the group.

"You all are released for the night, at dawn I want you on the docks. Is that understood?" There was no room for questioning in the tone of his voice. "Scully, you will accompany Drizzt and myself up to my room, then you too may have your leave." The three soon came to a cliff, where the valley dropped off a hundred feet and more to the desert below.

Camardella turned to the left toward a ramp cut into the side of the cliff. Along this ramp were more upscale shops and taverns. Camardella stopped before one of these taverns. "We'll be staying here tonight. Scully, you may go." Domenico opened the door and motioned for Drizzt to go in. The sight within was almost as amazing as the waterfall made of sand, as Drizzt called it in his head for lack of a better name. From the ceiling hung a magnificent chandelier made of glass, along with all the tabletops. This was not the home of the village drunk.

"Good evening Master Camardella, it is good to see you once again," said the bartender from behind the counter. Camardella nodded and prodded Drizzt toward the stares.

Later, in their room on the forth floor, Drizzt stood out on the balcony, barely seeing the vast amounts of sand before him. He did see his cabin aboard the Sea Sprite. His bed, his swords laid out on his dresser. Drizzt had been fast asleep when he was attacked. He didn't even have time to clear his swords from their sheaths. And what had become of his dear friend Cattie-bri or the rest of the crew. His last memory from before Tantara was a fist rapidly approaching his head, but why?

(I hope i'm doing ok. I know the flowing sand might be a bit much. )

*Before I add another chapter, i want at least two more reviews!*