Bruenor cried out in anguish and he leapt forward into the drow army hacking away with his ax. He was soon overwhelmed by the drow's sheer numbers and he fell victim to their attacks. The attacks were not designed to kill but just incapacitate. Bruenor slumped to the ground soon after in the army of drow.
Entreri laughed as Drizzt continued to fight him with out any really abandon. "Feel the pain Drizzt Do'Urden. Feel the agony! I will prove once and for all that I am the ultimate swordsman!" Entreri shouted with an evil cackle. The two continued to fight each other brilliantly in deadly arching circles back and forth.
While this battle was raging on, Jarlaxle slipped in and out of the shadows whispering orders to his troops. They nodded in agreement as he went down the ranks. Now was the time to act!
Catti-brie woke up and looked around in confusion. The last thing that she remembered was Drizzt and Entreri fighting. Drizzt! She quickly tried to get up, but found her leg shackled to the ground. She vainly tried to slip out of it but she only managed to cut the cuff into her ankle deeper. Giving up she looked around the room. On the wall opposite of her was Wulfgar hung up in shackles. She called out to him quietly and he lifted his head up quickly.
"You're awake! Thank the gods! I thought that they had killed you!" Wulfgar whispered excitedly. "Then tell me what happened!" Catti-brie whispered back. They were quickly interrupted as the door creaked open. Both Catti-brie and Wulfgar's heads snapped in the general direction.
Jarlaxle put a finger to his lips to silence them. Catti-brie looked at Wulfgar, who just returned her blank stare. What did they have to lose?
"I know where Drizzt is. Perhaps you would like to help me?" Jarlaxle said coyly. Catti-brie glared at him and she gestured to the shackles that bound her and Wulfgar. Jarlaxle grinned, a white smile stretching across his ebony features and with a snap of his fingers the shackles feel away. Catti-brie rubbed her ankle and Wulfgar rubbed his wrist.
"Well were is he?" Catti-brie whispered harshly at Jarlaxle. He smiled before he even bothered to answer her.
"Allow me." Was his cryptic answer. With another movement of his wrist they were standing in another dungeon. Catti-brie looked over and saw Drizzt slouched down on the floor. His head was buried deep on his chest and he wasn't moving. Without even thinking, Catti-brie rushed over to Drizzt's aid.
She got half-way there before she smashed into some invisible force. She clawed desperately at the invisible force trying to get around it to no avail. Jarlaxle and Wulfgar looked around trying to find the magic welder.
"Just as I had planned, I knew I would find you hear." Entreri purred as he appeared with Bruenor in tow. "Finally he will get what he deserved." Entreri muttered menacingly. "Catti-brie, Wulfgar I do not know how you got out but it matters not to me. I have you all together…" He trailed off.
Jarlaxle moved back into the shadows and he waited patiently. His hand went into his pocket fingering a small pouch. Hopefully this would work…
"Let him go!" Catti-brie screamed at Entreri. Entreri threw back his head in a vicious laugh. He pushed Bruenor over to Catti-brie and Wulfgar.
"Why in the world would I wish to do a thing like that?" He grinned menacingly at them as he produced his jeweled dagger and aimed it directly at Drizzt's neck. Catti-brie opened her mouth in a look of pure terror and Wulfgar was clenching his teeth. Bruenor was too weak to even look up.
Entreri released Drizzt from his chains. Drizzt fell to the floor, his legs refusing to even support him. Catti-brie cried out again and tried to rush forward but Wulfgar's strong grasp prevented her from doing so. Entreri grinned madly at their display of restraint. His eyes were shinning with an inner madness that couldn't be completely described. He kicked Drizzt solidly in the ribs and he laughed some more.
"Hurry Regis!" Jarlaxle whispered into the darkness at Regis. Regis nodded and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He dried his hand and grabbed the drow crossbow. He took a deep breath and leveled it at Entreri. It was now or never. With a quiet 'sprong' the dart shot through the air at Entreri.
Catti-brie watched with surprise as Entreri fell to the ground at Drizzt's feet. What had just happened? She rushed to Drizzt's aide and she pulled him back from Entreri.
"Are you alright? Drizzt? Drizzt!" Catti-brie said to the prone drow. He grabbed her hand and smiled without saying anything. Catti-brie's heart just about burst at that moment.
Regis stepped out of shadows with Jarlaxle in tow at that moment. Jarlaxle grinned and patted Regis on the shoulder.
"Regis!" Wulfgar cried as he grabbed the Halfling's arm. Regis smiled nervously, still not quite sure what had just happened or what was going on. Jarlaxle pulled up the crumpled body of Entreri into a sitting position.
"I know that you can hear me Entreri, and I want you to listen well. You have accomplished nothing out of pursuing Drizzt. Your skill with the blade is equal to Drizzt's. Neither one of you are better than the other. Let it lie. You and I have bigger things to accomplish." Jarlaxle stated calmly, all the while watching Entreri's eyes. The maddening glare that they previously held had dissipated and now they looked on in the room with a look of understanding and acceptance.
"The potion will wear off within three hours." With that Jarlaxle left Entreri's side to go over to the companions of the hall.
"I charge you with the duty of destroying that benevolent crystal. It has caused everyone so much turmoil. Be rid of it. I wish you the best of luck." Jarlaxle smiled at them.
"I will never understand him." Drizzt whispered. Catti-brie looked at him and nodded. Bruenor stirred for the first time and looked at Catti-brie and Drizzt.
"Ye good fer nothin' drow! Let's get outta here!" He shouted as he slowly climbed to his feet. Wulfgar nodded his head and head and he helped Regis and Wulfgar make their way out. Catti-brie wrapped a supporting arm around Drizzt's waist and they slowly made their way out.
Several months had passed by since that fateful day and the wounds that they all had suffered were finally on the mend. Drizzt was perched on his usual rock watching the sun peak up over the hilly mountain side, only this time he had company.
"Drizzt, I love you." Catti-brie murmured into his arms as he held her close to him. Drizzt smiled and kissed the top of her head.
"I love you too, Catti-brie." She smiled and the two watched the sun rise over the hill. Everything was perfect. Drizzt couldn't have asked for a better moment. Finally things in his life were turning for the good.
"Drizzt! Catti-brie! Get yer arses down here!" A sharp dwarven voice shouted over their sweet moment. Drizzt sighed heavily and Catti-brie giggled. He looked down at her and she smiled innocently back at him.
"I suppose that we should go down and see what he wants." Drizzt said as he started to untangle himself from Catti-brie's sweet embrace, but she held him firm. He looked at her questioningly and she pulled him down to her and kissed him. He pulled away after a moment with a smile.
"I guess we're ready now." She said with a quick grin. She pulled Drizzt up and grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction of her adopted father's voice. "Come on ye lazybones." She smiled widely and dragged him along the beaten path.
"It's about time ye two!" Wulfgar said as he packed more supplies into his pack. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt.
"Where are we going?" Catti-brie asked with confusion. Bruenor let out a huge belly laugh at her seemingly ridiculous question.
"Why, to take care o' the shard! Come on ye two! Let's go!" Wulfgar huffed. He started off down the road with Regis and Wulfgar following closely behind. Catti-brie looked at Drizzt again.
"Well, let's be off." Drizzt grabbed Catti-brie's hand and they wandered off down the trail with the rest of their companions.
(Finally) THE END!
Wow, it sure has taken me long enough to finish this! Sorry guys. Please review and tell me what you thought. I live for comments. (Yeah, so that may be an overstatement…) Thanks everyone!