Chapter two:
Catti-brie felt a tightening in her chest, watching the drow sitting in the corner. His breathing was uneven, and his once fair mane was tangled and torn from where he had pulled it when the nightmares he saw grew too real for him. However, none had any idea of what he saw – though it was clear he was currently in a living hell.
She sighed, not realising the sound escaping her until it was too late. Drizzt looked up, his eyes for a brief moment focusing on her instead of the centre of the floor, but there was no sign of recognition in those lavender orbs. It frightened her, she had to admit, the glassy look in his eyes, empty as if he had lost all hope in life. They had heard him screaming from time to time, begging to be released from the room that they were forced to keep him in.
It had started as an orc hunt like all the others, one that the Companions of the Hall had joined forces in once more for barely more than another adventure in the long list they had. And everything had gone as planned – and Drizzt had alongside Guenhwyvar made his own way through the orc lair. That was, until he had reached the mage.
None of the others had the least idea of what had happened – and as Aegis-Fang had been successfully launched at the skinny orc wizard before they had found out what exactly had hurt the drow elf, their chances of ever finding out were slim. No change had appeared at first glance – Drizzt had been shocked by a vision of some sort, an illusion, and it was not something that they considered more dreadful than what a peaceful night's sleep could solve.
However, that was far from the truth. It had begun with nightmares, terrible ones that the elf had not wished to talk about, but had steadily brought him further down until he reached the point where they truly realised how serious the matter was.
He had not eaten for days, and he shunned away from any kind of liquid as if it was burning fire, his eyes wild with terror. It was but the tiny, frail ray of hope that a counter against this could be found that kept the four remaining friends from extracting their pity on him and aid him to leave his misery.
Alustriel herself had been there, seeking counsel with many spirits to try and determine the elf's illness – but to no avail. It seemed, she had told, that the many terrors the drow elf had seen through his lifetime finally had gotten to him, and whatever occurred to him in the orc lair had been the final straw that had begun the ascent into madness.
Was there, in fact, any hope of a cure, the human idly wondered, the sight of her life-long friend sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees as if he was but a child, rocking silently back and forth, his eyes still locked at the invisible forms at the centre of the floor.
Did he see her at all? And if he did, what did his mind turn the image of her into?
Feeling tears pushing at the back of her eyes, she silently turned, closing the door behind her again, once more leaving the drow alone to the nightmares only he could see.
A/N: SORRY for taking this long to update! But though it's a short chapter, it's here. Hopefully, the next installment will come faster.
