A/N: Sorry I took so long to update.. I forgot... But here's 4 chapters to make up for it.

Chapter nine:

The fourth day of Drizzt's illness had passed, and despite Regis' attempts to use the ruby pendant, nothing they had tried had had any apparent effect on their drow friend. The four had seated themselves around one of the tables in the meeting hall normally used to receive guests and representatives from other cities, and were trying to aid each other to come up with a solution that could possibly work.

Yet, almost everything that they could think of was something they had either already tried, or could figure would not work – such as Bruenor's desperate suggestion of dropping a rock on Drizzt's head.

"I just ain't be understandin'..," Catti-brie muttered. "When we're standin' in front of him and talkin' ta him, how come he doesn't see or hear us?"

"It's a mystery I'm afraid we can't solve until we manage to cure him," Regis replied with a sigh, sagging in the chair.

The drow's illness had affected all of them – Regis had lost most of his appetite, and everyone knew Bruenor had not had a single fit of rage since their drow friend had started to see things that were not there.

They had abandoned their shifts in watching over their drow friend, seeking the comfort and support from the others as they began talking about what could be done. They all doubted Drizzt would survive more than a few days longer, unless his eating and drinking-habits changed, and the thought alone frightened them all.

"Maybe… Maybe there's a potion?" Catti-brie suggested, her red eyes betraying her attempt to hide her tears from the others. "Some form o' antidote that can cure him? One that the others haven't found yet?"

"Even Alustriel couldn't find a cure," Bruenor sighed, staring at the surface of the table, as if he tried to read the solution to their friend's illness within the wood.

"We don't have a hope," Regis meekly added. "There's nothing we can do."

A long silence passed between them, each carefully glancing at the others, trying to discern if the halfling was telling the truth neither of them would accept, or if one of them would come up with some form of idea that they had not tried yet.

"We should go to him," Wulfgar said at end. "We may not be able to help him, and he may not be able to see us, but.. I know that it'd ease my mind, knowing I was there when he.. he…" The barbarian's voice cracked, not able to speak the word that they all hated to associate with their life-long friend. Swallowing, Wulfgar continued: "When he passes away. And I think it would be the best – for all of us…"

The other three around the table slowly nodded their agreement, and they rose from the table, leaving behind what little they had ate while talking, and headed for the chamber that they all now knew so well.