up one crooked and bony finger, "but then there is this." As he finished, he flipped to a different page in the large tome, to another drawing, this one depicting in great detail a fabulous warhammer, Aegis-fang, set upon a pedestal.
"The artist copying the image was remarkable," Mahskevic explained. "Very detail-minded, that one!"
He lifted a circular glass about four inches in diameter and laid it upon the image, magnifying the warhammer. There, unmistakably, was the mark E'kressa had given to Le'lorinel.
"Aegis-fang," the elf said quietly.
"Made by Bruenor for one of his two adopted children," Mahskevic remarked, and that declaration made E'kressa's cryptic remarks come into clearer focus and seemed to give credence to the overblown and showy seer.
"Find the dwarf's most prized creation of his hands to find the dwarf's most prized creation of the flesh," the gnome diviner had said, and he had admitted that he was referring to one of two creations of the flesh, or, it now seemed obvious, children.
"Find Aegis-fang to find Wulfgar?" Le'lorinel asked skeptically, for as far as both of them knew, as far as the tome indicated, Wulfgar, the young man for whom Bruenor had created Aegis-fang, was dead, killed by a handmaiden of Lolth, a yochlol, when the drow elves had attacked Mithral Hall.
"E'kressa did not name Wulfgar," Mahskevic replied. "Perhaps he was referring to Catti-brie."
"Find the hammer to find Catti-brie, to find Bruenor Battle-hammer, to find Drizzt Do'Urden," Le'lorinel said with a frustrated sigh.
"Difficult crew to be fighting," Mahskevic said, and he gave a sly smile. "I would enjoy your continued company," he explained. "I have so much work yet to be done, and I am not a young man. I could use an apprentice, and you have shown remarkable insight and intelligence."
"Then you will have to wait until my business is finished," the stubborn elf said sternly. "If I live to return."
"Remarkable intelligence in most matters," the old wizard dryly clarified.
Le'lorinel snickered and took no offense.
"This group of friends surrounding Drizzt has earned quite a reputation," Mahskevic stated.
"I have no desire to fight Bruenor Battlehammer, or Catti-brie, or anyone else other than Drizzt Do'Urden," said the elf. "Though perhaps there would be a measure of justice in killing Drizzt's friends."
Mahskevic gave a great growl and slammed Talasay's tome shut, then shoved back from the desk and stood tall, staring down hard at the elf. "And that would be an unconscionable act by every measure of the word," he scolded. "Is your bitterness and hatred toward this dark elf so great that you would take innocent life to satisfy it?"
Le'lorinel stared at him coldly, lips very thin.
"If it is, then I beg you to reconsider your course even more seriously," the wizard added. "You claim righteousness on your side in this inexplicable pursuit of yours, and yet nothing - nothing I say - would justify such unrelated murder! Do you hear me, boy? Do my words sink through that stubborn wall of hatred for Drizzt Do'Urden that you have, for some unexplained reason, erected?"
"I was not serious in my remark concerning the woman or the dwarf," Le'lorinel admitted, and the elf visibly relaxed, features softening, eyes glancing downward.
"Can you not find a more constructive pursuit?" Mahskevic asked sincerely. "You are more a prisoner of your hatred for Drizzt than the dark elf could ever be."
"I am a prisoner because I know the truth," Le'lorinel agreed in that melodic alto voice. "And to hear tales of his heroism, even this far from Mithral Hall or Ten-Towns stabs profoundly at my heart."
"You do not believe in redemption?"
"Not for Drizzt, not for any dark elf."
"An uncompromising attitude," Mahskevic remarked, stroking a hand knowingly over his fluffy beard. "And one that you will likely one day regret."
"Perhaps I already regret that I know the truth," the elf replied. "Better to be ignorant, to sing bard songs of Drizzt the hero."
"Sarcasm is not becoming."
"Honesty is oft painful."
Mahskevic started to respond but just threw up his hands and gave a defeated laugh and a great shake of his shaggy head.
"Enough," he said. "Enough. This is a circular road we have ridden far too often. You know that I do not approve."
"Noted," the uncompromising Le'lorinel said. "And dismissed."
"Perhaps I was wrong," Mahskevic mused aloud. "Perhaps you do not have the qualities necessary to serve as an appropriate apprentice."
If his words were meant to wound Le'lorinel, they seemed to fail badly, for the elf merely turned around and calmly walked out of the room.
Mahskevic gave a great sigh and