We will kill them all, the vicious Khazid'hea whispered in his mind.
Drizzt focused his will and simply shut the telepathic intrusion off, then sent his own warning to the sword. Bother me again and I will feed you to a dragon. You will sit in its treasure piles for a thousand years and more.
The sword went silent once again.
Drizzt knew that Khazid'hea had sought him out purposely, and knew that the sword had desired him as its wielder for some time. He considered that perhaps he should be more amenable to the sentient blade, should accept its intrusions and even let it believe that it was somewhat in charge.
It didn't matter, he decided, and he kept up his wall of mental defense. Khazid'hea could dominate most people, had even taken Catti-brie by surprise initially and had bent her actions to its will.
But against a warrior as seasoned and disciplined as Drizzt Do'Urden, a warrior who knew well the intrusive nature of the sentient sword, Khazid'hea's willpower seemed no more than a minor inconvenience. Drizzt considered that for a moment, and realized that he must take no chances. Obould would prove enough of a foe.
"We will kill them all," Drizzt said, and he lifted the blade up before his intense eyes.
He felt Khazid'hea's approval.
30. WHEN GODS ROAR
Kaer'lic Suun Wett nearly fell over when she saw the distinctive form of the winged horse sweeping in from the south. Orcs readied their bows, and Kaer'lic considered a spell, but Obould moved first and fast, and with little ambiguity.
"Hold your shots!" he bellowed, rushing and turning about so that there could be no mistaking him.
As he turned Kaer'lic's way, the drow priestess saw such fires raging in his eyes that they washed away any thoughts she entertained of ignoring his command and throwing some Lolth-granted spell at the pegasus rider.
That only infuriated her more as the winged horse closed and she recognized the black-skinned rider astride the magnificent creature.
"Drizzt Do'Urden," she mouthed.
"He dares approach?" asked Tos'un, who was standing at her side.
The pegasus banked and reared up, stopping its approach and seeming to hover in the air through a few great wing beats.
"Obould!" Drizzt cried, and as he had maneuvered himself upwind, his words were carried to the orcs. "I would speak with you! Alone! We have an unfinished conversation, you and I!"
"He has lost all sensibility," Kaer'lic whispered.
"Or is he in parlay with Obould?" asked Tos'un. "As an emissary of Mithral Hall, perhaps?"
"Destroy him!" Kaer'lic called to Obould. "Send your archers and cut him down or I will do it my - "
"You will hold your spells, or you will discuss this matter with Ad'non and Donnia in short order," Obould replied.
"Kill the ugly beast," Tos'un whispered to her, and Kaer'lic almost launched a magical assault upon the orc king - until good sense overruled her instinctive hatred. She looked from Obould over to Drizzt, who was taking the pegasus down lower onto an adjoining high point, a huge flat rock wedged against the steep hillside, its far end propped by several tall natural stone columns.
Kaer'lic did well to hide her grin as she looked back at the orc king, all adorned in his fine plate mail fastened by spider-shaped buckles. Though she hadn't planned on getting anywhere near to Drizzt Do'Urden, in effect, the scene was playing out exactly as she had hoped. Better than she had hoped, she thought, since she had not expected that Drizzt Do'Urden himself would prove to be the first formidable foe King Obould faced in his "improved" armor. If Drizzt was half as good as Kaer'lic had come to believe, then Obould was in for a very bad surprise.
"You intend to speak with this infidel?" she asked.
"If he speaks for Mithral Hall and they have anything to say that I wish to hear," Obould answered.
"And if not?"
"Then he has come to kill me, no doubt."
"And you will walk out to him?"
"And slaughter him." Obould's look was one of perfect confidence. He seemed almost bored by it all, as if Drizzt was no serious issue.
"You cannot do this," Tsinka said, moving fast behind her god-figure. "There is no reason. Let us destroy him from afar and continue on our way. Or send an emissary - send Kaer'lic, who knows the way of the drow elves!"
The sudden widening of Kaer'lic's red eyes betrayed her terror at that prospect, but she recovered quickly and flashed Tsinka a hateful look. When Tsinka's responding expression became concerned, even