e who knew him when he joined the army。 Rab was fiercely loyal to the kingdom of his birth and the king he admired more than anyone but his father。
He worked his way up the ranks； slowly； and was a sergeant when the ghazneths and goblins ravaged Cormyr and all but destroyed Arabel。 He was nearly killed in the same battle that resulted in the death of the king； and he watched the city of his birth burned。 His father was killed when part of a building fell on him。 With the king and his father both dead； and no family of his own to tie him down； Rab simply walked away。
He went on to bee alternately a sellsword； a tavern bouncer； an innkeeper； a weaponsmith； then a logger。 He was strong and smart； so he soon became foreman。 His employers paid Rab a considerable sum in gold to gather crews to go deep into some of the most dangerous places in Faerun to find exotic woods。 He quickly built a solid reputation among the lumber mill owners and loggers alike as a fair but tough leader who knew how to get the job done； and Rab always delivered。
During those hard forty…six years of life； Rab Shuoc had missed out on a lot。 There had been women but never a wife and never any children。 Since the war he hadn't even had a home。 He rarely worked with the same men more than one season at a time and had no real friends to speak of。
He wasn't the kind of man who worried about his own happiness or even expected to be happy。 He wanted to live； work； and be left alone。
When he stepped into his mon room and saw some of his crew already dead at the hands of a dark elf and some kind of giant demon monster； he knew that if he wanted to live； he would have to fight harder than he ever had before。 It was with that thought foremost in his mind that he stepped toward the two interlopers and got started with the last thirty seconds of his life。
Raula was smart enough to tun； and Rab let her go。 The dark elf watched her go too； and the demon ignored her。 The huge； gray…furred creature locked its blazing red eyes on Rab and advanced on him。 Rab hefted his greataxe and stepped into the demon's attack。 He was aware of the drow facing him as well。
The drow came in faster than the demon； swinging his enormous greatsword in a wild； chaotic fashion。 Rab was sure he could parry the uncontrolled assault with ease and he held the steel haft of his greataxe in both hands so the greatsword would bounce off it…but it didn't。
The tip of the greatsword wasn't where it was supposed to be。 It didn't seem possible to Rab that someone could move such a huge； heavy weapon so quickly； but that strange dark elf had； and it was Rab who paid the price。 The tip of the sword drew a deep cut across the logger's chest。 Pain flared； and blood poured； and in that half…second of shock； the demon took his axe。
He'd been disarmed before but he'd never had an opponent actually reach out and take the weapon right out of his hand。
Rab was still puzzling over that when something even stranger happened： the dark elf drew his greatsword across the demon's back； cutting it deeply enough that blood sprayed from the wound and the creature roared。 The drow said something in a language Rab didn't even recognize let alone understand。 There didn't seem to be any anger； any emotion at all on the drow's face； but he was definitely trying to kill the demon。
The huge creature spun on the much…smaller dark elf； and Rab backed away。 He only got one step back before the demon reached around and grabbed him by the shirt； taking some skin with it。 The monster lifted Rab； who weighed well over two hundred pounds； right off the floor without any sign of strain。
Rab grabbed at the thing's massive clawed hand； but the demon's skin was like steel coated in coarse fur。 There was nothing Rab could do but wonder at the monster's intentions。 It whirled on the dark elf； who had his sword ready。 The demon still held Rab's greataxe in one hand but almost seemed to have forgotten it。
The demon threw Rab at the dark elf。 The human barked out an incoherent； scared sound that might have been a scream or a shout。 He didn't even know。 It was the sound a man makes when he knows he's got less than a second to live and there's nothing he can do about it。
Rab was impaled on the dark elf's greatsword。 He could feel every inch of the cold steel as it slid through his chest。 Strangely enough； it didn't hurt。
Ryld held the human up and looked past him at the draegloth。 The man died trying to make eye contact with him…Ryld would never understand why humans insisted on doing that。 Ryld tipped his sword down in hopes that the man would slide off but instead had to quickly jerk back to avoid the blade of the human's greataxe； wielded by Jeggred； as it chopped down。
The greataxe hit Splitter and sliced clean through。 Ryld felt his eyes bulge and his blood at once boil and run cold。 Splitter was broken。 His greatsword。 The weapon he'd practically lived for； had developed his skills around for years； was destroyed。
The human's axe must have been enchanted after all。
The man fell away on the remaining length of the greatsword blade； and the sudden loss of his weight made Ryld fall backward。 He let go of the shattered sword； and it clattered to the floor next to him。
The weapons master reached for his short sword and almost had his fingers wrapped around the pommel when the axe blade came down again； split his dwarven mithral breastplate as if it were made of parchment； and buried itself into his chest。 Ryld could feel the weight of it not only on him but in him。 There was no pain； just a heavy； even pressure。
The draegloth stood over him； drool hanging from his exposed fangs in shimmering tendrils； his eyes aglow in the orange torchlight。
Ryld tried to breathe but he couldn't。 No air was getting past his throat at all。 He wanted to say something； but there was no way to form words。 Besides； he didn't know what to say。 He'd turned his back on everything he knew for a woman he didn't know at all； a woman who chose a path for herself that would inevitably lead to her own destruction as surely as it had led to his。 Part of him wished he'd been killed by anyone but the filthy half…demon； but another part was satisfied that it took a draegloth to bring him down。 He almost wanted to thank Jeggred for fighting him in the first place。 It was more than he deserved。
Jeggred moved closer； and Ryld was thankful that he couldn't breathe。 He couldn't smell the half…demon's breath。
Jeggred leaned on the axe blade and broke open Ryld's chest。 The sensation was something beyond pain…a mind…twisting agony that only death could possibly cure。
He watched the draegloth reach into his chest。 Ryld's body started to jerk； and he couldn't stop it。 The draegloth grabbed and groped inside his chest； and Ryld's vision faded in and out。
When Jeggred pulled his hand away； Ryld's eyesight came back long enough for Ryld Argith； Master of Melee…Magthere； to see that his heart was still beating when the draegloth began to eat it。
The weapons master's heart was strong； and Jeggred relished the texture as well as the taste of it。 Ryld Argith was a worthy opponent； a good kill； and the draegloth wished he could stay and devour more of him。 The drow was dead by the time Jeggred finished eating his heart； and he knew that Danifae and the others were waiting for him。
Not bothering to wipe any of the blood； slime； or sap off himself； the draegloth touched the ring that Danifae had given him and used its magic to return to Sschindylryn。
Chapter Twenty…one
〃Ryld Argith is dead；〃 Danifae said to Quenthel； her eyes darting at Pharaun。
The mage sat quietly； legs folded； in front of the mainmast。 He didn't look back at her； seemed to have no reaction at all。 Danifae chewed her bottom lip； her eyes flickering back and forth between Pharaun and Quenthel。
〃And？〃 the Mistress of Arach…Tinilith prompted。
〃I killed him；〃 Jeggred grumbled。
Danifae looked at the draegloth； whose eyes were locked on Pharaun。 Still the mage made no move and never looked at either the draegloth or her。 She'd promised to spare the weapons master but had lied。 Danifae half expected the mage to burn her to ciders where she stood for the betrayal。 Either he was too busy with his preparations for the journey； or he didn't care 。。。 or he was planning something for later。
〃And Halisstra Melarn？〃 Quenthel asked。
〃I tore his body to shreds；〃 Jeggred went on； oblivious to his aunt's question； 〃after I ate his heart。 There's barely a piece bigger than a bite left of him； spread out over that freezing mud hole。〃
〃Yes；〃 Danifae said； smiling at the draegloth； who was still looking at Pharaun； 〃well； be that as it may； Halisstra has in fact done the unthinkable。 She enjoys the protection of Eilistraee now； and there's no longer any doubt。〃
〃You have evidence of that？〃 Pharaun asked； his voice quieter； weaker somehow； or maybe just bored。
〃She told me；〃 Danifae replied； still looking at Quenthel。
〃It's true；〃 the draegloth added。
Quenthel turned on Jeggred； her face right； her eyes blazing。 Still； she looked tiny in front of the hulking creature。
〃How would you know； fool？〃 Quenthel spat。 〃You weren't brought here to think。〃
〃No；〃 the draegloth answered； not shrinking the slightest in the face of the high priestess's rage； 〃I was brought here to act。 I was brought here to fight and to kill。 How much of that have I done； my dear； dear aunt？〃
〃As much；〃 Quenthel replied； her voice ing out almost as a growl； 〃or as little as I tell。 you。 As I tell you； not Danifae。〃
Jeggred loomed over her； the muscles under his gray fur rippling with anticipation。
〃Mistress Danifae；〃 the draegloth said； 〃is at least trying。 She's acting…〃
〃Without my direct orders；〃 Quenthel finished for him。
Danifae was afraid that Jeggred would continue； so she said； 〃Only on your behalf； Mistress。〃
Quenthel lifted an eyebrow and stepped closer to Danifae。
〃We talked about that； didn't we； battle…captive？〃
〃I am no one's captive now； Mistress；〃 Danifae replied； 〃but still I serve Lolth。〃
〃By turning my draegloth's head？〃 the high priestess said。
Danifae felt the skin on her arms and chest tingle。
〃No；〃 she said。 〃Jeggred helped me help you。〃
〃Help me？〃 asked the high priestess。
The draegloth turned and skulked away。 He found a spot near the bow and sat with his head bent downward。 Quenthel was still looking at Danifae as if she expected an answer。
〃Mistress；〃 Danifae said； 〃I am without a home。 You said you would bring me back to Menzoberranzan with you if I served you。 That； and a host of other reasons； is precisely why I did what I did。〃
〃Did I ask？〃 Quenthel roared。 〃Did I send you to do this？〃
Danifae lifted an eyebrow herself and waited。
Quenthel took a deep breath and turned away from the former battle…captive to stare out at the black water； lost in thought。
〃My loyalty is with Lolth；〃 Danifae said； 〃and to the House of your birth。〃
〃House Baenre；〃