精灵血脉四部曲-第134部分

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y；　for　even　with　their　psionic　powers；　and　the　fact　that　the　fiends'　magic　fared　no　better　than　anyone　else's；　the　otherworldly　beasts　were　simply　too　physically　strong；　their　minds　too　warped　by　evil　to　be　much　affected　by　telepathic　barrages。

　　　And　they　were　backed　by　a　united　army　of　drow；　lying　in　wait　behind　the　fiendish　lines。　Hundreds　of　crossbows　and　javelins　were　pointed　House　Oblodra's　way。　Scores　of　drow　riding　sticky…footed　subterranean　lizards　stalked　the　walls　and　ceiling　near　the　doomed　house。　Any　Oblodran　that　showed　her　face　would　be　hit　by　a　barrage　from　every　angle。

　　　〃Those　same　fiends　are　preventing　the　third　house　from　being　attacked；〃　Errtu　snarled　at　Lloth；　reminding　the　Spider　Queen　whose　army　was　in　control　here。　〃Your　minions　fear　my　minions；　and　rightly　so！〃

　　　The　beautiful　drow；　back　in　the　Abyss　once　more；　understood　that　Errtu's　outburst　was　one　part　outrage　and　nine　parts　bluster。　No　tanar'ri　ever　had　to　be　〃tricked〃　into　going　to　the　Material　Plane；　where　it　might　wreak　havoc。　That　was　their　very　nature；　the　most　profound　joy　in　their　miserable　existence。

　　　〃You　ask　much；　Lady　of　Spiders；〃　Errtu　grumbled　on。

　　　〃I　give　much　in　return；〃　Lloth　reminded　him。

　　　〃We　shall　see。〃

　　　Lloth's　red…glowing　eyes　narrowed　at　the　tanar'ri's　continuing　sarcasm。　The　payment　she　had　offered　Errtu；　a　gift　that　could　potentially　free　the　fiend　from　nearly　a　century　more　of　banishment；　was　no　small　thing。

　　　〃The　four　glabrezu　will　be　difficult　to　retrieve；〃　Errtu　went　on；　feigning　exasperation；　playing　this　out　to　the　extreme。　〃They　are　always　difficult！〃

　　　〃No　more　so　than　a　balor；〃　Lloth　said　in　blunt　response。　Errtu　turned　on　her；　his　face　a　mask　of　hatred。

　　　〃The　Time　of　Troubles　nears　its　end；〃　Lloth　said　calmly　into　that　dangerous　visage。

　　　〃It　has　been　too　long！〃　Errtu　roared。

　　　Lloth　ignored　the　tone　of　the　ment；　understanding　that　Errtu　had　to　act　outraged　and　overburdened　to　prevent　her　from　concluding　that　the　tanar'ri　owed　her　something　more。　〃It　has　been　longer　to　my　eyes　than　to　your　own；　fiend；〃　the　Spider　Queen　retorted。

　　　Errtu　muttered　a　curse　under　his　smelly　breath。

　　　〃But　it　nears　its　end；〃　Lloth　went　on；　quietly；　calmly。　Both　she　and　Errtu　looked　to　the　image　on　the　scrying　surface　just　as　a　great　winged　tanar'ri　soared　up　out　of　the　Clawrift；　clutching　a　small；　wriggling　creature　in　one　of　its　great　fists。　The　pitiful　catch　could　not　have　been　more　than　three　feet　tall　and　seemed　less　than　that　in　the　massive　fiend's　clutches。　It　wore　a　ragged　vest　that　did　not　hide　its　rust…colored　scales；　a　vest　made　even　more　ragged　from　the　tearing　of　the　tanar'ri's　clawed　grasp。

　　　〃A　kobold；〃　Errtu　remarked。

　　　〃Known　allies　of　House　Oblodra；〃　Lloth　explained。　〃Thousands　of　the　wretches　run　the　tunnels　along　the　chasm　walls。〃

　　　The　flying　tanar'ri　gave　a　hoot；　grasped　the　kobold　with　its　other　clawed　hand　as　well；　and　ripped　the　squealing　thing　in　half。

　　　〃One　less　ally　of　House　Oblodra；〃　Errtu　whispered；　and　from　the　pleased　look　on　the　balor's　face；　Lloth　understood　Errtu's　true　feelings　about　this　whole　event。　The　great　tanar'ri　was　living　vicariously　through　his　minions；　was　watching　their　destructive　antics　and　feeding　off　the　scene。

　　　It　crossed　Lloth's　mind　to　reconsider　her　offered　gift。　Why　should　she　repay　the　fiend　for　doing　something　it　so　obviously　wanted　to　do？

　　　The　Spider　Queen；　never　a　fool；　shook　the　thoughts　from　her　mind。　She　had　nothing　to　lose　in　giving　Errtu　what　she　had　promised。　Her　eyes　were　set　on　the　conquest　of　Mithril　Hall；　on　forcing　Matron　Baenre　to　extend　her　grasp　so　that　the　city　of　drow　would　be　less　secure；　and　more　chaotic；　more　likely　to　see　inter…house　warfare。　The　renegade　Do'Urden　was　nothing　to　her；　though　she　surely　wanted　him　dead。

　　　Who　better　to　do　that　than　Errtu？　Lloth　wondered。　Even　if　the　renegade　survived　the　ing　war梐nd　Lloth　did　not　believe　he　would桬rrtu　could　use　her　gift　to　force　Drizzt　to　call　him　from　his　banishment；　to　allow　him　back　to　the　Material　Plane。　Once　there；　the　mighty　balor's　first　goal　would　undoubtedly　be　to　exact　vengeance　on　the　renegade。　Drizzt　had　beaten　Errtu　once；　but　no　one　ever　defeated　a　balor　the　second　time　around。

　　　Lloth　knew　Errtu　well　enough　to　understand　that　Drizzt　Do'Urden　would　be　far　luckier　indeed　if　he　died　swiftly　in　the　ing　war。

　　　She　said　no　more　about　the　payment　for　the　fiend's　aid；　understanding　that　in　giving　it　to　Errtu；　she　was；　in　effect；　giving　herself　a　present。　〃When　the　Time　of　Troubles　has　passed；　my　priestesses　will　aid　you　in　forcing　the　tanar'ri　back　to　the　Abyss；〃　Lloth　said。

　　　Errtu　did　not　hide　his　surprise　well。　He　knew　that　Lloth　had　been　planning　some　sort　of　campaign；　and　he　assumed　his　monstrous　minions　would　be　sent　along　beside　the　drow　army。　Now　that　Lloth　had　clearly　stated　her　intentions；　though；　the　fiend　recognized　her　reasoning。　If　a　horde　of　tanar'ri　marched　beside　the　drow；　all　the　Realms　would　rise　against　them；　including　goodly　creatures　of　great　power　from　the　upper　planes。

　　　Also；　both　Lloth　and　Errtu　knew　well　that　the　drow　priestesses；　powerful　as　they　were；　would　not　be　able　to　control　such　a　horde　once　the　rampage　of　warfare　had　begun。

　　　〃All　but　one；〃　Errtu　corrected。

　　　Lloth　eyed　him　curiously。

　　　〃I　will　need　an　emissary　to　go　to　Drizzt　Do'Urden；〃　the　fiend　explained。　〃To　tell　the　fool　what　I　have；　and　what　I　require　in　exchange　for　it。〃

　　　Lloth　considered　the　words　for　a　moment。　She　had　to　play　this　out　carefully。　She　had　to　hold　Errtu　back；　she　knew；　or　risk　plicating　what　should　be　a　relatively　straightforward　conquest　of　the　dwarven　halls；　but　she　could　not　let　the　fiend　know　her　army's　destination。　If　Errtu　thought　Lloth's　minions　would　soon　put　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　the　great　fiend's　only　chance　at　getting　back　to　the　Material　Plane　anytime　soon；　in　jeopardy；　he　would　covertly　oppose　her。

　　　〃Not　yet；〃　the　Spider　Queen　said。　〃Drizzt　Do'Urden　is　out　of　the　way；　and　there　he　shall　stay　until　my　city　is　back　in　order。〃

　　　〃Menzoberranzan　is　never　in　order；〃　Errtu　replied　slyly。

　　　〃In　relative　order；〃　Lloth　corrected。　〃You　will　have　your　gift　when　I　give　it；　and　only　then　will　you　send　your　emissary。〃

　　　〃Lady　of　Spiders。。。〃　The　balor　growled　threateningly。

　　　〃The　Time　of　Troubles　nears　its　end；〃　Lloth　snapped　in　Errtu's　ugly　face。　〃My　powers　return　in　full。　Beware　your　threats；　balor；　else　you　shall　find　yourself　in　a　more　wretched　place　than　this！〃

　　　Her　purplish　black　robes　flying　furiously　behind　her；　the　Spider　Queen　spun　about　sharply　and　moved　off；　swiftly　disappearing　into　the　swirling　mist。　She　smirked　at　the　proper　ending　to　the　meeting。　Diplomacy　went　only　so　far　with　chaotic　fiends。　After　reaching　a　point；　the　time　inevitably　came　for　open　threats。

　　　Errtu　slumped　back　on　his　mushroom　throne　in　the　realization　that　Lloth　was　in　full　mand　of　this　situation。　She　held　the　link　for　his　minions　to　the　Material　Plane；　and　she　held　the　gift　that　might　allow　Errtu　to　end　his　banishment。　On　top　of　all　of　that；　Errtu　did　not　doubt　the　Spider　Queen's　claims　that　the　pantheon　was　at　last　sorting　itself　out。　And　if　the　Time　of　Troubles　was　indeed　a　passing　period；　and　Lloth's　powers　returned　in　full；　she　was　far　beyond　the　balor。

　　　Resignedly；　Errtu　looked　back　to　the　image　on　the　scrying　surface。　Five　more　kobolds　had　been　pulled　up　from　the　Clawrift。　They　huddled　together　in　a　tight　group　while　a　host　of　fiends　circled　about　them；　teasing　them；　tormenting　them。　The　great　balor　could　smell　their　fear；　could　taste　this　torturous　kill　as　sweetly　as　if　he　were　among　those　circling　fiends。

　　　Errtu's　mood　brightened　immediately。



　　　*****



　　　Belwar　Dissengulp　and　a　score　of　svirfnebli　warriors　sat　on　a　ledge；　overlooking　a　large　chamber　strewn　with　boulders　and　stalactites。　Each　held　a　rope桞elwar's　was　fastened　through　a　loop　on　his　belt　and　a　mushroom…hide　strap　set　over　his　pickaxe　hand梩hat　they　might　rappel　quickly　to　the　floor。　For　down　below；　the　gnomish　priests　were　at　work；　drawing　runes　of　power　on　the　floor　with　heated　dyes　and　discussing　the　prior　failures　and　the　most　effective　ways　they　might　bine　their　powers；　both　for　the　summoning；　and　in　case　the　summoning；　as　had　happened　twice　already；　went　bad。

　　　The　gnomish　priests　had　heard　the　call　of　their　god；　Segojan；　had　sensed　the　returning　of　priestly　magic。　For　the　svirfnebli；　no　act　could　greater　signify　the　end　of　this　strange　period；　no　act　could　better　assure　them　that　all　was　right　once　more；　than　the　summoning　of　an　elemental　earth　giant。　This　was　their　sphere；　their　life；　and　their　love。　They　were　attuned　to　the　rock；　at　one　with　the　stone　and　dirt　that　surrounded　their　dwellings。　To　call　an　elemental　forth；　to　share　in　its　friendship；　would　satisfy　the　priests　that　their　god　was　well。　Anything　less　would　not　suffice。

　　　They　had　tried　several　times。　The　first　summoning　had　brought　forth　nothing；　not　a　trembling　in　the　ground。　The　second；　third；　and　fourth　had　raised　tall　stone　pillars；　but　they　had　shown　no　signs　of　animation。　Three　of　the　stalagmite　mounds　in　this　very　chamber　were　testaments　to　those　failures。

　　　On　the　fifth　try；　an　elemental　had　e　forth；　and　the　gnomish　priests　had　rejoiced梪ntil　the　monster　turned　on　them　in　rage；　killing　a　dozen　gnomes　before　Belwar　and　his　troupe　had　managed　to　break　it　apart。　That　failure　was　perhaps　the　very　worst　thing　that　could　befall　the　gnomes；　for　they　came　to　believe　not　only　that　Segojan　was　out　of　their　reach；　but　that；　perhaps；　he　was　angry　with　them。　They　had　tried　again梐nd　again　the　elemental　came　forth　only　to　attack　them。

　　　Belwar's　defenses　were　better　in　place　that　sixth　time；　as　they　were　now；　and　the　stone…limbed　monster　was　beaten　back　quickly；　with　no　loss　of　svirfnebli。

　　　After　that　second　disaster；　Belwar　had　asked　that　the　priests　wait　a　while　before　trying　again；　but　they　had　refused；　desperate　to　find　Segojan's　favor；　desperate　to　know　that　their　god　was　with　them。　Belwar　was　not　without　influence；　though；　and　he　had　gone　to　King　Schnicktick　and　forced　a　promise。

　　　Five　days　had　passed　since　that　sixth　summoning；　five　days　wherein　the　gnomish　priests　and　all　of　Blingdenst