精灵血脉四部曲-第149部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



　　　The　wizard；　breathing　hard　suddenly；　feeling　as　if　the　world　were　closing　in　on　him；　gathered　together　as　many　of　the　parchments　as　he　could　and　scrambled　back　out　of　the　passageway；　to　find；　to　his　surprise　and　relief；　Pwent　and　the　others　still　waiting　for　him。

　　　〃Figgered　ye'd　change　yer　mind；〃　the　battlerager　remarked；　and　he　led　the　Gutbuster　Brigade；　plus　one；　away。



　　　*****



　　　Fifty　drow　and　an　entire　minotaur　grouping；　Quenthel　Baenre's　hands　flashed；　and　from　the　sharp；　jerking　movements；　her　mother　knew　she　was　outraged。

　　　Fool；　Matron　Baenre　mused。　She　wondered　then　about　her　daughter's　heart　for　this　expedition。　Quenthel　was　a　powerful　priestess；　there　could　be　no　denying　that；　but　only　then　did　the　withered　old　matron　mother　realize　that　young　Quenthel　had　never　really　seen　battle。　House　Baenre　had　not　warred　in　many　hundreds　of　years；　and　because　of　her　accelerated　education　through　the　Academy；　Quenthel　had　been　spared　the　duties　of　escorting　scouting　patrols　in　the　wild　tunnels　outside　Menzoberranzan。

　　　It　struck　Baenre　then　that　her　daughter　had　never　even　been　outside　the　drow　city。

　　　The　primary　way　to　Mithril　Hall　is　no　more；　Quenthel's　hands　went　on。　And　several　paralleling　passages　have　fallen　as　well。　And　worse；　Quenthel　stopped　abruptly；　had　to　pause　and　take　a　deep　breath　to　steady　herself。　When　she　began　again；　her　face　was　locked　in　a　mask　of　anger。　Many　of　the　dead　drow　were　females；　several　powerful　priestesses　and　one　a　high　priestess。

　　　Still　the　movements　were　exaggerated；　too　sharp　and　too　quick。　Did　Quenthel　really　believe　this　conquest　would　be　easy？　Baenre　wondered。　Did　she　think　no　drow　would　be　killed？

　　　Baenre　wondered；　and　not　for　the　first　time；　whether　she　had　erred　in　bringing　Quenthel　along。　Perhaps　she　should　have　brought　Triel；　the　most　capable　of　priestesses。

　　　Quenthel　studied　the　hard　look　that　was　ing　at　her　and　understood　that　her　mother　was　not　pleased。　It　took　her　a　moment　to　realize　she　was　irritating　Baenre　more　than　the　bad　report　would　warrant。

　　　〃The　lines　are　moving？〃　Baenre　asked　aloud。

　　　Quenthel　cleared　her　throat。　〃Bregan　D'aerthe　has　discovered　many　other　routes；〃　she　answered；　〃even　corridors　the　dwarves　do　not　know　about；　which　e　close　to　tunnels　leading　to　Mithril　Hall。〃

　　　Matron　Baenre　closed　her　eyes　and　nodded；　approving　of　her　daughter's　suddenly　renewed　optimism。　There　were　indeed　tunnels　the　dwarves　did　not　know　about；　small　passages　beneath　the　lowest　levels　of　Mithril　Hall　lost　as　the　dwarves　continued　to　shift　their　mining　operations　to　richer　veins。　Old　Gandalug　knew　those　ancient；　secret　ways；　though；　and　with　Methil's　intrusive　interrogation；　the　drow　knew　them　as　well。　These　secret　tunnels　did　not　actually　connect　to　the　dwarven　pound；　but　wizards　could　open　doors　where　there　were　none；　and　illithids　could　walk　through　stone　and　could　take　drow　warriors　with　them　on　their　psionic　journeys。

　　　Baenre's　eyes　popped　open。　〃Word　from　Berg'inyon？〃　she　asked。

　　　Quenthel　shook　her　head。　〃He　exited　the　tunnels；　as　manded；　but　we　have　not　heard　since。〃

　　　Baenre's　features　grew　cross。　She　knew　that　Berg'inyon　was　outwardly　pouting　at　being　sent　outside。　He　led　the　greatest　cohesive　unit　of　all；　numerically　speaking；　nearly　a　thousand　drow　and　five　times　that　in　goblins　and　kobolds；　with　many　of　the　dark　elves　riding　huge　lizards。　But　Berg'inyon's　duties；　though　vital　to　the　conquest　of　Mithril　Hall；　put　him　on　the　mountainside　outside　the　dwarven　plex。　Very　likely；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　would　be　inside；　in　the　lowest　tunnels；　working　in　an　environment　more　suited　to　a　dark　elf。　Very　likely；　Uthegental　Armgo；　not　Berg'inyon；　would　get　first　try　at　the　renegade。

　　　Baenre's　scowl　turned　to　a　smile　as　she　considered　her　son　and　his　tantrum　when　she　had　given　him　his　assignment。　Of　course　he　had　to　act　angry；　even　outraged。　Of　course　he　had　to　protest　that　he；　not　Uthegental；　should　spearhead　the　assault　through　the　tunnels。　But　Berg'inyon　had　been　Drizzt's　classmate　and　primary　rival　in　their　years　at　Melee…Magthere；　the　drow　school　for　fighters。　Berg'inyon　knew　Drizzt　perhaps　better　than　any　living　drow　in　Menzoberranzan。　And　Matron　Baenre　knew　Berg'inyon。

　　　The　truth　of　it　was；　Berg'inyon　didn't　want　anything　to　do　with　the　dangerous　renegade。

　　　〃Search　out　your　brother　with　your　magic；〃　Baenre　said　suddenly；　startling　Quenthel。　〃If　he　continues　his　obstinacy；　replace　him。〃

　　　Quenthel's　eyes　widened　with　horror。　She　had　been　with　Berg'inyon　when　the　force　had　exited　the　tunnels；　crossing　out　onto　a　ledge　on　a　mountain　overlooking　a　deep　ravine。　The　sight　had　overwhelmed　her；　had　dizzied　her；　and　many　other　drow　as　well。　She　felt　lost　out　there；　insignificant　and　vulnerable。　This　cavern　that　was　the　surface　world；　this　great　chamber　whose　black　dome　sparkled　with　pinpoints　of　unknown　light；　was　too　vast　for　her　sensibilities。

　　　Matron　Baenre　did　not　appreciate　the　horrified　expression。　〃Go！〃　she　snapped；　and　Quenthel　quietly　slipped　away。

　　　She　was　hardly　out　of　sight　before　the　next　reporting　drow　stepped　before　Baenre's　blue…glowing　driftdisk。

　　　Her　report；　of　the　progress　of　the　force　moving　secretly　in　the　lower　tunnels；　was　better；　but　Baenre　hardly　listened。　To　her；　these　details　were　fast　being　tedious。　The　dwarves　were　good；　and　had　many　months　to　prepare；　but　in　the　end；　Matron　Baenre　did　not　doubt　the　oute；　for　she　believed　that　Lloth　herself　had　spoken　to　her。　The　drow　would　win；　and　Mithril　Hall　would　fall。

　　　She　listened　to　the　report；　though；　and　to　the　next；　and　the　next；　and　the　next　after　that；　a　seemingly　endless　stream；　and　forced　herself　to　look　interested。



Chapter　22

STAR　LIGHT；　STAR　BRIGHT



　　　From　her　high　perch；　her　eyesight　enhanced　by　magical　dweomers；　they　seemed　an　army　of　ants；　swarming　over　the　eastern　and　steepest　side　of　the　mountain；　filling　every　vale；　clambering　over　every　rock。　Filtering　behind　in　tight　formations　came　the　deeper　blackness；　the　tight　formations　of　drow　warriors。

　　　Never　had　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon　seen　such　a　disconcerting　sight；　never　had　she　been　so　filled　with　trepidation；　though　she　had　endured　many　wars　and　many　perilous　adventures。　Alustriel's　visage　did　not　reflect　those　battles。　She　was　as　fair　as　any　woman　alive；　her　skin　smooth　and　pale；　almost　translucent；　and　her　hair　long　and　silvery梟ot　gray　with　age；　though　she　was　indeed　very　old；　but　lustrous　and　rich；　the　quiet　light　of　night　and　the　sparkling　brightness　of　stars　all　mixed　together。　Indeed；　the　fair　lady　had　endured　many　wars；　and　the　sorrow　of　those　conflicts　was　reflected　in　her　eyes；　as　was　the　wisdom　to　despise　war。

　　　Across　the　way　toward　the　southern　face；　around　the　bend　of　the　conical　mountain；　Alustriel　could　see　the　banners　of　the　gathered　forces；　most　prominent　among　them　the　silver　flag　of　her　own　knights。　They　were　proud　and　anxious；　Alustriel　knew；　because　most　of　them　were　young　and　did　not　know　grief。

　　　The　Lady　of　Silverymoon　shook　away　the　disconcerting　thoughts　and　focused　on　what　likely　would　transpire；　what　her　role　might　be。

　　　The　bulk　of　the　enemy　force　was　kobolds；　and　she　figured　that　the　huge　barbarians　and　armored　riders　should　have　little　trouble　in　scattering　them。

　　　But　how　would　they　fare　against　the　drow？　Alustriel　wondered。　She　brought　her　flying　chariot　in　a　wide　loop；　watching　and　waiting。



　　　*****



　　　Skirmishes　erupted　along　the　point　line；　as　human　scouts　met　the　advancing　kobolds。

　　　At　the　sound　of　battle；　and　with　reports　filtering　back；　Berkthgar　was　anxious　to　loose　his　forces；　to　charge　off　to　fight　and　die　with　a　song　to　Tempus　on　his　lips。

　　　Besnell；　who　led　the　Knights　in　Silver；　was　a　tempered　fighter；　and　more　the　strategist。　〃Hold　your　men　in　check；〃　he　bade　the　eager　barbarian。　〃We　will　see　more　fighting　this　night　than　any　of　us；　even　Tempus；　your　god　of　battle；　would　enjoy。　Better　that　we　fight　them　on　ground　of　our　choosing。〃　Indeed；　the　knight　had　been　careful　in　selecting　that　very　ground；　and　had　argued　against　both　Berkthgar　and　King　Bruenor　himself　to　win　over　their　support　for　his　plan。　The　forces　had　been　broken　into　four　groups；　spaced　along　the　south　side　of　the　mountain；　Fourthpeak；　which　held　both　entrances　to　Mithril　Hall。　Northwest　around　the　mountain　lay　Keeper's　Dale；　a　wide；　deep；　rock…strewn；　and　mist…filled　valley　wherein　lay　the　secret　western　door　to　the　dwarven　plex。

　　　From　the　soldiers'　positions　northeast　around　the　mountain；　across　wide　expanses　of　open　rock　and　narrow；　crisscrossing　trails；　lay　the　longer；　more　monly　used　path　to　Mithril　Hall's　eastern　door。

　　　Bruenor's　emissaries　had　wanted　the　force　to　split；　the　riders　going　to　defend　Keeper's　Dale　and　the　men　of　Settlestone　guarding　the　eastern　trails。　Besnell　had　held　firm　his　position；　though；　and　had　enlisted　Berkthgar　by　turning　the　situation　back　on　the　proud　dwarves；　by　insisting　that　they　should　be　able　to　conceal　and　defend　their　own　entrances。　〃If　the　drow　know　where　the　entrances　lie；〃　he　had　argued；　〃then　that　is　where　they　will　expect　resistance。〃

　　　Thus；　the　south　side　of　Fourthpeak　was　chosen。　Below　the　positions　of　the　defenders　the　trails　were　many；　but　above　them　the　cliffs　grew　much　steeper；　so　they　expected　no　attack　from　that　direction。　The　defenders'　groups　were　mixed　according　to　terrain；　one　position　of　narrow；　broken　trails　exclusively　barbarians；　two　having　both　barbarians　and　riders；　and　one；　a　plateau　above　a　wide；　smooth；　gradually　inclined　rock　face；　prised　wholly　of　the　Riders　of　Nesme。

　　　Besnell　and　Berkthgar　watched　and　waited　now　from　the　second　position。　They　knew　the　battle　was　imminent；　the　men　about　them　could　feel　the　hush；　the　crouch　of　the　approaching　army。　The　area　lower　on　the　mountain；　to　the　east；　exploded　suddenly　in　bursts　of　shining　light　as　a　rain　of　enchanted　pellets；　gifts　from　dwarven　clerics；　came　down　from　the　barbarians　of　the　first　defense。

　　　How　the　kobolds　scrambled！　As　did　the　few　dark　elves　among　the　diminutive　creatures'　front　ranks。　Those　monsters　highest　on　the　face；　near　the　secret　position；　were　overwhelmed；　a　horde　of　mighty　barbarians　descending　over　them；　splitting　them　in　half　with　huge　swo