精灵血脉四部曲-第15部分

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ing's　life　once　by　taking　Regis　along　on　an　astral　ride；　getting　the　halfling　out　of　a　collapsing　tower　in　the　process。

Now；　though；　Regis　stood　above　the　figurine；　torch　and　mace　in　hand；　apparently　unsure　of　how　to　proceed。

Drizzt　walked　back　the　few　steps　to　join　his　diminutive　friend。　〃What　is　the　problem？〃　he　asked。

〃I。。。　I　just　think　you　should　call　Guenhwyvar；〃　the　halfling　replied。　〃It's　your　panther；　after　all；　and　yours　is　the　voice　Guenhwyvar　knows　best。〃

〃Guenhwyvar　would　e　to　your　call；〃　Drizzt　assured　Regis；　patting　the　halfling's　shoulder。　Not　wanting　to　delay　and　argue　the　point；　though；　the　drow　softly　called　out　the　panther's　name。　A　few　seconds　later；　a　grayish　mist；　seeming　darker　in　the　dim　light；　gathered　about　the　figurine　and　gradually　shaped　itself　into　the　panther　form。　The　mist　subtly　transformed；　became　something　more　substantial；　then　it　was　gone；　leaving　in　its　stead　Guenhwyvar's　muscled　feline　form。　The　panther's　ears　went　flat　immediately—Regis　took　a　prudent　step　back—　then　Drizzt　grabbed　Guenhwyvar　by　a　jowl　and　gave　a　playful　shake。

〃Some　dwarves　are　missing；〃　Drizzt　explained　to　the　cat；　and　Regis　knew　that　Guenhwyvar　understood　every　word。　〃Find　their　scent；　my　friend。　Lead　me　to　them。〃

Guenhwyvar　spent　a　long　moment　studying　the　immediate　area；　turned　back　to　stare　at　Regis　for　a　bit；　then　issued　a　low　growl。

〃Go　on；〃　Drizzt　bade　the　cat；　and　the　sleek　muscles　flexed；　propelling　Guenhwyvar　easily　and　in　perfect　silence　into　the　darkness　beyond　the　torchlight。

Drizzt　and　Regis　followed　at　an　easy　pace；　the　drow　confident　that　the　panther　would　not　outdistance　them　and　Regis　glancing　nervously；　this　way　and　that；　with　every　passing　inch。　They　came　through　the　intersection　with　the　giant　ettin's　bones；　Bruenor's　first　kill；　a　short　while　later；　and　Guenhwyvar　joined　them　once　more　when　they　entered　the　low　cavern　where　the　main　goblin　force　had　been　routed。

Little　evidence　remained　of　that　recent　battle；　save　the　many　bloodstains　and　a　diminishing　pile　of　goblin　bodies　in　the　center　of　the　place。　Ten…foot…long　wormlike　creatures　swarmed　all　about　these；　long　tendrils　feeling　the　way　as　they　feasted　on　the　bloated　corpses。

〃Keep　close；〃　Drizzt　warned；　and　Regis　didn't　have　to　be　told　twice。　〃Those　are　carrion　crawlers；〃　the　drow　ranger　explained；　〃the　vultures　of　the　Underdark。　With　food　so　readily　available；　they　likely　will　leave　us　alone；　but　they　are　dangerous　foes。　A　sting　from　their　tendrils　can　steal　the　strength　from　your　limbs。〃

〃Do　you　think　the　dwarves　got　too　close　to　them？〃　Regis　asked；　squinting　in　the　dim　light　to　see　if　he　could　make　out　any　nongoblin　bodies　among　the　pile。

Drizzt　shook　his　head。　〃The　dwarves　know　the　crawlers　well；〃　he　explained。　〃They　wele　the　beasts　to　be　rid　of　the　stench　of　goblin　corpses。　I　would　hardly　expect　seven　veteran　dwarves　to　be　taken　down　by　crawlers。〃

Drizzt　started　down　from　the　angled　platform；　but　the　halfling　grabbed　his　cloak　to　stop　him。　〃There's　a　dead　ettin　under　here；〃　Regis　explained。　〃Lots　of　meat。〃｜Qī…shū…ωǎng｜

Drizzt　cocked　his　head　curiously　as　he　regarded　the　quick…thinking　halfling；　the　drow　thinking　that　maybe　Bruenor　had　been　wise　in　sending　the　little　one　along。　They　skirted　the　lip　of　the　raised　stone　and　came　down　far　to　the　side。　Sure　enough；　several　carrion　crawlers　worked　over　the　huge　ettin　body；　Drizzt's　original　course　would　have　taken　him　dangerously　close　to　the　beasts。

They　were　into　the　empty　tunnels　again　in　a　few　seconds；　Guenhwyvar　drifting　silently　into　the　darkness　to　lead　them。

The　torch　soon　burned　low；　Regis　shook　his　head　when　Drizzt　reached　for　another　one；　reminding　Drizzt　that　they　should　save　their　light　sources。

They　went　on；　in　the　quiet；　in　the　dark；　with　only　the　soft　glow　of　Twinkle　to　mark　their　passing。　To　the　drow　it　seemed　like　old　times；　traversing　the　Underdark　with　his　feline　panion；　his　senses　heightened　in　the　knowledge　that　danger　might　well　lurk　around　any　bend。



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The　disk　is　warm？〃　Jarlaxle　asked；　seeing　Vierna's　pleasurable　expression　as　she　rubbed　her　delicate　fingers　across　the　metallic　surface。　She　sat　atop　the　drider；　her　mount　for　the　journey；　Dinin's　bloated　face　expressionless　and　unblinking。

〃My　brother　is　not　far；〃　the　priestess　replied；　her　eyes　closed　in　concentration。

The　mercenary　leaned　against　the　wall；　peering　down　the　long　tunnel　filled　with　flattened　goblin　corpses。　All　about　him　dark　forms；　his　quiet　band　of　killers；　slipped　silently　about　their　way。

〃Can　we　know　that　Drizzt　is　here　at　all？〃　the　mercenary　dared　to　ask；　though　he　was　not　anxious　to　dispel　volatile　Vierna's　anticipation—especially　not　with　the　priestess　sitting　atop　so　poignant　a　reminder　of　her　wrath。

〃He　is　here；〃　Vierna　replied　calmly。

〃And　you　are　sure　our　friend　will　not　kill　him　before　we　find　him？〃　the　mercenary　asked。

〃We　can　trust　this　ally；〃　Vierna　replied　calmly；　her　tone　a　relief　to　the　edgy　mercenary　leader。　〃Lloth　has　assured　me。〃

So　ends　any　debate；　Jarlaxle　told　himself；　though　he　hardly　felt　secure　in　trusting　any　human；　particularly　the　wicked　one　to　whom　Vierna　had　led　him。　He　looked　back　to　the　tunnel；　back　to　the　shifting　forms　as　the　mercenary　band　cautiously　made　its　way。

What　Jarlaxle　did　trust　was　his　soldiers；　drow…for…drow　as　fine　a　force　as　any　in　the　dark　elf　world。　If　Drizzt　Do'Urden　was　indeed　wandering　about　these　tunnels；　the　skilled　killers　of　Bregan　D'aerthe　would　get　him。

〃Should　I　dispatch　the　Baenre　force？〃　the　mercenary　asked　Vierna。

Vierna　considered　the　words　for　a　moment；　then　shook　her　head；　her　indecision　revealing　to　Jarlaxle　that　she　was　not　as　certain　of　her　brother's　whereabouts　as　she　claimed。　〃Keep　them　close　a　while　longer；〃　she　instructed。　〃When　we　have　found　my　brother；　they　will　serve　to　cover　our　departure。〃

Jarlaxle　was　all　too　glad　to　ply。　Even　if　Drizzt　was　down　here；　as　Vierna　believed；　they　did　not　know　how　many　of　his　friends　might　have　acpanied　him。　With　fifty　drow　soldiers　about　them；　the　mercenary　was　not　too　worried。

He　did　wonder；　though；　how　Triel　Baenre　might　wele　the　news　that　her　soldiers；　even　if　they　were　only　males；　had　been　used　as　no　more　than　fodder。



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〃These　tunnels　are　endless；〃　Regis　moaned　after　two　more　hours　of　unremarkable　twists　and　turns　in　the　goblin…enhanced　natural　passageways。　Drizzt　allowed　a　break　for　supper—even　lit　a　torch—and　the　two　friends　sat　in　a　small　natural　chamber　on　a　flat　rock；　surrounded　by　leering　stalactites　and　monsterlike　mounds　of　piled　stone。

Drizzt　understood　just　how　unintentionally　perceptive　the　half　ling's　words　might　prove。　They　were　far　underground；　several　miles；　and　the　caverns　continued　aimlessly；　connecting　chambers　large　and　small　and　meeting　with　dozens　of　side　passages。　Regis　had　been　in　the　dwarven　mines　before；　but　he　had　never　entered　that　next　lower　realm；　the　dreaded　Underdark；　wherein　lived　the　drow　elves；　wherein　Drizzt　Do'Urden　had　been　born。

The　stifling　air　and　inevitable　realizations　of　thousands　of　tons　of　rock　over　his　head　inevitably　led　the　dark　elf　to　thoughts　of　his　past　life；　of　the　days　when　he　had　lived　in　Menzoberranzan；　or　walked　with　Guenhwyvar　in　the　seemingly　endless　tunnels　of　Toril's　subterranean　world。

〃We'll　get　lost；　just　like　the　dwarves；〃　Regis　grumbled；　munching　a　biscuit。　He　took　tiny　bites　and　chewed　them　a　thousand　times　to　savor　each　precious　crumb。

Drizzt's　smile　didn't　seem　to　fort　him；　but　the　ranger　was　confident　that　he　and；　more　particularly；　Guenhwyvar　knew　exactly　where　they　were；　making　a　systematic　circuit　with　the　chamber　of　the　main　goblin　battle　as　their　hub。　He　pointed　behind　Regis；　his　motion　prompting　the　halfling　to　half…turn　in　his　rocky　seat。

〃If　we　went　back　through　that　tunnel　and　branched　at　the　first　right…hand　passage；　we　would　e；　in　a　matter　of　minutes；　to　the　large　chamber　where　Bruenor　defeated　the　goblins；〃　Drizzt　explained。　〃We　were　not　so　far　from　this　spot　when　we　met　Cobble。〃

〃Seems　like　farther；　that's　all；〃　Regis　mumbled　under　his　breath。

Drizzt　did　not　press　the　point；　glad　to　have　Regis　along；　even　if　the　halfling　was　in　a　particularly　grumpy　mood。　Drizzt　hadn't　seen　much　of　Regis　in　the　weeks　since　he　had　returned　to　Mithril　Hall；　no　one　had；　actually；　except　perhaps　the　dwarven　cooking　staff　in　the　munal　dining　halls。

〃Why　have　you　returned？〃　Drizzt　asked　suddenly；　his　question　making　Regis　choke　on　a　piece　of　biscuit。　The　halfling　stared　at　him　incredulously。

〃We　are　glad　to　have　you　back；〃　Drizzt　continued；　clarifying　the　intentions　of　his　rather　blunt　question。　〃And　certainly　all　of　us　are　hoping　you　will　stay　here　for　a　long　time　to　e。　But；　why；　my　friend？〃

〃The　wedding…〃　Regis　stammered。

〃A　fine　reason；　but　hardly　the　only　one；〃　Drizzt　replied　with　a　knowing　smile。　〃When　last　we　saw　you；　you　were　a　guildmaster　and　all　of　Calimport　was　yours　for　the　taking。〃

Regis　looked　away；　ran　his　fingers　through　his　curly　brown　hair；　fiddled　with　several　rings；　and　slipped　his　hand　down　to　tug　at　his　one　dangling　earring。

〃That　is　the　life　the　Regis　I　know　always　desired；〃　Drizzt　remarked。

〃Then　maybe　you　really　didn't　understand　Regis；〃　the　halfling　replied。

〃Perhaps；〃　Drizzt　admitted；　〃but　there　is　more　to　it　than　that。　I　know　you　well　enough　to　understand　that　you　would　go　to　great　lengths　to　avoid　a　fight。　Yet；　when　the　goblin　battle　came；　you　remained　beside　me。〃

〃Where　safer　than　with　Drizzt　Do'Urden？〃

〃In　the　higher　plex；　in　the　dining　halls；〃　the　drow　replied　without　hesitation。　Drizzt's　smile　was　one　of　friendship；　the　luster　in　his　lavender　eyes　showed　no　animosity　for　the　halfling；　whatever　falsehoods　Regis　might　be　playing。　〃Whatever　the　reason　you　have　e；　be　sure　that　we　are　all　glad　you　are　here；〃　Drizzt　said　honestly。　〃Bruenor　more　than　any；　perhaps。　But　if　you　have　found　some　trouble；　some　danger；　you　would　be　well　advised　to　state　it　openly；　that　we　might　battle　it　together。　We　are　your　friends　and　will　stand　beside　you；　without　blame；　against　whatever　odds　we　are　offered。　By　my　experience；　those　odds　are　always　better　when　I　know　the　enemy。〃

〃I　lost　the　guild；〃　Regis　admitted；　〃just　two　weeks　after　you　left　Calimport。〃