精灵血脉四部曲-第153部分

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　　　The　line　wavered；　Alustriel　almost　revealed　herself　with　a　flurry　of　explosive　magic。

　　　But　amidst　the　chaos　and　the　press　rose　one　sword　above　all　others；　one　song　above　all　others。

　　　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　his　wild　hair　flying；　sang　to　Tempus　with　all　his　heart；　and　Bankenfuere　hummed　as　it　swept　through　the　air。　Berkthgar　ignored　the　lesser　goblins　and　charged　straight　for　the　bugbears；　and　each　mighty　swipe　cut　one　of　them　down　The　loader　of　Settlestone　took　a　vicious　hit；　and　another；　but　no　hint　of　pain　crossed　his　stern　visage　or　slowed　his　determined　march。

　　　Those　bugbears　who　escaped　the　first　furious　moments　of　the　huge　man's　assault　fled　from　him　thereafter；　and　with　their　leaders　so　terrified；　the　goblins　quickly　lost　heart　for　the　press　and　the　diamond　disintegrated　into　a　fleeing　mob。

　　　Many　would　be　the　songs　to　celebrate　Berkthgar；　Alustriel　knew；　but　only　if　the　defenders　won。　If　the　dark　elves　succeeded　in　their　conquest；　then　all　such　heroics　would　be　lost　to　the　ages；　all　the　songs　would　be　buried　beneath　a　black　veil　of　oppression。　That　could　not　happen；　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon　decided。　Even　if　Mithril　Hall　were　to　fall　this　night；　or　the　next；　the　war　would　not　be　lost。　All　of　Silverymoon　would　mobilize　against　the　drow；　and　she　would　go　to　Sundabar；　in　the　east；　to　Citadel　Adbar；　stronghold　of　King　Harbromme　and　his　dwarves；　and　all　the　way　to　Waterdeep；　on　the　Sword　Coast；　to　muster　the　necessary　forces　to　push　the　drow　back　to　Menzoberranzan！

　　　This　war　was　not　lost；　she　reminded　herself；　and　she　looked　down　at　the　determined　defenders；　holding　against　the　swarm；　fighting　and　dying。

　　　Then　came　the　tragedy　she　had　expected　and　feared　all　along：　the　magical　barrage；　bursts　of　fireballs　and　lightning；　lines　of　consuming　magical　energy　and　spinning　bolts　of　destruction。

　　　The　assault　focused　on　the　southwestern　corner　of　the　U；　blew　apart　the　ranks　of　the　Riders　of　Nesme；　consuming　horse　and　man　alike。　Many　humanoid　slaves　fell　as　well；　mere　fodder　and　of　no　concern　to　the　wicked　drow　wizards。

　　　Tears　streamed　down　Alustriel's　face　as　she　watched　that　catastrophe；　as　she　heard　the　agonized　cries　of　man　and　beast　and　saw　that　corner　of　the　mountain　bee　charred　under　the　sheer　power　of　the　barrage。　She　berated　herself　for　not　foreseeing　this　war；　for　underestimating　the　intensity　of　the　drow　march；　for　not　having　her　army　fully　entrenched；　warriors；　wizards　and　priests　alike；　in　the　defense　of　Mithril　Hall。

　　　The　massacre　went　on　for　many　seconds；　seeming　like　hours　to　the　horrified　defenders。　It　went　on　and　on；　the　explosions　and　the　cries。

　　　Alustriel　found　her　heart　again　and　looked　for　the　source；　and　when　she　saw　it；　she　came　to　realize　that　the　dark　elf　wizards；　in　their　ignorance　of　the　surface　world；　had　erred。

　　　They　were　concentrated　within　a　copse　of　thick　trees；　under　cover　and　hurling　out　their　deadly　volley　of　spells。

　　　Alustriel's　features　brightened　into　a　wicked　smile；　a　smile　of　vengeance；　and　she　cut　her　chariot　across　at　a　sharp　angle；　swooping　down　the　mountainside　from　on　high；　flying　like　an　arrow　for　the　heart　of　her　enemies。

　　　The　drow　had　erred；　they　were　in　the　trees。

　　　As　she　crossed　the　northern　edge　of　the　battlefield；　Alustriel　cried　out　a　mand；　and　her　chariot；　and　the　team　of　enchanted　horses　that　pulled　it；　ignited　into　bright　flames。

　　　Below　her　she　heard　the　cries　of　fear；　from　friend　and　enemy　alike；　and　she　heard　the　trumpets　from　the　Knights　in　Silver；　who　recognized　the　chariot　and　understood　that　their　leader　had　e。

　　　Down　she　streaked；　a　tremendous　fireball　leading　the　way；　exploding　in　the　heart　of　the　copse。　Alustriel　sped　right　to　the　trees'　edge；　then　banked　sharply　and　rushed　along　the　thick　line；　the　flames　of　her　chariot　igniting　branches　wherever　she　passed。

　　　The　drow　wizards　had　erred！

　　　She　knew　the　dark　elves　had　likely　set　up　wards　against　countering　magic梡erhaps　even　over　themselves梩hat　would　defeat　even　the　most　intense　fires；　but　they　did　not　understand　the　flammable　nature　of　trees。　Even　if　the　fire　did　not　consume　them；　the　flames　would　blind　them　and　effectively　put　them　out　of　the　fighting。

　　　And　the　smoke！　The　thick　copse　was　damp　from　previous　rains　and　frost；　and　billowing　black　clouds　thickened　the　air。　Even　worse　for　the　drow；　the　wizards　countered　as　they　had　always　countered　fire；　with　spells　creating　water。　So　great　was　their　response；　that　the　flames　would　have　been　quenched；　except　that　Alustriel　did　not　relent；　continued　to　rush　about　the　copse；　even　cut　into　the　copse　wherever　she　found　a　break。　No　water；　not　the　ocean　itself；　could　extinguish　the　fires　of　her　enchanted　chariot。　As　she　continued　to　fuel　the　flames；　the　drenching　spells　by　the　wizards　added　steam　to　the　smoke；　thickened　the　air　so　that　the　dark　elves　could　not　see　at　all　and　could　not　breathe。

　　　Alustriel　trusted　in　her　horses；　extensions　of　her　will；　to　understand　her　intent　and　keep　the　chariot　on　course；　and　she　watched；　her　spells　ready；　for　she　knew　the　enemy　could　not　remain　within　the　copse。　As　she　expected；　a　drow　floated　up　through　the　trees；　rising　above　the　inferno；　levitating　into　the　air　and　trying　to　orient　himself　to　the　scene　beyond　the　copse。

　　　Alustriel's　lightning　bolt　hit　him　in　the　bark　of　the　head　and　sent　him　spinning　over　and　over；　and　he　hung；　upside　down　and　dead；　until　his　own　spell　expired；　dropping　him　back　into　the　trees。

　　　Even　as　she　killed　that　wizard；　though；　a　ball　of　flame　puffed　in　the　air　right　before　the　chariot；　and　the　speeding　thing；　and　Alustriel　with　it；　plunged　right　through。　The　Lady　of　Silverymoon　was　protected　from　the　flames　of　her　own　spell；　but　not　so　from　the　fireball；　and　she　cried　out　and　came　through　pained；　her　face　bright　from　burn。



　　　*****



　　　Higher　up　the　mountainside；　Besnell　and　his　soldiers　witnessed　the　attack　against　Alustriel。　The　elf　steeled　his　golden　eyes；　his　men　cried　out　in　outrage。　If　their　earlier　exploits　had　been　furious；　they　were　purely　savage　now；　and　Berkthgar's　men；　fighting　beside　them；　needed　no　prodding。

　　　Goblins　and　kobolds；　bugbears　and　orcs；　even　huge　minotaurs　and　skilled　drow；　died　by　the　score　in　the　next　moments　of　battle。

　　　It　hardly　seemed　to　matter。　Whenever　one　died；　two　took　its　place；　and　though　the　knights　and　the　barbarians　could　have　cut　through　the　enemy　lines；　there　was　nowhere　for　them　to　go。

　　　Farther　to　the　west；　his　own　Longriders　similarly　pressed；　Reg…weld　understood　their　only　hope。　He　leaped　Puddlejumper　to　a　place　where　there　were　no　enemies　and　cast　a　spell　to　send　a　message　to　Besnell。

　　　To　the　west！　the　wizard　implored　the　knight　leader。

　　　Then　Regweld　took　up　the　new　lead　and　turned　his　men　and　the　barbarians　closest　to　them　westward；　toward　Keeper's　Dale；　as　the　original　plan　had　demanded。　The　drow　wizards　had　been　silenced；　momentarily　at　least；　and　now　was　the　only　chance　Reg…weld　would　have。

　　　A　lightning　bolt　split　the　darkening　air。　A　fireball　followed；　and　Regweld　followed　that；　leaping　Puddlejumper　over　the　ranks　of　his　enemies　and　loosing　a　barrage　of　magical　missiles　below　him　as　he　flew。

　　　Confusion　hit　the　enemy　ranks；　enough　so　that　the　Longriders；　men　who　had　fought　beside　the　Harpells　for　all　their　lives　and　understood　Regweld's　tactics；　were　able　to　slice　through；　opening　a　gap。

　　　Beside　them　came　many　of　the　Settlestone　warriors　and　the　few　remaining　horsemen　from　Nesme。　Behind　them　came　the　rest　of　the　barbarian　force　and　the　Knights　in　Silver；　mighty　Berkthgar　bringing　up　the　rear；　almost　single…handedly　keeping　the　pursuing　monsters　at　bay。

　　　The　defenders　punched　through　quickly；　but　found　their　momentum　halted　as　another　force；　mostly　drow；　cut　across　in　front；　forming　thick　ranks。

　　　Regweld　continued　his　magical　barrage；　charged　ahead　with　Puddlejumper；　expecting　to　die。

　　　And　so　he　would　have；　except　that　Alustriel；　forced　away　from　the　copse　by　the　increasingly　effective　counters　of　the　drow　wizards；　rushed　back　up　the　mountainside；　right　along　the　dark　elf　line；　low　enough　so　that　the　drow　who　did　not　flee　were　trampled　and　burned　by　her　fiery　passing。

　　　Besnell　and　his　men　galloped　to　the　front　of　the　fleeing　force；　cried　out　to　Alustriel　and　for　the　good　of　all　goodly　folk；　and　plunged　into　the　confusion　of　the　drow　ranks；　right　into　the　flaming　chariot's　charred　wake。

　　　Many　more　men　died　in　those　few　moments　of　hellish　fighting；　many　men　and　many　drow；　but　the　defenders　broke　free　to　the　west；　ran　and　rode　on；　and　found　the　path　into　Keeper's　Dale　before　the　enemy　could　block　it。

　　　Above　the　battle　once　more；　Alustriel　slumped　with　exhaustion。　She　had　not　launched　so　concentrated　a　barrage　of　magic　in　many；　many　years；　and　had　not　engaged　so　closely　in　any　conflict　since　the　days　before　she　had　e　to　rule　Silverymoon。　Now　she　was　tired　and　wounded；　burned　and　singed；　and　she　had　taken　several　hits　by　sword　and　by　quarrel　as　she　had　rushed　along　the　drow　ranks。　She　knew　the　disapproval　she　would　find　when　she　returned　to　Silverymoon；　knew　that　her　advisors；　and　the　city's　council；　and　colleagues　from　other　cities；　would　think　her　rash；　even　stupid。　Mithril　Hall　was　a　minor　kingdom　not　worth　her　life；　her　detractors　would　say。　To　take　such　risks　against　so　deadly　an　enemy　was　foolish。

　　　So　they　would　say；　but　Alustriel　knew　better；　knew　that　the　freedoms　and　rights　that　applied　to　Silverymoon　were　not　there　simply　because　of　her　city's　size　and　strength。　They　applied　to　all；　to　Silverymoon；　to　Waterdeep；　and　to　the　smallest　of　kingdoms　that　so　desired　them；　because　otherwise　the　values　they　promoted　were　meaningless　and　selfish。

　　　Now　she　was　wounded；　had　nearly　been　killed；　and　she　called　off　her　chariot's　flames　as　she　rose　high　into　the　sky。　To　show　herself　so　openly　would　invite　a　continuing　magical　attack　that　would　likely　destroy　her。　She　was　sorely　wounded；　she　knew；　but　Alustriel　was　smiling。　Even　if　she　died　this　night；　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon　would　die　smiling；　because　she　was　following　her　heart。　She　was　fighting　for　something　bigger　than　her　life；　for　values　that　were　eternal　and　ultimately　right。

　　　She　watched　with　satisfaction　as　the　force；　led　by　Besnell　and