精灵血脉四部曲-第159部分

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t　of　fury；　rage　against　rage；　snarl　against　snarl；　Pwent　scoring　several　hits；　but　Uthegental；　so　strong　and　skilled；　countering　fiercely。

　　　The　butt　of　the　trident　slammed　Pwent's　face；　and　his　eyes　crossed。　He　staggered　backward　and　realized；　to　his　horror；　that　he　had　just　given　this　mighty　foe　enough　room　to　skewer　him。

　　　A　silver　beast；　a　great　wolf　running　on　its　hind　legs；　barreled　into　Uthegental　from　the　side；　knocking　him　back　to　the　floor。

　　　Pwent　shook　his　head　vigorously；　clearing　his　mind；　and　regarded　the　newest　monster　with　more　than　a　little　apprehension。　He　glanced　back　up　the　corridor　to　see　his　Gutbusters　approaching　fast；　all　of　them　pointing　to　the　wolf　and　howling　with　glee。

　　　〃Bidderdoo；〃　Pwent　mumbled；　figuring　it　out。

　　　Uthegental　tossed　the　werewolf　Harpell　aside　and　leaped　back　to　his　feet。　Before　he　had　fully　regained　his　balance；　though；　Pwent　sprang　atop　him。

　　　A　second　dwarf　leaped　atop　him；　followed　by　a　third；　a　fourth；　the　whole　of　the　Gutbuster　Brigade。

　　　Uthegental　roared　savagely；　and　suddenly；　the　drow　possessed　the　strength　of　a　giant。　He　stood　tall；　dwarves　hanging　all　over　him；　and　threw　his　arms　out　wide；　plucking　dwarves　and　hurling　them　as　though　they　were　mere　rodents。

　　　Pwent　slammed　him　in　the　chest；　a　blow　that　would　have　killed　a　fair…sized　cow。

　　　Uthegental　snarled　and　gave　the　battlerager　a　backhand　slap　that　launched　Pwent　a　dozen　feet。

　　　〃Ye're　good；〃　a　shaky　Pwent　admitted；　ing　up　to　one　knee　as　Uthegental　stalked　in。

　　　For　the　first　time　in　his　insane　life　（except；　perhaps；　for　when　he　had　inadvertently　battled　Drizzt）；　Thibbledorf　Pwent　knew　he　was　outmatched梜new　that　his　whole　brigade　was　outmatched！梐nd　thought　he　was　dead。　Dwarves　lay　about　groaning　and　none　would　be　able　to　intercept　the　impossibly　strong　drow。

　　　Instead　of　trying　to　stand；　Pwent　cried　out　and　hurled　himself　forward；　scrambling　on　his　knees。　He　came　up　at　the　last　second；　throwing　all　of　his　weight　into　a　right　hook。

　　　Uthegental　caught　the　hand　in　midswing　and　fully　halted　Pwent's　momentum。　The　mighty　drow's　free　hand　closed　over　Pwent's　face；　and　Uthegental　began　bending　the　poor　battlerager　over　backward。

　　　Pwent　could　see　the　snarling　visage　through　the　wide…spread　fingers。　He　somehow　found　the　strength　to　lash　out　with　his　free　left；　and　scored　a　solid　hit　on　the　drow's　forearm。

　　　Uthegental　seemed　not　to　care。

　　　Pwent　whimpered。

　　　The　weapon　master　threw　his　head　back　suddenly。

　　　Pwent　thought　the　drow　meant　to　issue　a　roar　of　victory；　but　no　sound　came　from　Uthegental's　mouth；　no　noise　at　all；　until　a　moment　later　when　he　gurgled　incoherently。

　　　Pwent　felt　the　drow's　grip　relax；　and　the　battlerager　quickly　pulled　away。　As　he　straightened；　Pwent　came　to　understand。　The　silver　werewolf　had　e　up　behind　Uthegental　and　had　bitten　the　drow　on　the　back　of　the　neck。　Bidderdoo　held　on　still；　all　the　pressure　of　his　great　maw　crushing　the　vertebrae　and　the　nerves。

　　　The　two　held　the　macabre　pose　for　many　seconds；　all　the　conscious　Gutbusters　gathered　about　them　marveled　at　the　strength　of　Bidderdoo's　mouth；　and　at　the　fact　that　this　tremendous　drow　warrior　was　still　holding　his　feet。

　　　There　came　a　loud　crack；　and　Uthegental　jerked　suddenly；　violently。　Down　he　fell；　the　wolf　atop　him；　holding　fast。

　　　Pwent　pointed　to　Bidderdoo。　〃I　got　to　get　him　to　show　me　how　he　did　that；〃　the　awe…stricken　battlerager　remarked。

　　　Bidderdoo；　clamped　tightly　on　his　kill；　didn't　hear。



Chapter　27

THE　LONGEST　NIGHT



　　　Belwar　heard　the　echoes；　subtle　vibrations　in　the　thick　stone　that　no　surface　dweller　could　ever　have　noticed。

　　　The　other　three　hundred　svirfnebli　heard　them　as　well。

　　　This　was　the　way　of　the　deep　gnomes梚n　the　deeper　tunnels　of　the　Underdark；　they　often　municated　by　sending　quiet　vibrations　through　the　rock。　They　heard　the　echoes　now；　constant　echoes；　not　like　the　one　huge　explosion　they　had　heard　a　couple　of　hours　before；　the　rumbling　of　an　entire　work　of　tunnels　being　dropped。　The　seasoned　svirfnebli　fighters　considered　the　newest　sound；　a　peculiar　rhythm；　and　they　knew　what　it　meant。　Battle　had　been　joined；　a　great　battle；　and　not　so　far　away。

　　　Belwar　conferred　with　his　manders　many　times　as　they　inched　through　the　unfamiliar　terrain；　trying　to　follow　the　strongest　vibrations。　Often　one　of　the　svirfnebli　on　the　perimeter；　or　at　the　point　of　the　group；　would　tap　his　hammer　slightly　on　the　stone；　trying　to　get　a　feel　for　the　density　of　the　rock。　Echo　hunting　was　tricky　because　the　density　of　the　stone　was　never　uniform；　and　vibrations　were　often　distorted。　Thus；　the　svirfnebli；　arguably　the　finest　echo　followers　in　all　the　world；　found　themselves　more　than　once　going　the　wrong　way　down　a　fork　in　the　trail。

　　　A　determined　and　patient　bunch；　though；　they　stayed　with　it；　and　after　many　frustrating　minutes；　a　priest　named　Suntunavick　bobbed　up　to　Belwar　and　Firble　and　announced　with　all　confidence　that　this　was　as　close　to　the　sound　as　these　tunnels　would　allow　them　to　get。

　　　The　two　followed　the　priest　to　the　exact　spot；　alternately　putting　their　ears　against　the　stone。　Indeed　the　noise　beyond　was　loud；　relatively　speaking。

　　　And　constant；　Belwar　noted　with　some　confusion；　for　this　was　not　the　echoing　of　give…and…take　battle；　not　the　echoes　they　had　heard　earlier；　or　at　least；　there　was　more　to　the　sound　than　that。

　　　Suntunavick　assured　the　burrow　warden　this　was　the　correct　place。　Mixed　in　with　this　more　constant　sound　was　the　familiar　rhythm　of　battle　joined。

　　　Belwar　looked　to　Firble；　who　nodded；　then　to　Suntunavick。　The　burrow　warden　poked　his　finger　at　the　spot　on　the　wall；　then　backed　away；　so　Suntunavick　and　the　other　priests　could　crowd　in。

　　　They　began　their　chanting；　a　grating；　rumbling；　and　apparently　wordless　sound；　and　every　once　in　a　while　one　of　the　priests　would　throw　a　handful　of　some　mudlike　substance　against　the　stone。

　　　The　chanting　hit　a　crescendo；　Suntunavick　rushed　up　to　the　wall；　his　hands　straight　out　in　front　of　him；　palms　pressed　tightly　together。　With　a　cry　of　ecstacy；　the　little　gnome　thrust　his　fingers　straight　into　the　stone。　Then　he　groaned；　his　arm　and　shoulder　muscles　flexing　as　he　pulled　the　wall　apart；　opened　it　as　though　it　were　no　more　solid　than　a　curtain　of　heavy　fabric。

　　　The　priest　jumped　back；　and　so　did　all　the　others；　as　the　echo　became　a　roar　and　a　fine　spray；　the　mist　of　a　waterfall；　came　in　on　them。

　　　〃The　surface；　it　is；〃　Firble　muttered；　barely　able　to　find　his　breath。

　　　And　so　it　was；　but　this　deluge　of　water　was　nothing　like　any　of　the　gnomes　had　pictured　the　surface　world；　was　nothing　like　the　descriptions　in　the　many　tales　they　had　heard　of　the　strange　place。　Many　in　the　group　harbored　thoughts　of　turning　back　then　and　there；　but　Belwar；　who　had　spoken　with　Drizzt　not　so　long　ago；　knew　something　here　was　out　of　the　ordinary。

　　　The　burrow　warden　hooked　a　rope　from　his　belt　with　his　pick…axe　hand　and　held　it　out　to　Firble；　indicating　that　the　councilor　should　tie　it　about　his　waist。　Firble　did　so　and　took　up　the　other　end；　bracing　himself　securely。

　　　With　only　the　slightest　of　hesitation；　the　brave　Belwar　squeezed　through　the　wall；　through　the　veil　of　mist。　He　found　the　waterfall；　and　a　ledge　that　led　him　around　it；　and　Belwar　gazed　upon　stars。

　　　Thousands　of　stars！

　　　The　gnome's　heart　soared。　He　was　awed　and　frightened　all　at　once。　This　was　the　surface　world；　that　greatest　of　caverns；　under　a　dome　that　could　not　be　reached。

　　　The　moment　of　pondering；　of　awe；　was　short…lived；　defeated　by　the　clear　sounds　of　battle。　Belwar　was　not　in　Keeper's　Dale；　but　he　could　see　the　light　of　the　fight；　flames　from　torches　and　magical　enchantments；　and　he　could　hear　the　ring　of　metal　against　metal　and　the　familiar　screams　of　the　dying。

　　　With　Belwar　in　their　lead；　the　three　hundred　svirfnebli　filtered　out　of　the　caverns　and　began　a　quiet　march　to　the　east。　They　came　upon　many　areas　that　seemed　impassable；　but　a　friendly　elemental；　summoned　by　gnomish　priests；　opened　the　way。　In　but　a　few　minutes；　the　battle　was　in　sight；　the　scramble　within　the　misty　vale；　of　armor…clad　horsemen　and　lizard…riding　drow；　of　wretched　goblins　and　kobolds　and　huge　humans　more　than　twice　the　height　of　the　tallest　svirfneblin。

　　　Now　Belwar　did　hesitate；　realizing　fully　that　his　force　of　three　hundred　would　plunge　into　a　battle　of　thousands；　a　battle　in　which　the　gnomes　had　no　way　of　discerning　who　was　winning。

　　　〃It　is　why　we　have　e；〃　Firble　whispered　into　the　burrow　warden's　ear。

　　　Belwar　looked　hard　at　his　uncharacteristically　brave　panion。

　　　〃For　Blingdenstone；〃　Firble　said。

　　　Belwar　led　the　way。



　　　*****



　　　Drizzt　held　his　breath；　they　all　did；　and　even　Guenhwyvar　was　wise　enough　to　stifle　an　instinctive　snarl。

　　　The　five　panions　huddled　on　a　narrow　ledge　in　a　high；　wide　corridor；　while　a　column　of　drow；　many　drow；　marched　past；　a　line　that　went　on　and　on　and　seemed　as　if　it　would　never　end。

　　　Two　thousand？　Drizzt　wondered。　Five　thousand？　He　had　no　way　of　guessing。　There　were　too　many；　and　he　couldn't　rightly　stick　his　head　out　and　begin　a　count。　What　Drizzt　did　understand　was　that　the　bulk　of　the　drow　force　had　linked　together　and　was　marching　with　a　singular　purpose。　That　could　mean　only　that　the　way　had　been　cleared；　at　least　to　Mithril　Hall's　lower　door。　Drizzt　took　heart　when　he　thought　of　that　door；　of　the　many　cunning　defenses　that　had　been　rigged　in　that　region。　Even　this　mighty　force　would　be　hard…pressed　to　get　through　the　portal；　the　tunnels　near　the　lower　door　would　pile　high　with　bodies；　drow　and　dwarf　alike。

　　　Drizzt　dared　to　slowly　shift　his　head；　to　look　past　Guenhwyvar；　tight　against　the　wall　beside　him；　to　Bruenor；　stuck　unfortably　between　the　panther's　rear　end　and　the　wall。　Drizzt　almost　managed　a　smile　at　the　sight；　and　at　the　thought　that　he　had　better　move　quickly　once　the　drow　column　passed；　for　Bruenor　would　likely　heave　the　panther　right　over　the　lip　of　the　ledge；　taking　Drizzt　with　her。

　　　But　that　smile　did　not　e　to　Drizzt；　not　in　the　face　of　his　doubts。　Had　he　done　right　in　leading　Bruenor　out　here？　he　wondered；　not　for　the　first　time。　They　could　ha