精灵血脉四部曲-第164部分

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erdark；　that　was　no　small　event。

　　　One　drow　wizard；　intent　on　a　lightning　bolt　that　would　defeat　the　nearest　enemies；　interrupted　his　spell　and　enacted　a　globe　of　darkness　instead；　aiming　it　at　the　tip　of　the　sun　as　it　peeked　over　the　horizon；　thinking　to　blot　out　the　light。　The　spell　went　off　and　did　nothing　more　than　a　put　a　black　dot　in　the　air　a　long　way　off；　and　as　the　wizard　squinted　against　the　glare；　wondering　what　he　might　try　next；　those　defenders　closest　charged　in　and　cut　him　down。

　　　Another　drow　battling　a　dwarf　had　his　opponent　all　but　beaten。　So　intent　was　he　on　the　kill　that　he　hardly　noticed　the　ing　dawn梪ntil　the　tip　of　the　sun　broke　the　horizon；　sending　a　line　of　light；　a　line　of　agony；　to　sensitive　drow　eyes。　Blinded　and　horrified；　the　dark　elf　whipped　his　weapons　in　a　frenzy；　but　he　never　got　close　to　hitting　the　mark。

　　　Then　he　felt　a　hot　explosion　across　his　ribs。

　　　All　these　dark　elves　had　seen　things　in　the　normal　spectrum　of　light　before；　but　not　so　clearly；　not　in　such　intense　light；　not　with　colors　so　rich　and　vivid。　They　had　heard　of　the　terrible　sunshine桞erg'inyon　had　witnessed　a　dawn　many　years　before；　had　watched　it　over　his　shoulder　as　he　and　his　drow　raiding　party　fled　back　for　the　safe　darkness　of　the　lower　tunnels。　Now　the　weapon　master　and　his　charges　did　not　know　what　to　expect。　Would　the　infernal　sun　burn　them　as　it　blinded　them？　They　had　been　told　by　their　elders　that　it　would　not；　but　had　been　warned　they　would　be　more　vulnerable　in　the　sunlight；　that　their　enemies　would　be　bolstered　by　the　brightness。

　　　Berg'inyon　called　his　forces　into　tight　battle　formations　and　tried　to　regroup。　They　could　still　win；　the　weapon　master　knew；　though　this　latest　development　would　cost　many　drow　lives。　Dark　elves　could　fight　blindly；　but　what　Berg'inyon　feared　here　was　more　than　a　loss　of　vision。　It　was　a　loss　of　heart。　The　rays　slanting　down　from　the　mountains　were　beyond　his　and　his　troops'　experience。　And　as　frightening　as　it　had　been　to　walk　under　the　canopy　of　unreachable　stars；　this　event；　this　sunrise；　was　purely　terrifying。

　　　Berg'inyon　quickly　conferred　with　his　wizards；　tried　to　see　if　there　was　some　way　they　could　counteract　the　dawn。　What　he　learned　instead　distressed　him　as　much　as　the　infernal　light。　The　drow　wizards　in　Keeper's　Dale　had　eyes　also　in　other　places；　and　from　those　far…seeing　mages　came　the　initial　whispers　that　dark　elves　were　deserting　in　the　lower　tunnels；　that　those　drow　who　had　been　stopped　in　the　tunnels　near　the　eastern　door　had　retreated　from　Mithril　Hall　and　had　fled　to　the　deeper　passages　on　the　eastern　side　of　Fourthpeak。　Berg'inyon　understood　that　information　easily　enough；　those　drow　were　already　on　the　trails　leading　back　to　Menzoberranzan。

　　　Berg'inyon　could　not　ignore　the　reports'　implications。　Any　alliance　between　dark　elves　was　tentative；　and　the　weapon　master　could　only　guess　at　how　widespread　the　desertion　might　be。　Despite　the　dawn；　Berg'inyon　believed　his　force　would　win　in　Keeper's　Dale　and　would　breach　the　western　door；　but　suddenly　he　had　to　wonder　what　they　would　find　in　Mithril　Hall　once　they　got　there。

　　　Matron　Baenre　and　their　allies？　King　Bruenor　and　the　renegade；　Drizzt；　and　a　host　of　dwarves　ready　to　fight？　The　thought　did　not　sit　well　with　the　worried　weapon　master。

　　　Thus；　it　was　not　greater　numbers　that　won　the　day　in　Keeper's　Dale。　It　was　not　the　courage　of　Berkthgar　or　Besnell；　or　the　ferocity　of　Belwar　and　his　gnomes；　or　the　wisdom　of　Stumpet　Rakingclaw。　It　was　the　dawn　and　the　distrust　among　the　enemy　ranks；　the　lack　of　cohesion　and　the　very　real　fear　that　supporting　forces　would　not　arrive；　for　every　drow　soldier；　from　Berg'inyon　to　the　lowest　moner；　understood　that　their　allies　would　think　nothing　of　leaving　them　behind　to　be　slaughtered。

　　　Berg'inyon　Baenre　was　not　questioned　by　any　of　his　soldiers　when　he　gave　the　order　to　leave　Keeper's　Dale。　The　lizard　riders；　still　more　than　three　hundred　strong；　rode　out　to　the　rough　terrain　of　the　north；　their　sticky…footed　mounts　leaving　enemies　and　allies　alike　far　behind。

　　　The　very　air　of　Keeper's　Dale　tingled　from　the　tragedy　and　the　excitement；　but　the　sounds　of　battle　died　away　to　an　eerie　stillness；　shattered　occasionally　by　a　cry　of　agony。　Berkthgar　the　Bold　stood　tall　and　firm；　with　Stumpet　Rakingclaw　and　Terrien　Doucard；　the　new　leader　of　the　Knights　in　Silver；　flanking　him；　and　their　victorious　soldiers　waiting；　tensed；　behind　them。

　　　Ten　feet　away；　Belwar　Dissengulp　stood　point　for　the　depleted　svirfneblin　ranks。　The　most　honored　burrow　warden　held　his　strong　arms　out　before　him；　cradling　the　body　of　noble　Firble；　one　of　many　svirfnebli　who　had　died　this　day；　so　far　from；　but　in　defense　of；　their　home。

　　　They　did　not　know　what　to　make　of　each　other；　this　almost…seven…foot　barbarian；　and　the　gnome　who　was　barely　half　his　height。　They　could　not　talk　to　each　other；　and　had　no　prehensible　signs　of　friendship　to　offer。

　　　They　found　their　only　mon　ground　among　the　bodies　of　hated　enemies　and　beloved　friends；　piled　thick　in　Keeper's　Dale。



　　　*****



　　　Faerie　fire　erupted　along　Drizzt's　arms　and　legs；　outlining　him　as　a　better　target。　He　countered　by　dropping　a　globe　of　darkness　over　himself；　an　attempt　to　steal　the　enemy's　advantage　of　three…to…one　odds。

　　　Out　snapped　the　ranger's　scimitars；　and　he　felt　a　strange　urge　from　one；　not　from　Twinkle；　but　from　the　other　blade；　the　one　Drizzt　had　found　in　the　lair　of　the　dragon　Dracos　Icingdeath；　the　blade　that　had　been　forged　as　a　bane　to　creatures　of　fire。

　　　The　scimitar　was　hungry；　Drizzt　had　not　felt　such　an　urge　from　it　since　。。。

　　　He　parried　the　first　attack　and　groaned；　remembering　the　other　time　his　scimitar　had　revealed　its　hunger；　when　he　had　battled　the　balor　Errtu。　Drizzt　knew　what　this　meant。

　　　Baenre　had　brought　friends。



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　　　Catti…brie　fired　another　arrow；　straight　at　the　withered　old　matron　mother's　laughing　visage。　Again　the　enchanted　arrow　merely　erupted　into　a　pretty　display　of　useless　sparks。　The　young　woman　turned　to　flee；　as　Drizzt　had　ordered。　She　grabbed　her　father；　meaning　to　pull　him　along。

　　　Bruenor　wouldn't　budge。　He　looked　to　Baenre　and　knew　she　was　the　source。　He　looked　at　Baenre　and　convinced　himself　that　she　had　personally　killed　his　boy。　Then　Bruenor　looked　past　Baenre；　to　the　old　dwarf。　Somehow　Bruenor　knew　that　dwarf。　In　his　heart；　the　eighth　king　of　Mithril　Hall　recognized　the　patron　of　his　clan；　though　he　could　not　consciously　make　the　connection。

　　　〃Run！〃　Catti…brie　yelled　at　him；　taking　him　temporarily　from　his　thoughts。　Bruenor　glanced　at　her；　then　looked　behind；　back　down　the　tunnel。

　　　He　heard　fighting　in　the　distance；　from　somewhere　behind　them。

　　　Quenthel's　spell　went　off　then；　and　a　wall　of　fire　sprang　up　in　the　narrow　tunnel；　cutting　off　retreat。　That　didn't　bother　determined　Bruenor　much；　not　now。　He　shrugged　himself　free　of　Catti…brie's　hold　and　turned　back　to　face　Baenre梚n　his　own　mind；　to　face　the　evil　dark　elf　who　had　killed　his　boy。

　　　He　took　a　step　forward。

　　　Baenre　laughed　at　him。



　　　*****



　　　Drizzt　parried　and　struck；　then；　using　the　cover　of　the　darkness　globe；　quick…stepped　to　the　side；　too　quickly　for　the　dark　elf　ing　in　at　his　back　to　realize　the　shift。　She　bored　in　and　struck　hard；　hitting　the　same　drow　that　Drizzt　had　just　wounded；　finishing　her。

　　　Hearing　the　movement；　Drizzt　came　right　back；　both　his　blades　whirling。　To　the　female's　credit；　she　registered　the　countering　move　in　time　to　parry　the　first　attack；　the　second　and　the　third；　even　the　fourth。

　　　But　Drizzt　did　not　relent。　He　knew　his　fury　was　a　dangerous　thing。　There　remained　one　more　enemy　in　the　darkness　globe；　and　for　Drizzt　to　press　against　a　single　opponent　so　forcefully　left　him　vulnerable　to　the　other。　But　the　ranger　knew；　too；　that　his　friends　sorely　needed　him；　that　every　moment　he　spent　engaged　with　these　warriors　gave　the　powerful　priestesses　time　to　destroy　them　all。

　　　The　ranger's　fifth　attack；　a　wide…arcing　left；　was　cleanly　picked　off；　as　was　the　sixth；　a　straightforward　right　thrust。　Drizzt　pressed　hard；　would　not　relinquish　the　offensive。　He　knew；　and　the　female　knew；　that　her　only　hope　would　be　in　her　lone　remaining　ally。

　　　A　stifled　scream；　followed　by　the　growl　of　a　panther　ended　that　hope。

　　　Drizzt's　fury　increased；　and　the　female　continued　to　fall　back；　stumbling　now　in　the　darkness；　suddenly　afraid。　And　in　that　moment　of　fear；　she　banged　her　head　hard　against　a　low　stalactite；　an　obstacle　her　keen　drow　senses　should　have　detected。　She　shook　off　the　blow　and　managed　to　straighten　her　posture；　throwing　one　sword　out　in　front　to　block　another　of　the　ranger's　furious　thrusts。

　　　She　missed。

　　　Drizzt　didn't；　and　Twinkle　split　the　fine　drow　armor　and　dove　deep　into　the　female's　lung。

　　　Drizzt　yanked　the　blade　free　and　spun　about。

　　　His　darkness　globe　went　away　abruptly；　dispelled　by　the　magic　of　the　waiting　tanar'ri。



　　　*****



　　　Bruenor　took　another　step；　then　broke　into　a　run。　Catti…brie　screamed；　thinking　him　dead；　as　a　line　of　fire　came　down　on　him。

　　　Furious；　frustrated；　the　young　woman　fired　her　bow　again；　and　more　harmless　sparks　exploded　in　the　air。　Through　the　tears　of　outrage　that　welled　in　her　blue　eyes　she　hardly　noticed　that　Bruenor　had　shrugged　off　the　stinging　hit　and　broke　into　a　full　charge　again。

　　　Bladen'Kerst　stopped　the　dwarf；　enacting　a　spell　that　surrounded　Bruenor　in　a　huge　block　of　magical；　translucent　goo。　Bruenor　continued　to　move；　but　so　slowly　as　to　be　barely　perceptible；　while　the　three　drow　priestesses　laughed　at　him。

　　　Catti…brie　fired　again；　and　this　time　her　arrow　hit　the　block　of　goo；　diving　in　several　feet　before　stopping　and　hanging　uselessly　in　place　above　her　father's　head。

　　　Catti…brie　looked　to　Bruenor；　to　Drizzt　and　the　horrid；　twelve…foot　fiend　that　had　appeared　to　the　right；　and　to　Regis；　groaning　and　trying　to　crawl　at　her　left。　She　felt　the　heat　as　fires　raged　in　the　tunnel　behind　her；　heard　the　continuing　battle　back；　that　way　which　she　did　not　understand。

　　　They　needed　a　break；　a　turn　in　the　tide；　and　Catti…brie　thought　she　saw　it　then；　and　a　moment　of　hope　came　to　her