精灵血脉四部曲-第169部分

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　　　The　succubus　waited　and　leaped　away；　running　for　the　ledge　and　then　flying　off　of　it；　shrieking　all　the　while。　Errtu's　lightning　hit　her　in　the　back　and　sent　her　spinning；　and　she　was　far　below　the　edge　of　the　ridge　before　she　regained　control。

　　　Back　on　the　ledge；　Errtu　gave　her　not　another　thought。　The　balor　was　thinking　of　his　prisoner；　always　of　his　prisoner。　He　enjoyed　tormenting　the　wretch；　but　had　to　continually　sublimate　his　bestial　urges。　He　could　not　destroy　this　one；　could　not　break　him　too　far；　else　the　victim　would　hold　no　value　for　the　balor。　This　was　but　one　being；　and　measured　against　the　promise　of　freedom　to　walk　again　on　the　Prime　Material　Plane；　that　did　not　seem　so　much。

　　　Only　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　the　renegade　dark　elf；　the　one　who　had　banished　Errtu　to　a　hundred　years　in　the　Abyss；　could　grant　that　freedom。　The　drow　would　do　that；　Errtu　believed；　in　exchange　for　the　wretch。

　　　Errtu　turned　his　horned；　apelike　head　to　look　over　one　massive　shoulder。　The　fires　that　surrounded　the　balor　burned　low　now；　simmering　as　was　Errtu's　rage。　Patience；　the　balor　reminded　himself。　The　wretch　was　valuable　and　had　to　be　preserved。

　　　The　time　was　ing；　Errtu　knew。　He　would　speak　with　Drizzt　Do'Urden　before　another　year　had　passed　on　the　Material　Plane。　Errtu　had　made　contact　with　the　witch；　and　she　would　deliver　his　message。

　　　Then　the　balor；　one　of　the　true　tanar'ri；　among　the　greatest　denizens　of　the　lower　planes；　would　be　free。　Then　Errtu　could　destroy　the　wretch；　could　destroy　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　and　could　destroy　every　being　that　loved　the　renegade　drow。

　　　Patience。



Part　1

WIND　AND　SPRAY



　　　Six　years。　Not　so　long　in　the　life　span　of　a　drow；　and　yet；　in　counting　the　months；　the　weeks；　the　days；　the　hours；　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　I　had　been　away　from　Mithril　Hall　a　hundred　times　that　number。　The　place　was　removed；　another　lifetime；　another　way　of　life；　a　mere　stepping　stone　to　。　。　。

　　　To　what？　To　where？

　　　My　most　vivid　memory　of　Mithril　Hall　is　of　riding　away　from　the　place　with　Catti…brie　at　my　side；　is　the　view　in　looking　back　over　the　plumes　of　smoke　rising　from　Settlestone　to　the　mountain　called　Fourthpeak。　Mithril　Hall　was　Bruenor's　kingdom；　Bruenor's　home；　and　Bruenor　was　among　the　most　dear　of　friends　to　me。　But　it　was　not　my　home；　had　never　been　so。

　　　I　couldn't　explain　it　then；　and　still　cannot。　All　should　have　been　well　there　after　the　defeat　of　the　invading　drow　army。　Mithril　Hall　shared　prosperity　and　friendship　with　all　of　the　neighboring　munities；　was　part　of　an　assortment　of　kingdoms　with　the　power　to　protect　their　borders　and　feed　their　poor。

　　　All；　of　that；　but　still　Mithril　Hall　was　not　home。　Not　for　me；　and　not　for　Catti…brie。　Thus　had　we　taken　to　the　road；　riding　west　to　the　coast；　to　Waterdeep。

　　　I　never　argued　with　Catti…brie梩hough　she　had　certainly　expected　me　to梒oncerning　her　decision　to　leave　Mithril　Hall。　We　were　of　like　minds。　We　had　never　really　set　down　our　hearts　in　the　place；　we　had　been　too　busy；　in　defeating　the　enemies　who　ruled　there；　in　reopening　the　dwarven　mines；　in　traveling　to　Menzoberranzan　and　in　battling　the　dark　elves　who　had　e　to　Mithril　Hall。　All　that　pleted；　it　seemed　time　to　settle；　to　rest；　to　tell　and　to　lengthen　tales　of　our　adventures。　If　Mithril　Hall　had　been　our　home　before　the　battles；　we　would　have　remained。　After　the　battles；　after　the　losses　。　。　。　for　both　Catti…brie　and　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　it　was　too　late。　Mithril　Hall　was　Bruenor's　place；　not　ours。　It　was　the　war…scarred　place　where　I　had　to　again　face　the　legacy　of　my　dark　heritage。　It　was　the　beginning　of　the　road　that　had　led　me　back　to　Menzoberranzan。

　　　It　was　the　place　where　Wulfgar　had　died。

　　　Catti…brie　and　I　vowed　that　we　would　return　there　one　day；　and　so　we　would；　for　Bruenor　was　there；　and　Regis。　But　Catti…brie　had　seen　the　truth。　You　can　never　get　the　smell　of　blood　out　of　the　stones。　If　you　were　there　when　that　blood　was　spilled；　the　continuing　aroma　evokes　images　too　painful　to　live　beside。

　　　Six　years；　and　I　have　missed　Bruenor　and　Regis；　Stumpet　Rakingclaw；　and　even　Berkthgar　the　Bold；　who　rules　Settlestone。　I　have　missed　my　journeys　to　wondrous　Silverymoon；　and　watching　the　dawn　from　one　of　Fourthpeak's　many　rocky　perches。　I　ride　the　waves　along　the　Sword　Coast　now；　the　wind　and　spray　in　my　face。　My　ceiling　is　the　rush　of　clouds　and　the　canopy　of　stars；　my　floor　is　the　creaking　boards　of　a　swift；　well…weathered　ship；　and　beyond　that；　the　azure　blanket；　flat　and　still；　heaving　and　rolling；　hissing　in　the　rain　and　exploding　under　the　fall　of　a　breaching　whale。

　　　Is　this　my　home？　I　know　not。　Another　stepping　stone；　I　would　guess；　but　whether　there　really　is　a　road　that　would　lead　me　to　a　place　called　home；　I　do　not　know。

　　　Nor　do　I　think　about　it　often；　because　I've　e　to　realize　that　I　do　not　care。　If　this　road；　this　series　of　stepping　stones；　leads　nowhere；　then　so　be　it。　I　walk　the　road　with　friends；　and　so　I　have　my　home。

　　　桪rizzt　Do'Urden



Chapter　1

THE　SEA　SPRITE



　　　Drizzt　Do'Urden　stood　on　the　very　edge　of　the　beam；　as　far　forward　as　he　could　go；　one　hand　grasping　tight　the　guide　rope　of　the　flying　jib。　This　ship　was　a　smooth　runner；　perfect　in　balance　and　ballast　and　with　the　best　of　crews；　but　the　sea　was　rough　this　day　and　the　Sea　Sprite　cut　and　bounced　through　the　rolls　at　full　sail；　throwing　a　heavy　spray。

　　　Drizzt　didn't　mind。　He　loved　the　feel　of　the　spray　and　the　wind；　the　smell　of　the　brine。　This　was　freedom；　flying；　skimming　the　water；　skipping　the　waves。　Drizzt's　thick　white　hair　flipped　in　the　breeze；　billowing　like　his　green　cape　behind　him；　drying　almost　as　fast　as　the　water　wetted　it。　Splotches　of　white　caked　salt　could　not　lessen　the　luster　of　his　ebony　skin；　which　glistened　with　wetness。　His　violet　eyes　sparkled　with　joy　as　he　squinted　at　the　horizon　and　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　the　sails　of　the　ship　they　pursued。

　　　Pursued　and　would　catch；　Drizzt　knew；　for　there　was　no　ship　north　of　Baldur's　Gate　that　could　outrun　Captain　Deudermont's　Sea　Sprite。　She　was　a　three…masted　schooner；　new　in　design；　light　and　sleek　and　full　of　sail。　The　square…rigged　caravel　they　were　chasing　could　put　up　a　fair　run　in　a　straight　line；　but　anytime　the　bulkier　vessel　altered　its　course　even　the　slightest　bit；　the　Sea　Sprite　could　angle　inside　it；　gaining　ground。　Always　gaining　ground。

　　　That　was　what　she　was　meant　to　do。　Built　by　the　finest　engineers　and　wizards　of　Waterdeep；　funded　by　the　lords　of　that　city；　the　schooner　was　a　pirate　chaser。　How　thrilled　Drizzt　had　been　to　discover　the　good　fortunes　of　his　old　friend；　Deudermont；　with　whom　he　had　sailed　all　the　way　from　Waterdeep　to　Calimshan　in　pursuit　of　Artemis　Entreri　when　the　assassin　had　captured　Regis　the　halfling。　That　journey；　particularly　the　fight　in　Asavir's　Channel　when　Captain　Deudermont　had　won梬ith　no　small　help　from　Drizzt　and　his　panions梐gainst　three　pirate　ships；　including　the　flagship　of　the　notorious　Pinochet；　had　caught　the　attention　of　sailors　and　merchants　all　along　the　Sword　Coast。　When　the　Lords　of　Waterdeep　had　pleted　this　schooner；　they　had　offered　it　to　Deudermont。　He　loved　his　little　two…master；　the　original　Sea　Sprite；　but　no　seaman　could　resist　this　new　beauty。　Deudermont　had　accepted　a　mission　in　their　service　and；　they　had　granted　him　the　right　to　name　the　vessel　and　allowed　him　to　handpick　his　crew。

　　　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　had　arrived　in　Waterdeep　sometime　after　that。　When　the　Sea　Sprite　next　put　in　to　the　grand　harbor　of　the　seaport；　and　Deudermont　found　his　old　friends；　he　promptly　made　room　for　them　among　his　crew　of　forty。　That　was　six　years　and　twenty…seven　voyages　ago。　Among　those　who　monitored　the　shipping　lanes　of　the　Sword　Coast；　particularly　among　the　pirates　themselves；　the　schooner　had　bee　a　scourge。　Thirty…seven　victories；　and　still　she　sailed。

　　　Now　number　thirty…eight　was　in　sight。

　　　The　caravel　had　noticed　them；　from　too　far　away　to　see　the　flag　of　Waterdeep。　That　hardly　mattered；　for　no　other　ship　in　the　region　carried　the　distinctive　design　of　the　Sea　Sprite；　the　three　masts　of　billowing　triangular；　lateen　sails。　Up　came　the　caravel's　square　rigs；　and　so　the　chase　was　on　in　full。

　　　Drizzt　was　at　the　point；　one　foot　on　the　lion…headed　ram；　loving　every　second。　He　felt　the　sheer　power　of　the　sea　bucking　beneath　him；　felt　the　spray　and　the　wind。　He　heard　the　music；　loud　and　strong；　for　several　of　the　Sea　Sprite's　crewmen　were　minstrels　and　whenever　the　chase　was　on；　they　took　up　their　instruments　and　played　rousing　songs。

　　　〃Two　thousand！〃　Catti…brie　yelled　down　from　the　crow's　nest。　It　was　a　measure　of　the　distance　yet　to　gain。　When　her　estimate　got　down　to　five　hundred；　the　crew　would　move　to　their　battle　posts；　three　going　to　the　large　ballista　mounted　on　a　pivot　atop　the　flying　deck　in　the　Sea　Sprite's　stern；　two　going　to　the　smaller；　swiveling　crossbows　mounted　to　the　forward　corners　of　the　bridge。　Drizzt　would　join　Deudermont　at　the　helm；　coordinating　the　close　bat。　The　drow's　free　hand　slipped　to　the　hilt　of　one　of　his　scimitars　at　the　thought。　The　Sea　Sprite　was　a　vicious　foe　from　a　distance。　It　had　crack　archers；　a　skilled　ballista　team；　a　particularly　nasty　wizard；　an　evoker　full　of　fireballs　and　lightning　bolts；　and　of　course；　Catti…brie　with　her　deadly　bow；　Taulmaril　the　Heartseeker。　But　it　was　in　close；　when　Drizzt　and　his　panther　panion桮uenhwyvar梐nd　the　other　skilled　warriors　could　get　across；　that　the　Sea　Sprite　was　truly　deadly。

　　　〃Eighteen　hundred！〃　came　Catti…brie's　next　call。　Drizzt　nodded　at　the　confirmation　of　their　speed；　though　the　gain　was　truly　startling。　The　Sea　Sprite　was　running　faster　than　ever。　Drizzt　had　to　wonder　if　her　keel　was　even　getting　wet！

　　　The　drow　dropped　a　hand　into　his　pouch；　feeling　for　the　magical　figurine　that　he　used　to　summon　the　panther　from　the　Astral　Plane；　wondering　if　he　should　even　call　to　Guenhwyvar　this　time。　The　panther　had　been　aboard　for　much　of　the　last　week；　hunting　the　hundreds　of　rats　that　threatened　the　ship's　food　stores；　and　was　likely　exhausted。

　　　〃Only　if　I　need　you；　my　friend；〃　Drizzt　whispered。　The　Sea　Sprite　cut　hard　to　starboard　and　Drizzt　had　to　take　up　the　guide　rope　in　both　hands。　He　steadied