精灵血脉四部曲-第19部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



The　axe　came　down　curiously—flat　end　leading；　Drizzt　noted—forcing　Drizzt　to　parry。　He　expected　to　hear　the　click　of　a　firing　crossbow；　but　Drizzt　heard　instead　a　muffled　groan　as　six　hundred　pounds　of　black　panther　｜　buried　his　dark　elf　attacker。

Drizzt　slapped　the　axe　aside　with　one　blade；　then　the　other；　buying　himself　enough　time　to　get　out　the　rest　of　the　way。　He　came　up；　instinctively　spinning　away　from　the　J　drider；　just　in　time　to　get　his　weapons　up　to　block　a　sword　thrust　from　the　closest　drow　enemy。

〃Drop　your　weapons　and　it　will　go　easier　on　you！〃　the；　drow；　holding　two　fine　swords；　cried　in　a　language　that　Drizzt　had　not　heard　in　more　than　a　decade；　a　language　that　sent　images　of　beautiful；　twisted；　terrible　Menzoberranzan　flowing　back　into　his　mind。　How　many　tunes　had　Zaknafein；　his　father；　stood　before　him；　similarly　armed；　awaiting　their　inevitable　sparring　tournament？

A　growl　that　he　was　not　even　cognizant　of　escaped　Drizzt's　lips；　he　went　into　a　series　of　offensive　binations　that　left　his　opponent　dazzled　and　off　balance　in　a　split　second。　A　scimitar　came　in　low　to　the　side；　the　second　came　in　high；　straight　ahead；　and　the　first　chopped　in　again；　angled　downward　at　shoulder　level。

The　enemy　drow's　eyes　widened　as　if　he　had　suddenly　realized　his　doom。

Guenhwyvar　shot　by　them　both；　hit　the　drider　full　on；　and　went　tumbling　in　a　black　ball　of　raking　claws　and　flailing　spider　legs。

More　dark　elves　were　ing；　Drizzt　knew；　from　farther　ahead　and　from　the　side　passage。　Drizzt's　fury　did　not　relent。　Twinkle　and　his　other　blade　worked　fiercely；　preventing　the　other　drow　from　beginning　an　offensive　counter。

He　found　an　opening　level　with　the　drow's　neck　but　had　no　heart　for　a　kill。　This　was　no　goblin　he　faced；　but　a　drow；　one　of　his　own　race；　one　like　Zaknafein；　perhaps。　Drizzt　remembered　a　vow　he　had　made　when　he　had　left　the　dark　elf　city。　Ignoring　the　opening　for　the　drow's　neck；　he　whipped　his　blade　low　instead；　banging　one　of　his　opponent's　swords。　Twinkle　followed　the　attack　immediately；　slamming　at　the　same　sword；　then　Drizzt's　first　blade　whipped　back　the　other　way；　hitting　the　weapon　on　the　opposite　side　and　sending　the　battered　thing　flying　away。　The　evil　drow　fell　back；　then　came　in　low；　hoping　to　counter　quickly　enough　with　his　remaining　sword　to　push　Drizzt　back；　that　he　might　recover　his　lost　weapon。

A　blinding　backhand　from　Twinkle　sent　that　remaining　sword　flying　out　wide；　and　Drizzt；　never　doubting　the　effectiveness　of　his　strike；　was　moving　forward　before　Twinkle　ever　connected。

He　could　have　hit　the　drow　anywhere　he　chose；　including　a　dozen　critical　areas；　but　Drizzt　Do'Urden　recalled　again　the　vow　he　had　made　when　he　had　left　Menzoberranzan；　a　promise　to　himself　and　a　justification　of　his　departure；　that　he　would　never　again　take　the　life　of　one　of　his　people。

His　scimitar　jabbed　downward；　angling　in　above　his　opponent's　kneecap。　The　evil　drow　howled　and　fell　back；　rolling　to　the　stone　and　grasping　at　his　torn　joint。

Guenhwyvar　was　under　the　standing　drider；　the　muscles　of　the　panther's　flank　exposed　from　under　a　loose…hanging　piece　of　the　cat's　black…furred　skin。

〃Go；　Guenhwyvar！〃　Drizzt　shouted　as　he　ran　along　the　wall；　leaping　wildly；　hacking　away；　into　the　jumble　of　drider　legs　on　that　side。　He　heard　the　monstrosity　shriek　again　as　a　scimitar　blasted　deep　into　one　leg；　nearly　severing　it；　and　then　he　tumbled　free；　out　the　back　side。

Guenhwyvar　took　another　axe　hit　but　did　not　respond；　did　not　follow　Drizzt　or　counter　the　attack。

〃Guenhwyvar！〃　Drizzt　called；　and　the　panther's　head　turned　slowly　to　regard　him。　Drizzt　understood　the　panther's　delay　when　Guenhwyvar　flinched　several　more　times　from　continued　crossbow　hits。

Drizzt's　instincts　told　him　to　send　the　panther　away　before　any　more　punishment　could　be　leveled　upon　it—　but　he　did　not　have　the　figurine！

〃Guenhwyvar！〃　he　cried　again；　seeing　many　forms　closing　quickly　from　beyond　the　drider。　Truly　torn；　Drizzt　decided　to　rush　back　in　and　fight　beside　the　panther　to　the　bitter　end。

The　eight…legged　creature　hissed　victoriously　as　its　axe　lined　up　for　a　stroke　on　the　helpless　and　quivering　panther's　neck。　Down　came　the　blade；　but　it　hit　only　insubstantial　mist；　and　the　drider's　cry　turned　to　one　of　frustration。

〃e　on！〃　Drizzt　heard　Regis　say　behind　him。　The　ranger　understood　then　and　was　relieved。

But　then　the　drider　turned　on　him　fully；　and　for　the　first　time；　with　the　torchlight　returned　to　this　area　of　the　tunnel；　Drizzt　got　a　good　look　at　the　creature's　unnervingly　familiar　face。

He　had　not　the　time　to　stop　to　consider　it；　though。　He　swept　about；　exaggerating　the　movement　to　send　his　cloak　flying　wide　（and　it　took　yet　another　quarrel　that　had　been　diving　for　his　back）；　and　rushed　away。

The　corridor　darkened　immediately；　then　lightened　a　bit；　then　darkened　again；　as　Regis　went　into　and　through　the　two　globes　of　darkness。　Drizzt　dove　to　the　side　as　soon　as　he　went　into　the　cover　of　his　own　globe；　and　he　heard　a　quarrel　skip　off　the　stone　not　far　away。　In　full　stride；　he　caught　Regis　just　beyond　the　second　globe；　and　the　two　flew　past　the　dwarven　bodies；　cut　around　the　bend　in　the　corridor；　and　kept　on　running；　Drizzt　leading　the　way。

Chapter　10

In　The　Facets　of　a　Wondrous　Gem



Regis　and　Drizzt　pulled　up　in　a　small　side　chamber；　its　ceiling　relatively　clear　of　the　persistent　stalactites　mon　in　this　region　of　caves；　and　its　entryway　low　and　defensible。　〃Should　I　put　out　the　torch？〃　the　halfling　asked。　He　stood　behind　Drizzt　as　the　drow　crouched　in　front　of　the　entryway；　listening　for　sounds　of　movement　in　the　main　tunnel　beyond。

Drizzt　thought　for　a　long　moment；　then　shook　his　head；　knowing　that　it　really　did　not　matter；　that　he　and　Regis　had　no　chance　of　escaping　these　tunnels　without　further　confrontation。　Soon　after　they　had　fled　the　battle；　Drizzt　discovered　other　enemies　paralleling　them　down　side　corridors。　He　knew　the　dark　elf　hunting　techniques　well　enough　to　understand　that　the　trap　would　not　be　set　with　any　obvious　openings。

〃I　fight　better　in　the　light　than　my　kin；　I　would　guess；〃　Drizzt　reasoned。

〃At　least　it　wasn't　Entreri；〃　Regis　said　lightly；　and　Drizzt　thought　the　reference　to　the　assassin　a　strange　thing　indeed。　Would　that　it　were　Artemis　Entreri！　the　drow　mused。　At　least　then　he　and　Regis　would　not　be　surrounded　by　a　horde　of　drow　warriors！

〃You　did　well　in　dismissing　Guenhwyvar；〃　Drizzt　remarked。

〃Would　the　panther　have　died？〃　Regis　asked。

Drizzt　honestly　did　not　know　the　answer；　but　he　did　not　believe　that　Guenhwyvar　had　been　in　any　mortal　peril。　He　had　seen　the　panther　dragged　into　the　stone　by　a　creature　of　the　elemental　plane　of　earth　and　plunged　into　a　magically　created　lake　of　pure　acid。　Both　times　the　panther　had　returned　to　him　and　eventually　all　of　Guenhwyvar's　wounds　had　healed。

〃If　the　drow　and　the　drider　had　been　allowed　to　continue；〃　he　added；　〃it　is　likely　that　Guenhwyvar　would　have　needed　more　time　to　mend　wounds　on　the　Astral　Plane。　I　do　not　believe　the　panther　can　be　killed　away　from　its　home；　however；　not　as　long　as　the　figurine　survives。〃　Drizzt　looked　back　to　Regis；　sincere　gratitude　on　his　handsome　face。　〃You　did　well　in　sending　Guenhwyvar　away；　though；　for　certainly　the　panther　was　suffering　at　the　hands　of　our　enemies。〃

〃I'm　glad　Guenhwyvar　would　not　die；〃　Regis　mented　as　Drizzt　looked　back　to　the　entryway。　〃It　would　not　do　to　lose　so　valuable　a　magical　item。〃

Nothing　Regis　had　said　since　his　return　from　Calimport；　nothing　Regis　had　ever　said　to　Drizzt；　seemed　so　very　out　of　place。　No；　it　went　further　than　that；　Drizzt　decided　as　he　crouched　there；　stunned　by　his　halfling　panion's　callous　remark。　Guenhwyvar　and　Regis　had　been　more　than　panions；　had　been　friends；　for　many　years。　Regis　would　never　refer　to　Guenhwyvar　as　a　magical　item。

Suddenly；　it　all　began　to　make　sense　to　the　dark　elf：　the　halfling's　references　to　Artemis　Entreri　now；　back　with　the　dead　dwarves；　and　back　when　they　had　talked　of　what　had　happened　in　Calimport　after　Drizzt's　departure。　Now　Drizzt　understood　the　eager　way　in　which　Regis　measured　his　responses　to　remarks　about　the　assassin。

And　Drizzt　understood　the　viciousness　of　his　fight　with　Wulfgar—hadn't　the　barbarian　mentioned　that　it　was　Regis　who　had　told　him　about　Drizzt's　meeting　with　Catti…brie　outside　Mithril　Hall？

〃What　else　did　you　tell　Wulfgar？〃　Drizzt　asked；　not　turning　around；　not　flinching　in　the　least。　〃What　else　did　you　convince　him　of　with　that　ruby　pendant　that　hangs　about　your　neck？〃

The　little　mace　skipped　noisily　across　the　floor　beside　the　drew；　ing　to　rest　several　feet　to　the　front　and　side　of　him。　Then　came　another　item；　a　mask　that　Drizzt　himself　had　worn　on　his　journey　to　the　southern　empires；　a　mask　that　had　allowed　Drizzt　to　alter　his　appearance　to　that　of　a　surface　elf。



*　*　*　*　*



Wulfgar　eyed　the　outrageous　dwarf　curiously；　not　quite　sure　what　to　make　of　this　unorthodox　battlerager。　Bruenor　had　introduced　Pwent　to　the　barbarian　just　a　minute　before；　and　Wulfgar　had　gotten　the　distinct　impression　that　Bruenor　wasn't　overly　fond　of　the　black…bearded；　smelly　dwarf。　The　dwarf　king；　to　take　his　seat　between　Cobble　and　Catti…brie；　had　then　rushed　across　the　audience　hall；　leaving　Wulfgar　awkwardly　standing　by　the　door。

Thibbledorf　Pwent；　though；　seemed　perfectly　at　ease。

〃You　are　a　warrior；　then？〃　Wulfgar　asked　politely；　hoping　to　find　some　mon　ground。

Pwent's　burst　of　laughter　mocked　him。　〃Warrior？〃　the　bawdy　dwarf　bellowed。　〃Ye　mean；　one　who's　for　fighting　with　honor？〃

Wulfgar　shrugged；　having　no　idea　of　where　Pwent　was　leading。

〃Is　yerself　a　warrior；　big　boy？〃　Pwent　asked。

Wulfgar　puffed　out　his　great　chest。　〃I　am　Wulfgar；　son　of　Beornegar。。。〃　he　began　somberly。

〃I　thinked　as　much；〃　Pwent　called　across　the　room　to　the　others。　〃And　if　ye　was　fighting　another；　and　he　tripped　on　his　way　in　and　dropped　his　weapon；　ye'd　stand　back　and　let　him　pick　it　up；　knowing　that　ye'd　win　the　fight　anyway；〃　Pwent　reasoned。

Wulfgar　shrugged；　the　answer　obvious。

〃Ye　realize　Pwent　will　surely　insult　the　boy；〃　Cobble；　leaning　on　the　arm　of　Bruenor's　chair；　whispered　to　the　dwarf　king。

〃Gold　against　silver　on　the　boy；　then；〃　Bruenor　offered