精灵血脉四部曲-第222部分

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　to　skid　hard　on　the　ice；　scattering　the　nearest　group　of　manes。　Guenhwyvar　could　have　made　short　work　of　those　horrid　creatures；　but　the　panther　knew　her　mission　and　went　at　it　with　single…minded　abandon。　With　Regis　holding　on　desperately　and　howling　in　terror；　Guenhwyvar　ran　on；　cutting　left　and　right；　dodging　manes　and　leaving　them　far　behind。　In　a　matter　of　seconds；　the　pair　went　over　a　ridge　and　came　down　into　an　empty　little　vale；　right　at　the　base　of　Cryshal…Tirith。　The　manes；　apparently　too　stupid　to　follow　prey　that　had　gone　out　of　sight；　did　not　e　in　fast　pursuit。

　　　〃I　have　to　be　insane；〃　Regis　whispered；　looking　again　at　the　crystal　tower　that　had　served　as　a　prison　to　him　when　Akar　Kessel　had　invaded　Icewind　Dale。　And　Kessel；　though　a　wizard；　was　but　a　man。　This　time　a　fiend；　a　great　and　powerful　balor；　controlled　the　crystal　shard！

　　　Regis　could　not　see　any　door　to　the　four…sided　tower；　as　he　knew　he　would　not。　An　added　defense　of　the　tower　was　that　Cryshal…Tirith's　entrance　was　not　visible　to　creatures　of　the　plane　of　existence　on　which　the　tower　stood；　with　the　single　exception　of　the　crystal　shard's　wielder。　Regis　could　not　see　the　door；　but　Guenhwyvar；　a　creature　of　the　Astral　Plane；　surely　could。

　　　Regis　hesitated；　managed　to　hold　Guenhwyvar　back　for　a　moment。　〃There　are　guards；〃　the　halfling　explained。　He　remembered　the　giant　and　powerful　trolls　that　had　been　in　the　last　Cryshal…Tirith；　and　imagined　what　monsters　Errtu　might　have　put　in　place。

　　　Even　as　he　spoke；　the　pair　heard　a　buzzing　sound　and　looked　up。　Regis　nearly　fainted　dead　away　as　a　chasme　swooped　over　the　ridge　and　bore　down　on　them。



*****



　　　Not　bothered　at　all　at　being　bonked　on　the　head；　Bruenor　got　his　axe　up　to　intercept　the　nipping　pincer。　The　dwarf　bolted　ahead；　or　at　least；　he　tried。　When　that　attack　didn't　work；　he　wisely　reversed　his　course　and　went　into　a　quick　tactical　retreat。

　　　〃Bigger　beastie；　bigger　target；〃　Bruenor　snarled；　straightening　the　one…horned　helmet　on　his　head。　He　whipped　his　axe　to　the　side；　knocking　back　a　pair　of　manes；　then　roared　and　charged　straight　in　at　Bizmatec；　showing　no　fear　whatsoever。

　　　The　four…armed　glabrezu　met　the　charge　with　a　pounding　half…claw　and　a　pair　of　punching　fists。　Bruenor　scored　a　hit；　but　got　slugged　twice　in　return。　Dazed；　the　dwarf　could　only　look　on　helplessly　as　the　fiend's　good　pincer　came　rushing　in　again。

　　　A　silver　streak　passed　right　by　the　dwarf；　the　arrow　hitting　the　fiend　in　his　massive　chest　and　driving　Bizmatec　back　a　staggering　step。

　　　There　was　Catti…brie；　in　the　water　still；　thrashing　about；　bobbing　high　so　that　she　could　bring　Taulmaril；　which　she　had　turned　sidelong；　free　of　the　water　long　enough　to　get　off　a　shot。　Firing　the　bow　at　all　was　amazing；　but　for　her　to　actually　hit　the　mark　。　。　。

　　　Bruenor　couldn't　understand　how　she　came　high　again；　impossibly　high；　until　the　dwarf　realized　that　Catti…brie　had　her　foot　on　a　submerged　piece　of　ice。　Up　she　went；　letting　fly　another　deadly　arrow。

　　　Bizmatec　howled　and　staggered　back　another　step。

　　　Catti…brie　howled；　too；　in　glee；　but　hers　was　not　a　sincere　cry。　She　was　glad　that　she　was　exacting　some　revenge　on　the　fiend；　and　glad　that　she　was　aiding　her　father；　but　she　could　not　deny　that　her　legs　were　already　numb；　that　her　shoulder　continued　to　bleed；　and　that　her　time　for　this　fight　was　not　long。　All　around　her；　the　black　and　cold　water　waited　impatiently；　a　prowling　animal　waiting　to　gobble　up　the　doomed　woman。

　　　Her　third　shot　missed　the　mark；　but　it　came　close　enough　so　that　Bizmatec　had　to　duck　suddenly。　The　fiend　twisted　and　bent　low；　then　his　eyes　widened　considerably　when　he　realized　that　he　had　just　put　his　forehead　in　perfect　alignment　with　Bruenor's　rushing　axe。

　　　The　explosion　dropped　Bizmatec　to　his　knees。　The　fiend　felt　the　fierce　yank　as　Bruenor　tore　his　axe　free。　Then　came　another　explosion　and　a　silver　streak　to　the　side　that　blasted　away　the　manes　that　were　trying　to　e　to　the　glabrezu's　aid。　Where　was　Errtu　now？　Then　came　a　third　hit；　and　the　world　was　swirling；　darkening；　as　the　spirit　of　Bizmatec　careened　along　the　corridor　that　would　take　him　back　to　the　Abyss　for　a　hundred　years　of　banishment。

　　　Bruenor　came　out　from　the　black　smoke；　all　that　remained　of　the　glabrezu；　with　renewed　abandon；　hacking　at　the　fast…thinning　ranks　of　manes；　working　his　way　to　Drizzt。　He　couldn't　actually　see　the　drow；　but　he　could　hear　the　ring　of　steel；　the　impossibly　fast　repetition　of　blade　striking　blade。

　　　He　did　manage　to　get　a　glimpse　of　Catti…brie；　and　his　heart　soared　with　hope；　for　his　daughter　had　somehow　splashed　her　way　over　to　the　same　ice　floe　that　bore　Stumpet。

　　　〃e　on；　dwarf；〃　Bruenor　muttered　intensely。　〃Find　yer　god　and　save　me　girl！〃

　　　Stumpet　didn't　move　as　Catti…brie　continued　to　flounder。　The　woman　was　too　engaged；　as　was　her　father；　to　notice　another　large　form　making　its　way　toward　the　battle；　moving　swiftly　and　gracefully　across　the　ice。



*****



　　　From　a　short　distance　back　within　the　cave　opening；　Errtu　watched　it　all　with　pure　enjoyment。　The　fiend　felt　no　loss　as　Bizmatec　was　pounded　away　into　nothingness；　cared　little　for　the　chasme；　and　nothing　at　all　for　the　manes。　Even　the　marilith；　in　such　desperate　bat　with　Drizzt；　merely　concerned　the　balor　because　Errtu　feared　that　she　might　kill　the　drow。　As　for　the　generals　and　his　soldiers；　they　were　replaceable；　easily　replaceable。　There　was　no　shortage　of　willing　fiends　waiting　eagerly　in　the　Abyss。

　　　So　let　the　panions　win　out　here　on　the　open　berg；　Errtu　figured。　Already　the　woman　was　out　of　the　fight；　and　the　dwarf　was　battered。　And　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　though　he　was　fighting　so　very　well；　was　surely　tiring。　By　the　time　Drizzt　got　into　the　cave；　he　would　likely　be　alone；　and　no　single　mortal；　not　even　a　drow　elf；　could　stand　up　to　the　mighty　balor。

　　　The　fiend　smiled　wickedly　and　watched　the　continuing　fight。　If　the　marilith　gained　too　much　of　an　advantage；　Errtu　would　have　to　intervene。



*****



　　　Crenshinibon　also　viewed　the　battle　with　great　interest。　The　crystal　shard；　intent　on　the　main　fight；　was　oblivious　to　the　enemies　who　had　e　to　Cryshal…Tirith's　doorstep。　Unlike　Errtu；　the　artifact　wanted　the　fight　done　with；　wanted　Drizzt　and　his　friends　simply　destroyed　before　they　ever　got　near　the　cave。　Crenshinibon　would　have　liked　to　send　out　another　line　of　fire梩he　drow　was　a　more　stationary　target　now；　locked　in　bat　as　he　was梑ut　the　first　such　attack　had　severely　weakened　the　shard。　The　encounter　with　the　antimagic　sapphire　had　taken　a　toll。　Crenshinibon　could　only　hope　the　damage　would　eventually　heal。

　　　For　now；　though　。　。　。

　　　The　wicked　artifact　found　a　way。　It　reached　out　telepathically　to　the　ring　Errtu　had　left　on　the　floor；　to　the　trapped　dwarf　held　within　that　gem　prison。

　　　On　the　ice　floe；　Stumpet　finally　moved；　and　Catti…brie；　not　understanding；　smiled　hopefully　when　she　noticed　the　priestess's　approach。



*****



　　　In　the　never…ending　wars　of　the　Abyss；　the　fiends　known　as　mariliths　have　a　reputation　as　generals；　as　the　finest　tacticians。　But　Drizzt　soon　realized　that　the　creature　with　seven　appendages　was　not　so　coordinated　in　her　movements。　The　marilith's　routines　did　not　vary；　simply　because　of　the　confusion　any　wielder　would　find　in　trying　to　coordinate　the　movements　of　six　separate　blades。

　　　And　so　the　drow　was　doing　better；　though　his　arms　tingled　with　numbness　from　the　sheer　number　of　parries　he　had　been　through。

　　　Left；　left；　then　right　went　Twinkle；　plimenting　the　up　and　down　movements　of　the　other　scimitar；　and　Drizzt　was　quick　to　jump　when　the　marilith's　tail；　predictably；　came　slashing　around。

　　　The　fiend　disappeared　once　more；　and　Drizzt　decided　to　spin　about。　The　marilith　expected　him　to　do　that；　he　realized；　and　so　he　came　straight　ahead　instead；　and　scored　a　vicious　hit　as　the　creature　reappeared；　exactly　where　she　had　just　been。

　　　〃Oh；　my　son；〃　the　marilith　said　unexpectedly；　falling　back。

　　　That　gave　Drizzt　pause；　but　he　was　still　in　a　ready　crouch；　still　able　to　double…slash　into　gas　the　two　manes　that　ventured　near。

　　　〃Oh；　my　son；〃　the　fiend　said　again；　in　a　voice　that　was　so　familiar　to　the　beleaguered　drow。　〃Can　you　not　see　through　the　disguise？〃　his　enemy　went　on。

　　　Drizzt　sucked　in　a　deep　breath；　trying　not　to　look　at　the　deep　and　bleeding　slash　he　had　put　across　the　marilith's　left　breast；　wondering　suddenly　if　he　had　struck　foolishly。

　　　〃It　is　Zaknafein；〃　the　creature　went　on。　〃A　trick　of　Errtu；　forcing　me　to　fight　against　you　。　。　。　as　Matron　Malice　did　with　Zin…carla！〃

　　　The　words　stunned　Drizzt　profoundly；　locked　his　feet　into　place。　His　knees　nearly　buckled　as　the　creature　gradually　shifted　shape；　went　from　a　six…armed　monstrosity　to　a　handsome　drow　male；　a　male　that　Drizzt　Do'Urden　knew　so　very　well。

　　　Zaknafein！

　　　〃Errtu　wants　you　to　destroy　me；〃　the　creature　said。　The　marilith　did　well　to　hide　a　snicker。　She　had　scoured　Drizzt's　thoughts　to　e　up　with　this　ploy；　and　had　followed　their　ensuing　course；　letting　Drizzt　lead；　every　step。　As　soon　as　she　had　proclaimed　this　to　be　a　trick　of　the　balor；　Drizzt　had　thought　of　Matron　Malice；　whoever　that　was；　and　of　Zin…carla；　whatever　that　was。　The　marilith　was　more　than　prepared　to　play　along。

　　　And　it　was　working！　Drizzt's　scimitars　sagged。　〃Fight　him；　my　father！〃　Drizzt　yelled。　〃Find　your　freedom；　as　you　did　from　Malice！〃

　　　〃He　is　strong；〃　the　marilith　replied。　〃He　。　。　。〃　The　creature　smiled；　her　two　remaining　weapons　dipping　low。　〃My　son！〃　came　the　soothing；　familiar　voice。

　　　Drizzt　nearly　swooned。　〃We　must　aid　the　dwarf；〃　he　started　to　say；　willing　to　believe　that　this　was　indeed　Zaknafein；　and　that　his　father　could　find　his　way　out　of　Errtu's　mental　clutches。

　　　Drizzt　was　willing　to　believe　that；　but　his　scimitar；　forged　to　destroy　such　creatures　of　fire；　most　certainly　was　not。　The　scimitar　could　not　〃see〃　the　marilith's　illusion；　could　not　hear　the　soothing　voice。

　　　Drizzt　actually　took　a　step　to　the　side；　toward　Bruenor；　when　he　recognized　the　continued　throbbing；　the　unrelenting　hunger；　of　that　blade。　He　took　another　step；　just　to　get　his　feet　properly　positioned；　and　then　h