精灵血脉四部曲-第27部分

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e　other　door；　too；　offered　no　hope；　for　it　opened　immediately　with　the　onset　of　motion；　the　drider　Dinin　leading　the　drow　charge　into　the　room。

The　chamber　flashed　bright　with　magical　light；　groans　erupted　from　every　corner。　A　silver…streaking　arrow　sizzled　in　through　the　blasted　portal；　catching　the　same　unfortunate　dark　elf　in　midstep　as　he　rose　from　beneath　the　blasted　door。　It　hurtled　him　backward　against　the　far　wall；　where　he　stuck　in　place；　arrow　through　chest　and　stone。

〃Guenhwyvar！〃

Drizzt　could　not　wait　and　see　if　his　call　to　the　panther　had　been　heard；　could　not　wait　for　anything　at　all。　He　rushed　for　the　alcove；　the　single　drow　holding　guard　near　it　raising　his　weapons　in　surprised　defense。

Vierna　cried　out；　Drizzt　felt　a　dagger　cut　into　his　wide…flying　cloak　and　knew　it　was　hanging　just　an　inch　from　his　thigh。　Straight　ahead　he　ran；　dipping　one　shoulder　at　the　last　moment　as　though　he　meant　to　dive　sidelong。

The　drow　guard　dipped　right　along　with　him；　but　Drizzt　came　back　up　straight　before　his　adversary；　his　scimitars　crossing　high；　at　neck　level。

The　guarding　drow　couldn't　get　his　sword　and　dirk　up　fast　enough　to　deflect　the　lightning…fast　attack；　couldn't　reverse　his　momentum　and　fall　back　to　the　side　out　of　harm's　way。

Drizzt's　fine…edged　weapons　crossed　over　his　throat。

Drizzt　winced；　tucked　his　bloodied　blades　in　close　and　dove　headlong　for　the　cloth；　hoping　that　there　was　indeed　an　opening　under　it　and　hoping　that　it　was　a　chute；　not　a　straight　drop。



Chapter　14

Overmatched



Thibbledorf　Pwent　rushed　along　a　side　passage；　running　parallel　and　twenty　feet　to　the　right　of　the　tunnel　where　he　had　split　from　his　panions　to　go　out　on　a　prudent　flanking　maneuver。　He　heard　the　crash　of　the　warhammer…blasted　door；　the　sizzle　of　Catti…brie's　arrows；　and　cries　from　several　places；　even　a　growl　or　two；　and　cursed　his　luck　for　being　caught　out　of　fun's　way。

Torch　leading；　the　battlerager　eagerly　spun　around　a　sharp　left…hand　corner；　hoping　to　get　back　with　the　others　before　the　fighting　was　through。　He　pulled　up　short；　considering　a　curious　figure；　apparently　as　surprised　to　see　him　as　he　was　to　see　it。

〃Hey；　now；〃　the　battlerager　asked；　〃is　yerself　Bruenor's　pet　drow？〃

Pwent　watched　the　slender　elf's　hand　e　up　and　heard　the　〃click〃　as　a　hand…held　crossbow　fired；　the　quarrel　striking　Pwent's　sturdy　armor　and　slipping　through　one　of　the　many　cracks　to　draw　a　drop　of　blood　on　the　dwarf's　shoulder。

〃Guess　not！〃　the　happy　Pwent　cried；　charging　wildly　with　every　word　and　tossing　his　torch　aside。　He　dipped　his　head；　putting　his　helmet　spike　in　line；　and　the　dark　elf；　seeming　amazed　at　the　sheer　viciousness　of　this　one's　attack；　fumbled　to　get　his　sword　out　and　ready。

Pwent；　barely　able　to　see　but　fully　expecting　the　defense；　whipped　his　head　from　side　to　side　as　he　neared　the　target；　parrying　the　sword　away。　He　stood　up　straight　again　without　slowing　and　launched　himself　at　his　opponent；　barreling　into　the　stunned　dark　elf　with　abandon。

They　crashed　against　the　wall；　the　drow　still　holding　his　balance；　and　holding　Pwent　up　in　the　air；　not　knowing　what　to　make　of　this　unusual；　hugging　battle　style。

The　dark　elf　shook　his　sword　hand　free；　while　Pwent　simply　began　to　shake；　his　sharp…ridged　armor　digging　lines　in　the　drow's　chest。　The　elf　squirmed　frantically；　his　own　desperate　actions　only　aiding　the　battlerager's　convulsive　attack。　Pwent　freed　one　arm　and　punched　wildly；　glove　nail　poking　holes　in　the　smooth　ebony　skin。　The　dwarf　kneed　and　elbowed；　bit　the　drow　on　the　nose；　and　punched　him　in　the　side。

〃Aaaaaargh！〃　The　growling　scream　erupted　all　the　way　from　Pwent's　belly；　reverberating　unsteadily　from　his　flapping　lips　as　he　furiously　whipped　himself　about。　He　felt　the　warmth　of　his　enemy's　flowing　blood；　the　sensation　only　driving　him；　driving　the　most　wild　battlerager；　to　further　heights　of　ferocity。

〃Aaaaaargh！〃

The　drow　went　down　in　a　heap；　Pwent　atop　him；　still　convulsing　wildly。　In　a　few　moments；　his　enemy　no　longer　squirmed；　but　Pwent　did　not　relinquish　his　advantage。

〃Ye　sneaky　elven　thing！〃　he　roared；　repeatedly　slamming　his　forehead　into　the　dark　elf's　face。

Quite　literally；　the　battlerager；　with　his　sharpened　armor　and　spiked　joints；　shook　the　unfortunate　drow　apart。

Pwent　finally　let　go　and　hopped　to　his　feet；　pulling　the　limp　body　to　a　sitting　position　and　leaving　it　slumped　against　the　wall。　The　battlerager　felt　the　pain　in　his　back　and　realized　that　the　drow's　sword　had　hit　him　at　least　once。　Of　more　concern；　though；　was　the　numbness　flowing　down　Pwent's　arm；　poison　spreading　from　the　crossbow　wound。　Rage　mounting　once　more；　Pwent　dipped　his　pointy　helmet；　scraped　a　boot　across　the　stone　several　times　for　traction；　and　rushed　ahead；　spearing　the　already　dead　foe　through　the　chest。

When　he　jumped　back　this　time；　the　dead　drow　toppled　to　the　floor；　warm　blood　spreading　out　under　the　body's　ripped　torso。

〃Hope　ye　wasn't　Bruenor's　pet　drow；〃　the　battlerager　remarked；　suddenly　realizing　that　the　whole　incident　might　have　been　an　honest　mistake。　〃Oh；　well；　can't　be　helped　now！〃



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Cobble；　magically　inspecting　for　traps　ahead；　instinctively　winced　as　another　arrow　zipped　past　his　shoulder；　its　silver　shine　diminishing　into　the　brightly　lit　chamber　beyond。　The　dwarven　cleric　forced　himself　back　to　his　work；　wanting　to　be　done　quickly；　that　he　might　loose　the　charge　of　Bruenor　and　the　others。

A　crossbow　quarrel　dove　into　his　leg；　but　the　cleric　wasn't　too　concerned　about　its　buglike　sting　or　its　poison；　for　he　had　placed　enchantments　upon　himself　to　slow　the　drug's　effects。　Let　the　dark　elves　hit　him　with　a　dozen　such　bolts；　it　would　be　hours　before　Cobble　fell　to　sleep。

His　scan　of　the　corridor　plete；　with　no　immediate　traps　discerned；　Cobble　called　back　to　others；　who　were　impatient　and　already　moving　toward　him。　When　the　cleric　looked　back；　though；　in　the　dim　light　emanating　from　the　enemies'　chamber；　he　noticed　something　curious　across　the　floor：　metallic　shavings。

〃Iron？〃　he　whispered。　Instinctively　his　hand　went　into　his　bulging　pouch；　filled　with　enchanted　pebble　bombs；　and　he　went　into　a　defensive　crouch；　holding　his　free　hand　out　behind　him　to　warn　the　others　back。

When　he　focused　within　the　general　din　of　the　sudden　battle；　he　heard　a　female　draw　voice；　chanting；　spell…casting。

The　dwarf's　eyes　widened　in　horror。　He　turned　back；　yelling　for　his　friends　to　be　gone；　to　run　away。　He；　too；　tried　to　run；　his　boots　slipping　across　the　smooth　stone；　so　fast　did　his　little　legs　begin　to　move。

He　heard　the　drow　spell…caster's　crescendo。

The　iron　shavings　immediately　became　an　iron　wall；　unsupported　and　angled；　and　it　fell　over　poor　Cobble。

There　came　a　great　gush　of　wind；　the　great　explosion　of　tons　of　iron　slamming　against　the　stone　floor；　and　flying　spurts　of　pressure…squeezed　blood　and　gore　whipped　back　into　the　faces　of　the　three　stunned　panions。　A　hundred　small　explosions；　a　hundred　tiny　sparkling　bursts；　rang　hollowly　under　the　collapsed　iron　wall。

〃Cobble；〃　Catti…brie　breathed　helplessly。

The　magical　light　in　the　distant　chamber　went　away。　A　ball　of　darkness　appeared　just　outside　the　chamber　door；　blocking　the　end　of　the　passageway。　A　second　ball　of　darkness　came　up；　just　ahead　of　the　first；　and　a　third　after　that；　covering　the　back　edge　of　the　fallen　iron　wall。

〃Get　charging！〃　Thibbledorf　Pwent　cried　at　them；　ing　back　into　the　corridor　and　rushing　past　his　hesitating　friends。

A　ball　of　darkness　appeared　right　in　front　of　the　battlerager；　stopping　him　short。　Hand　crossbow　after　hand　crossbow　clicked　unseen　behind　the　blackness；　sending　stinging　little　darts　whipping　out。

〃Back！〃　Bruenor　cried。　Catti…brie　loosed　another　arrow；　Pwent；　hit　a　dozen　times；　began　to　slump　to　the　stone。　Wulfgar　grabbed　him　by　the　helmet　spike　and　started　away　after　the　red…bearded　dwarf。

〃Drizzt；〃　Catti…brie　moaned　quietly。　She　dropped　low　to　one　knee；　firing　another　arrow　and　another　after　that；　hoping　that　her　friend　would　not　e　running　out　of　the　room　into　danger's　path。

A　quarrel；　oozing　poison；　clicked　against　her　bow　and　bounced　harmlessly　wide。

She　could　not　stay。

She　fired　one　more　time；　then　turned　and　ran　after　her　father　and　the　others；　away　from　the　friend　she　had　e　to　rescue。



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Drizzt　fell　a　dozen　feet；　slammed　against　the　sloping　side　of　the　chute；　and　careened　along　a　winding　and　swiftly　descending　way。　He　held　tightly　to　his　scimitars；　his　greatest　fear　was　that　one　of　them　would　get　away　from　him　and　wind　up　cutting　him　in　half　as　he　bounced　along。

He　did　a　plete　loop；　managed　to　somersault　to　put　his　feet　out　in　front　of　him；　but　inadvertently　got　turned　back　around　at　the　next　vertical　drop；　the　ending　slam　nearly　knocking　him　unconscious。

Just　as　he　thought　he　was　gaining　control；　was　about　to　turn　himself　about　once　more；　the　chute　opened　up　diagonally　into　a　lower　passageway。　Drizzt　rifled　out；　though　he　kept　the　presence　of　mind　to　hurl　his　scimitars　to　their　respective　sides；　clear　of　his　tumbling　body。

He　hit　the　floor　hard；　rolled　across；　and　slammed　his　lower　back　into　a　jutting　boulder。

Drizzt　Do'Urden　lay　very　still。

He　did　not　consider　the　pain—fast　changing　to　numbness—in　his　legs；　he　did　not　inspect　the　many　scrapes　and　bruises　the　tumbling　ride　had　given　him。　He　did　not　even　think　of　Entreri；　and　at　that　agonizing　moment；　one　notion　overruled　even　the　loyal　dark　elf's　pelling　fears　for　his　friends。

He　had　broken　his　vow。

When　young　Drizzt　had　left　Menzoberranzan；　after　killing　Masoj　Hun'ett；　a　fellow　dark　elf；　he　had　vowed　that　he　would　never　again　kill　a　drow。　That　vow　had　held　up；　even　when　his　family　had　e　after　him　in　the　wilds　of　the　Underdark；　even　when　he　had　battled　his　eldest　sister。　Zaknafein's　death　had　been　fresh　in　his　mind　and　his　desire　to　kill　the　wicked　Briza　as　great　as　any　desire　he　had　ever　felt。　Half　mad　from　grief；　and　from　ten　years　of　surviving　in　the　merciless　wilds；　Drizzt　still　had　managed　to　hold　to　his　vow。

But　not　now。　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　he　had　killed　the　guardsman　at　the　top　of　the　chute；　his　scimitars　had　cut　fine　lines；　a　perfect　X　across　the　dark　elf's　throat。

It　had　been