精灵血脉四部曲-第36部分

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From　somewhere　ahead　there　came　the　sound　of　firing　crossbows；　followed　by　the　skip　of　quarrels　hitting　the　stone；　always　one　step　behind　the　dodging；　leaping　panther。

Guenhwyvar　veered　again　at　the　last　moment；　leaped；　and　turned　sidelong；　paws　running　along　the　vertical　wall　for　several　strides　before　the　panther　had　to　e　back　to　the　floor。　The　cat's　target；　the　high　ledge　on　the　right…hand　wall　was　now　in　sight；　and　Guenhwyvar　ran　full　out；　speeding　for　it　recklessly。

At　the　base；　in　full　stride；　and　apparently　soaring　toward　a　headfirst　collision；　the　panther's　muscles　subtly　shifted。　Guenhwyvar's　direction　change　was　almost　perpendicular；　the　panther　flying；　seeming　to　run；　straight　up　the　twenty…foot　expanse　to　the　ledge。

The　three　dark　elves　atop　the　ledge　could　not　have　expected　the　incredible　maneuver。　Two　fired　their　crossbows　Guenhwyvar's　way　and　fell　back　into　a　tunnel；　the　third；　having　the　misfortune　to　be　directly　in　the　leaping　panther's　path；　could　only　throw　his　arms　up　as　the　panther　fell　over　him。

Torches　flew　into　the　room；　lighting　the　battle　area；　followed　by　the　leading　charge　of　Bruenor；　flanked　on　his　right　by　Wulfgar　and　on　his　left　by　Thibbledorf　Pwent。　Catti…brie　quietly　filtered　in　behind　them；　slipping　to　the　side　along　the　same　general　course　Guenhwyvar　had　taken；　her　bow　readied　and　in　hand。

Again　the　crossbows　of　unseen　dark　elves　clicked；　and　all　of　the　leading　panions　took　hits。　Wulfgar　felt　the　venom　streaming　into　his　leg；　but　felt　the　tingling　burn　as　Pwent's　potent　potion　counteracted　its　sleepy　effects。　A　darkness　spell　fell　over　one　of　the　torches；　defeating　its　light；　but　Wulfgar　was　ready；　lighting　a　third　and　tossing　it　far　to　the　side。

Pwent　noticed　an　enemy　drow　in　the　tunnel　to　the　left；　and　off　he　went；　predictably；　roaring　with　every　charging　stride。

Bruenor　and　Wulfgar　slowed　but　kept　their　course　straight　across　the　room；　for　the　largest　tunnel　entrances　across　the　way。　The　barbarian　caught　sight　of　the　flicker　of　drow　eyes　along　the　remaining　ledge；　farther　ahead　and　above　the　tunnels。　He　stopped；　twirled；　and　heaved　his　warhammer　with　a　cry　to　his　god。　Aegis…fang　went　in　low；　crushing　the　lip　of　the　walkway；　smashing　stone　apart。　One　dark　elf　leaped　away　to　another　point　on　the　long　ledge；　the　other　tumbled　down；　his　leg　blasted；　and　barely　caught　the　stone　halfway　down　the　crumbling　wall。

Wulfgar　did　not　follow　the　throw　forward。　He　got　hit　again　by　a　stinging　quarrel　and　rushed　instead　to　the　side；　to　the　remaining　tunnel；　along　the　right…hand　wall；　wherein　crouched　a　pair　of　dark　elves。

Eager　to　join　in　close　bat；　Bruenor　veered　behind　the　barbarian。　The　dwarf　looked　back　before　he　had　even　pleted　the　turn；　though；　as　an　eight…legged　monster；　the　drider；　came　out　of　the　tunnel　directly　ahead；　other　dark　forms　shifting　about　behind　it。

With　a　whoop　of　delight；　never　considering　the　odds　now　that　he　and　his　friends　were　mitted　to　the　battle；　the　fiery　dwarf　veered　again　to　his　initial　course；　determined　to　meet　the　enemy；　however　many　there　might　be；　head　on。



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It　took　all　the　discipline　Catti…brie　could　muster　to　hold　her　first　shot　in　check。　She　really　didn't　have　a　good　angle　for　either　those　that　Pwent　had　pursued　or　the　ledge　where　Guenhwyvar　had　gone；　and　she　didn't　think　it　worth　the　trouble　to　spike　the　wounded　drow　hanging　helplessly　below　the　blasted　ledge—not　yet。　Bruenor　had　bade　her　to　make　certain　that　her　first　shot；　the　one　shot　she　might　get　before　she　was　fully　noticed；　counted。

The　eager　young　woman　watched　the　split　between　Bruenor　and　Wulfgar　and　found　her　opportunity。　A　drow；　crouching　behind　a　four…foot　diagonal　jag　in　the　back　wall；　almost　exactly　halfway　between　her　rushing　panions；　leaned　out；　crossbow　in　hand。　The　dark　elf　fired；　then　fell　back　in　surprise　as　a　silver　arrow　streaked　past　him；　skipped　off　the　stone；　and　left　a　smoldering　scorch　in　its　wake。

Catti…brie's　second　shot　was　in　the　air　an　instant　later。

　She　could　no　longer　see　the　drow；　fully　covered　by　the　stone；　but　she　did　not　believe　his　cover　so　thick。

The　arrow　hit　the　jutting　slab　two　feet　from　its　edge；　two　feet　from　where　it　joined　the　wall。　There　came　a　sharp　crack　as　the　rock　split；　followed　by　a　grunt　as　the　arrow　blasted　deep　into　the　dying　drow's　skull。



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The　prone　dark　elf　on　the　high　ledge　scrambled　and　kicked；　kept　his　buckler　above　him；　and　managed；　somehow；　to　get　his　dagger　out　with　his　other　hand。　Only　his　fine　mesh　armor　kept　Guenhwyvar's　raking　claws　somewhat　at　bay；　kept　his　mounting　wounds　serious　but　not　mortal。

He　brought　the　dagger　to　bear　on　the　panther's　flank；　but　the　weapon　seemed　small　against　such　a　foe；　seemed　only　to　further　enrage　the　cat。　His　buckler　arm　was　batted　aside；　back　up　over　his　head　with　enough　force　to　dislocate　his　shoulder。　He　tried　to　get　it　back　to　block　but　found　it　would　not　respond　to　his　mind's　frantic　call。　He　scrambled　to　put　his　other　hand　in　the　great　paw's　way；　a　futile　defense。

Guenhwyvar's　claws　hooked　his　scalp　line　just　above　his　forehead。　The　drow　plunged　the　dagger　in　again；　praying　for　a　quick　kill。

The　panther's　claws　sheared　off　his　face。

Crossbows　clicked　again　from　down　the　tunnel　at　the　back　of　the　narrow　ledge。　Not　really　hurt；　the　panther　came　off　its　victim　and　loped　ahead　in　pursuit。

The　two　dark　elves　summoned　globes　of　darkness　between　them　and　the　cat；　turned；　and　fled。

If　they　had　looked　back；　they　might　have　rejoined　the　fight；　for　Guenhwyvar's　pursuit　was　not　dogged。　With　the　dagger　and　quarrel　wounds；　the　insidious　sleep　poison；　and　the　simple　duration　of　the　panther's　visit　to　the　plane；　Guenhwyvar's　energy　was　no　more。　The　cat　did　not　wish　to　leave；　wanted　to　stay　and　fight　beside　the　panions；　to　stay　to　hunt　for　its　missing　master。

The　magic　of　the　figurine　would　not　support　the　desires；　though。　A　few　strides　into　the　darkened　area；　Guenhwyvar　stopped；　barely　holding　a　tentative　balance。　Panther　flesh　dissolved　into　gray　smoke。　The　planar　tunnel　opened　and　beckoned。



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He　got　hit　again　as　he　exited　the　chamber；　but　the　tiny　quarrel　did　no　more　than　bring　a　smile　to　the　most　wild　battlerager's　contorted　face。　A　darkness　globe　blocked　his　flight；　but　he　roared　and　barreled　through；　smiling　even　when　he　collided　full　force　with　the　winding　wall　out　the　other　side。

The　amazed　dark　elf；　watching　ferocious　Pwent's　progress；　spun　away；　darting　along　the　tunnel；　then　turned　a　sharp　corner。　Pwent　came　right　behind；　armor　squealing　and　drool　running　from　his　fat　lips　in　lines　down　his　thick　black　beard。

〃Stupid！〃　he　yelled；　ducking　his　head　as　he　spun　the　corner　right　behind　the　fleeing　drow；　fully　expecting　the　ambush。

Pwent's　darting　helmet　spike　intercepted　the　sword　cut；　impaling　his　enemy　through　the　forearm。　The　battlerager　didn't　slow；　but　hurled　himself　into　the　air　and　lay　out　flat；　body…blocking　his　opponent　across　the　chest　and　driving　the　drow　to　the　ground　under　him。

Glove　nails　dug　for　the　dark　elf's　groin　and　face；　Pwent's　ridged　armor　creased　the　fine　mesh　mail　as　he　went　into　a　series　of　violent　convulsions。　With　each　of　the　battlerager's　movements；　waves　of　searing　agony　ran　up　the　drow's　impaled　arm。



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Bruenor　noticed　the　slender　form　of　a　drow；　wearing　an　outrageously　wide…brimmed　and　plumed　hat；　moving　about　the　entrance　to　the　tunnel。　Then　came　the　flicker　of　objects　cutting　into　the　torchlight　from　behind　the　monstrous　drider；　and　Bruenor　threw　his　shield　up　defensively。　A　dagger　banged　against　the　metal；　then　another；　and　a　third　behind　that。　The　fourth　throw　came　in　low；　scraping　the　dwarf's　shin；　the　fifth　dipped　over　the　leaning　shield　as　Bruenor　inevitably　bent　forward；　cutting　a　line　across　the　dwarf's　scalp　under　the　edge　of　his　one…horned　helmet。

But　minor　wounds　would　not　slow　Bruenor；　nor　would　the　sight　of　the　bloated　drider；　axes　waving；　eight　legs　clacking　and　scrabbling。　The　dwarf　came　in　hard；　took　a　hit　on　the　shield；　and　returned　with　a　smash　against　the　drider's　second　descending　axe。　Much　smaller　than　his　opponent；　Bruenor　worked　low；　his　axe　smacking　the　hard　exoskeleton　of　the　drider's　armored　legs。　All　the　while；　the　dwarf　remained　a　blur　of　frenzied　motion；　his　shield　above　him；　as　fine　a　shield　as　was　ever　forged；　deflecting　hit　after　hit　from　the　wickedly　edged；　drow…enchanted　weapons。

Bruenor's　axe　dove　into　the　wedge　between　two　legs；　cracking　through　to　the　drider's　fleshy　interior。　The　dwarf's　smile　was　short…lived；　though；　for　the　drider's　responses　banged　hard　on　the　shield；　twisting　it　about　on　Bruenor's　arm；　and　the　creature　put　a　leg　in　line　and　kicked　hard　into　the　dwarf's　belly；　throwing　Bruenor　back　before　his　axe　could　do　any　real　damage。

He　squared　off；　his　breath　lost　and　his　arm　aching。　Again　came　a　series　of　dagger　throws　from　the　corridor　behind　the　drider；　forcing　Bruenor　off　balance。　He　barely　got　his　shield　up　to　stop　the　last　four。　He　looked　down　to　the　first；　jutting　from　the　front　of　his　layered　armor；　a　trickle　of　blood　oozing　from　behind　its　tip；　and　knew　he　had　escaped　death　by　a　hair's　breadth。

He　knew；　too；　that　the　distraction　would　cost　him　dearly；　for　he　was　no　longer　squared　up　for　melee　and　the　drider　was　upon　him。



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Wulfgar's　flying　hammer　led　the　way　to　the　corridor；　his　one　throw　more　than　matching　the　crossbow　darts　that　struck　the　roaring　barbarian。　He　aimed　high；　for　the　stalactite　teeth　hanging　above　the　entryway；　and　his　mighty　hammer　did　its　work　perfectly；　smashing　apart　several　of　the　hanging　rocks。

One　dark　elf　fell　back—Wulfgar　could　not　tell　if　the　falling　stone　had　crushed　him　or　not—and　the　other　dove　forward；　drawing　sword　and　dagger　and　ing　up　in　the　chamber　to　meet　the　unarmed　barbarian's　charge。

Wulfgar　skidded　to　a　stop　short　of　the　flashing　blades；　skipped　to　the　side；　and　kicked　out；　punched　out；　doing　anything　to　keep　the　dangerous　and　quick　opponent　at　bay　for　the　few　seconds　the　barbarian　needed。

The　drow；　not　understanding　the　magic　of　Aegis…fang；　took　his　time；　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　chance　the　grasp　of　the　obviously　mighty　human。　He　came　with　a　measured　bination；　sword；　dagger；　and　dagger　again；　the　last　thrus