精灵血脉四部曲-第42部分

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He　couldn't　stop　it！

Drizzt　didn't　try　to　stop　it。　He　had　quietly　coiled　one　leg　under　him　for　a　roll；　and　he　went　to　the　side　and　ahead　as　the　sword　dove　in；　narrowly　missing。　Drizzt　spun　his　prone　body　about；　one　fool　kicking　against　the　front　of　Entreri's　ankle；　the　other　hooking　and　slamming　the　assassin　behind　the　knee。

Only　then　did　Entreri　realize　that　the　drow's　slip；　and　the　lost　scimitar；　had　been　a　ruse。　Only　then　did　Artemis　Entreri　realize　that　his　own　hunger　for　the　kill　had　defeated　him。

His　momentum　forward　with　the　eager　thrust；　he　pitched　toward　the　ledge。　Every　muscle　in　his　body　snapped　taut；　he　drove　his　slender　sword　through　Drizzt’s　foot　and　somehow　managed　to　catch　a　hold　on　the　drow's　impaled　boot　with　his　free　hand。

The　momentum　was　too　great　for　Drizzt；　still　sidelong　on　the　smooth　ledge；　to　hold　them　both　back。　The　drew　was　pulled　out　straight　as　he　went　over；　right　above　Entreri；　skidding　down　the　stone；　the　agony　in　his　foot　fading　as　more　pains；　bruises　and　cuts　from　the　jagged　ride　became　evident。

Drizzt　held　tightly　to　his　second　scimitar；　jammed　its　hilt　into　a　nook；　and　found　a　grasp　with　his　other　hand。

He　shuddered　to　a　stop；　and　Entreri　stretched　out　below　him；　over　an　inverted　section　that　offered　the　assassin　no　chance　of　a　handhold。　Drizzt　thought　his　entire　insides　would　be　ripped　out　through　his　impaled　foot。　He　glanced　down　to　see　one　of　Entreri's　hands　waving　wildly；　the　other　clutched　desperately　to　the　sword　hilt；　a　macabre　and　tentative　lifeline。

Drizzt　groaned　and　grimaced；　nearly　fainted　from　the　pain；　as　the　blade　slipped　out　several　inches。

〃No！〃　he　heard　Entreri　deny；　and　the　assassin　went　very　still；　apparently　understanding　the　precarious　ness　of　his　position。

Drizzt　looked　down　at　him；　hanging　in　midair；　still　well　over　two　hundred　feet　from　the　ground。

〃This　is　not　the　way　to　claim　victory！〃　Entreri　called　to　him　in　a　desperate　burst。　'This　defeats　the　purpose　of　the　challenge　and　dishonors　you。〃

Drizzt　reminded　himself　of　Catti…brie；　got　the　strange　sensation　once　more　that　Wulfgar　was　lost　to　him。

〃You　did　not　win！〃　Entreri　cried。

Drizzt　let　the　fires　in　his　lavender　eyes　speak　for　him。　He　set　his　hands　and　squared　his　jaw　and　turned　his　foot；　feeling　every　deliciously　agonizing　inch　as　the　long　sword　slipped　through。

Entreri　scrambled　and　kicked；　almost　got　a　hold　on　Drizzt　with　his　free　hand；　as　the　blade　came　free。

The　assassin　rumbled　away　into　the　blackness　of　night；　his　cry　swallowed　by　the　mourn　of　the　mountain　wind。



Chapter　21

Mountain　Valley　Winds



Drizzt　slowly　doubled　over　and　managed　to　get　I　a　hand　to　his　ripped　boot；　where　he　somehow　I　stemmed　the　blood　flow。　The　wound　was　I　clean；　at　least；　and　after　a　few　tries；　Drizzt　found　that　he　still　had　use　of　the　foot；　that　it　would　still　support　his　weight；　though　painfully。

〃Regis？〃　he　called　up　the　cliff　face。　The　dark　shape　of　the　halfling's　head　peered　out　over　the　ledge。

〃Drizzt？〃　Regis　called　back　tentatively。　〃I　。。。　I　thought。　。　。〃

〃I　am　all　right；〃　the　drow　assured　him。　〃Entreri　is　gone。〃　Drizzt　couldn't　make　out　Regis's　cherubic　features　from　that　distance；　but　he　could　well　imagine　the　joy　the　news　brought　his　tormented　friend。　Entreri　had　chased　Regis　for　many　years；　had　caught　him　twice；　and　neither　time　had　been　a　pleasant　experience　for　the　halfling。　Regis　feared　Artemis　Entreri　more　than　anything　else　in　the　world；　and　now；　it　seemed；　the　halfling　could　put　that　fear　to　rest。

〃I　see　Twinkle！〃　the　halfling　called　excitedly；　the　silhouette　of　his　arm　ing　over　the　lip　in　a　downward　point。　〃It's　glowing　down　at　the　bottom；　to　your　right。〃

Drizzt　peered　that　way；　but　he　could　not　see　the　bottom　of　the　cliff　since　the　stone　sloped　out　directly　beneath　him。　He　inched　his　way　to　the　side；　and；　as　Regis　had　claimed；　the　magical　scimitar　came　into　sight；　its　blue　glow　stark　against　the　dark　stone　of　the　valley　floor。　Drizzt　cautiously　considered　this　revelation　for　a　few　moments。　Why　would　the　scimitar；　out　of　his　grasp；　flare　so？　Always　he　had　considered　the　blade's　fire　a　reflection　of　himself；　a　magically　empathetic　reaction　to　the　fires　within　him。

He　winced　at　the　notion　that　perhaps　Artemis　Entreri　had　retrieved　the　blade。　Drizzt　pictured　the　assassin　grinning　up　at　him；　holding　Twinkle　out　as　ironic　bait。

Drizzt　dismissed　the　dark　notion　immediately。　He　had　seen　Entreri　fall；　down　across　the　face　of　an　inverted　slope　with　nothing　to　grab　on　to；　the　wall　moving　farther　away　from　him　as　he　plummeted。　The　best　the　assassin　could　have　hoped　for　was　a　bouncing　skid　after　a　thirty…or　forty…foot　free…fall。　Even　if　he　was　not　dead；　he　certainly　was　not　standing　on　the　valley　floor。

What；　then；　was　Drizzt　to　do？　He　thought　he　should　go　back　immediately　to　Regis　and　hunt　on；　to　find　out　the　fate　of　his　friends。　He　could　get　back　to　the　valley　easily　enough　from　Keeper's　Dale　when　the　trouble　had　passed；　and；　with　any　luck；　no　goblin　or　mountain　troll　would　have　scooped　up　the　blade。

When　he　considered　the　possibility　of　battling　Vierna's　charges　once　more；　though；　Drizzt　realized　he　would　feel　better　with　Twinkle　in　hand。　He　looked　down　again；　and　the　scimitar　called　out　to　him—he　felt　its　call　in　his　mind　and　could　not　be　sure　if　he　had　imagined　it　or　if　Twinkle　possessed　some　abilities　that　Drizzt　did　not　yet　understand。　Something　else　called　to　Drizzt；　too；　he　had　to　admit　to　himself　if　not　to　anyone　else。　His　curiosity　over　Entreri's　fate　would　not　be　easily　sated。　Drizzt　would　rest　easier　if　he　found　the　assassin's　broken　form　at　the　base　of　the　mountain　wall。

〃I　am　going　for　the　blade；〃　the　drow　yelled　up　to　Regis。　〃I'll　not　be　gone　long。　Cry　out　for　any　trouble。〃

He　heard　a　slight　whimper　from　above；　but　Regis　only　called；　〃Hurry！〃　and　did　not　argue　the　decision。

Drizzt　sheathed　his　remaining　scimitar　and　picked　his　way　carefully　around　the　inverted　region；　catching　firm　handholds　and　trying　as　best　he　could　to　keep　the　pressure　from　his　wounded　foot。　After　fifty　feet　or　so；　he　came　to　a　steeply　pitched　but　not　sheer　region　of　loose　stone。　There　were　no　handholds　here；　but　Drizzt　didn't　need　any。　He　lay　flat　against　the　wall　and　slid　slowly　down。

He　saw　the　danger　from　the　corner　of　his　eye；　bat…winged　and　man…sized　and　cutting　sharp　angles　in　its　flight　along　the　mountain　valley　winds。　Drizzt　braced　himself　as　it　veered　in；　saw　the　greenish…blue　glow　of　a　familiar　sword。

Entreri！

The　assassin　cackled　with　taunting　glee　as　he　soared　past；　scoring　a　slight　hit　on　the　draw's　shoulder。　Entreri's　cloak　had　transformed；　had　sprouted　to　form　bat　wings！

Drizzt　now　understood　the　true　reason　the　devious　assassin　had　chosen　to　fight　on　the　ledge。

The　assassin　made　a　second　pass；　closer；　smacking　the　draw　with　the　side　of　his　sword　and　kicking　out　with　his　boot　into　Drizzt's　back。

Drizzt　rolled　with　the　hits；　then　began　to　slide　dangerously；　the　loose　rubble　shifting　under　him。　He　drew　his　scimitar　and　somehow　parried　the　next　passing　strike。

〃Have　you　a　cloak　like　mine？〃　Entreri　teased；　cutting　a　sharp　turn　some　distance　away　and　seeming　to　hover　in　midair。　〃Poor　little　drow；　with　no　　to　catch　him。〃　Another　gleeful　cackle　sounded；　and　in　swooped　the　assassin；　still　keeping　a　respectable　distance；　knowing　he　held　every　advantage　and　could　not　let　his　eagerness　betray　him。

The　sword；　carrying　the　momentum　of　the　assassin's　swift　flight；　slammed　hard　against　Drizzt's　scimitar；　and　while　the　ranger　managed　to　keep　the　slender　blade　clear　of　his　body；　the　assassin　clearly　had　won　the　pass。

Drizzt　was　sliding　once　more。　He　turned　back　to　face　the　stone；　clutched　at　it；　put　one　arm　under　him；　and　hooked　his　fingers；　using　his　weight　to　dig　them　deeply　enough　into　the　loose　gravel　to　slow　the　descent。　Drizzt　seemed　helpless　at　that　awful　moment；　as　concerned　with　holding　his　precarious　perch　as　in　parrying　the　assassin's　strikes。

A　few　more　passes　likely　would　send　him　to　his　death。

〃You　cannot　begin　to　know　my　many　tricks！〃　the　assassin　cried　in　victory；　swooping　back　toward　his　prey。

Drizzt　rolled　over　to　face　Entreri　as　the　killer　dove　in；　the　drow　ranger's　free　hand　ing　up　and　out　straight；　holding　something　Entreri　did　not　expect。

〃As　you　cannot　know　mine！〃　Drizzt　retorted。　He　sorted　through　the　assassin's　suddenly　evasive　spins　and　fired　the　handcrossbow；　the　weapon　he　had　taken　from　the　drow　he　had　felled　at　the　base　of　the　chute。

Entreri　slapped　a　hand　against　the　side　of　his　neck；　tore　the　quarrel　free　just　an　instant　after　it　had　stung　him。　〃No！〃　he　wailed；　feeling　the　poison　burn。　〃Damn　you！　Damn　you；　Drizzt　Do'Urden！〃

He　swooped　for　the　wall；　knowing　that　flying　while　sleeping　would　be　less　than　wise；　but　the　insidious　poison；　already　coursing　through　a　major　artery；　blurred　his　vision。

He　bounced　off　the　wall　twenty　feet　to　Drizzt's　right；　the　light　of　his　sword　dying　immediately　as　it　fell　from　his　grasp。

Drizzt　heard　the　groan；　heard　another　curse；　this　one　interrupted　by　a　profound　yawn。

Still　the　cloak's　bat　wings　beat；　holding　the　assassin　aloft。　He　could　not　focus　his　weary　mind　to　guide　his　way；　though；　and　he　flitted　and　darted　on　the　mountain　winds；　hitting　the　wall　again；　and　then　a　third　time。

Drizzt　heard　the　crack　of　bone；　Entreri's　left　arm　fell　limp　beneath　his　horizontal　form。　His　legs；　too；　drooped；　his　strength　stolen　by　the　poison。

〃Damn　you；〃　he　said　again；　groggily；　obviously　slipping　in　and　out　of　consciousness。　The　cloak　caught　an　air　current　then；　apparently；　for　Entreri　soared　off　down　the　valley　and　was　swallowed　by　the　darkness；　silently；　like　death。

Drizzt's　descent　from　that　point　was　not　too　difficult　or　dangerous　for　the　agile　drow。　The　hike　became　a　reprieve；　a　few　moments　in　which　he　could　allow　his　defenses　to　slip　away　and　he　could　reflect　on　the　enormity　of　what　had　just　occurred。　His　fight　with　Entreri　had　not　spanned　so　many　months；　particularly　by　a　drow　elf's　reckoning；　but　it　had　been　as　brutal　and　vital　as　anything　Drizzt　had　ever　known。　The　assassin　had　been　his　antithesis；　the　dark　mirror　image　of　Drizzt's　soul；　the　greatest　fears　Drizzt　had　ever　held　for　his　own　future。

Now　it　was　over。　Drizzt　had　shattered　the　mir