精灵血脉四部曲-第43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！



Now　it　was　over。　Drizzt　had　shattered　the　mirror。　Had　he　really　proven　anything？　he　wondered。　Perhaps　not；　but　at　the　very　least；　Drizzt　had　rid　the　world　of　a　dangerous　and　evil　man。

He　found　Twinkle　easily；　the　scimitar　flaring　brightly　when　he　picked　it　up；　then　its　inner　light　died　away　to　show　the　reflections　of　starlight　on　its　silvery　blade。　Drizzt　approved　of　the　image　and　reverently　slid　the　scimitar　back　into　its　sheath。　He　considered　searching　for　Entreri's　lost　sword；　then　reminded　himself　that　he　had　not　the　time　to　spare；　that　Regis；　and　probably　his　other　friends；　needed　him。

He　was　back　beside　the　halfling　in　a　few　minutes；　hoisting　Regis　to　his　side　and　heading　back　for　the　tunnel　entrance。

〃Entreri？〃　the　halfling　asked　tentatively；　as　though　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　believe　that　the　assassin　was　finally　gone。

。〃Lost　on　the　mountain　winds；〃　Drizzt　replied　confidently；　but　with　no　hint　of　superiority　in　his　even…toned　voice。　〃Lost　on　the　winds。〃



*　*　*　*　*



Drizzt　could　not　know　how　accurate　his　cryptic　answer　had　been。　Drugged　and　fast　fading　from　consciousness；　Artemis　Entreri　meandered　along　the　rising　currents　of　the　wide　valley。　His　mind　could　not　focus；　could　not　issue　telepathic　mands　to　the　animated　cloak；　and　without　his　guidance；　the　magical　wings　kept　beating。

He　felt　the　rush　of　air　increase　with　his　speed。　He　hurtled　along；　barely　aware　that　he　was　in　flight。

Entreri　shook　his　head　violently；　trying　to　be　rid　of　the　sleeping　poison's　nagging　grasp。　He　knew；　somewhere　in　the　back　of　his　mind；　that　he　had　to　wake　up　fully；　had　to　regain　control　and　slow　himself。

But　the　rushing　air　felt　good　as　it　washed　over　his　cheeks；　the　sound　of　the　wind　in　his　ears　gave　him　a　sensation　of　freedom；　of　breaking　free　of　mortal　bonds。

His　eyes　blinked　open　and　saw　only　starless；　ominous　blackness。　He　could　not　realize　that　it　was　the　end　of　the　valley；　a　mountain　wall。

The　rush　of　air　beckoned　him　to　fall　into　his　dreams。　He　hit　the　wall　head…on。　Fiery　explosions　erupted　in　his　head　and　body；　the　air　gushed　from　his　lungs　in　one　great　burst。

He　was　not　aware　that　the　impact　had　torn　his　magical　cloak；　had　broken　its　winged　enchantment；　was　not　aware　that　the　wind　in　his　ears　was　now　the　sound　of　falling；　or　that　he　was　two　hundred　feet　off　the　ground。



Chapter　22

Charge　Of　The　Heavy　Brigade



Twelve　armored　dwarves　led　the　procession；　their　interlocking　shields　presenting　a　solid　wall　of　metal　to　enemy　weapons。　The　shields　were　specially　hinged；　allowing　the　dwarves　on　the　outside　edges　to　turn　back　behind　the　front　rank　whenever　the　corridor　tightened。

General　Dagna　and　his　elite　cavalrylike　force　came　in　the　following　ranks；　riding；　not　marching；　each　warrior　armed　with　a　readied　heavy　crossbow　fitted　with　special　darts　tipped　in　a　silver…white　metal。　Several　torchbearers；　each　holding　two　of　the　flaming　brands　out　far　for　easy　access　to　the　riders；　wandered　between　the　tusked　mounts　of　Dagna's　twenty　troops。　The　remainder　of　the　dwarven　army　came　behind；　wearing　grim　expressions；　different　from　those　looks　they　had　worn　when　they　had　e　down　this　way　to　battle　the　goblins。

Dwarves　did　not　laugh　about　the　presence　of　dark　elves；　and；　by　all　their　reckoning；　their　king　was　in　dire　trouble。

They　came　to　the　side　passage；　clear　once　more　since　the　darkness　spells　had　long　since　expired。　The　ettin　bones　sat　facing　them；　across　the　way；　somehow　undisturbed　through　all　the　tumult　of　the　previous　encounter。

〃Clerics；〃　Dagna　whispered；　a　quiet　call　that　was　repeated　down　the　dwarven　lines。　Somewhere　in　the　closest　ranks　behind　Dagna's　elites；　half　a　dozen　dwarven　priests；　wearing　their　smithy　apron　vestments　and　holding　mithril　warhammer　holy　symbols　tight　in　upraised　fists；　sighted　their　targets；　two　to　the　side；　two　in　front；　and　two　above。

〃Well；〃　Dagna　said　to　the　shield…bearing　dwarves　in　the　front　rank；　〃give　'em　something　worth　shooting　at。〃

The　blocking　wall　of　shields　broke　apart；　twelve　dwarves　stringing　out　along　the　wide　intersection。

Nothing　happened。

〃Damn；〃　Dagna　pouted　after　a　few　uneventful　moments；　realizing　that　the　dark　elves　had　moved　back　to　another　ambush　spot。　In　a　minute；　the　battle　formation　was　rejoined　and　the　force　tromped　off；　at　a　greater　pace；　with　just　a　small　group　slipping　down　the　side　passage　to　make　sure　their　enemies　would　not　e　out　at　their　backs。

Grumbling　whispers　ran　the　length　of　the　ranks；　eager　dwarves　frustrated　by　the　delay。

Some　time　later；　the　growl　of　one　of　the　war　dogs；　leashed　and　held　in　the　middle　ranks　of　the　army；　came　as　the　only　warning。

Crossbows　clicked　from　up　ahead；　most　of　the　quarrels　banging　harmlessly　off　the　interlocked　shields；　but　some；　ing　from　higher　angles；　soaring　down　to　strike　the　dwarves　in　the　second　and　third　ranks。　One　torchbearer　went　down；　his　flaming　brands　causing　minor　havoc　with　the　mounts　of　the　nearest　two　riders。　But　the　dwarves　and　their　mounts　were　well　trained　and　the　situation　did　not　deteriorate　into　chaos。

Clerics　went　into　their　chants；　reciting　the　proper　magical　syllables；　Dagna　and　his　riders　put　the　tips　of　their　crossbows　against　the　flaming　torches；　the　front　row　counted　in　unison　to　ten；　then　fell　straight　to　their　backs；　shields　defensively　atop　them。

On　came　the　cavalry；　armored　war　pigs　grunting；　magnesium…tipped　quarrels　flaring　to　intense　white　light。　The　cavalry　charge　took　the　dwarves　beyond　the　area　of　torchlight　quickly；　but　the　clerical　spells　popped　into　the　corridor　ahead　of　them；　magical　lights　stealing　the　darkness。

Dagna　and　every　other　member　of　his　eager　band　whooped　with　delight；　seeing　the　dark　elves　scrambling　this　time；　apparently　caught　by　surprise　with　the　sudden　ferocity　and　speed　of　the　dwarven　attack。　The　drow　had　been　confident　that　they　could　outrun　the　short…legged　dwarves；　and　so　they　could；　but　they　couldn't　outrun　the　sturdy；　tusked　mounts。

Dagna　saw　one　dark　elf　turn　and　reach　out；　as　if　to　throw；　and；　instinctively；　the　worldly　and　wise　general　understood　the　creature　to　be　using　his　darkness　ability；　trying　to　counter　the　stinging　magical　lights。

When　the　magnesium　quarrel　lit　up　the　inside　of　the　draw's　belly；　his　focus　predictably　shifted。

〃Sandstone！〃　cried　the　rider　right　beside　Dagna；　a　dwarven　curse　if　ever　there　was　one。　The　general　saw　his　panion　lurch　backward；　angling　his　weapon　above。　He　jerked—obviously　hit　by　some　missile—but　managed　to　fire　his　own　crossbow　before　he　tumbled　from　his　saddle；　bouncing　along　the　stone。

The　flaring　quarrel　missed；　but　it　doomed　the　drow　floating　among　the　rafters　anyway；　serving　as　a　tracer　for　the　many　dwarven　foot　soldiers　rushing　in　behind。

〃Ceiling！〃　cried　one　dwarf；　and　two　dozen　crossbow　men　skidded　to　their　knees；　eyes　going　up。　They　caught　a　shifting　motion　among　the　few　stalactites　and　fired；　practically　in　unison。

More　dwarves　rushed　by　them　as　they　reloaded；　war　dogs　sounding　anxious　cries。　Dagna's　band　charged　on　in　hot　pursuit；　caring　little　that　they　had　passed　beyond　the　lighted　area。　The　tunnels　were　fairly　flat；　and　the　fleeing　drow　were　not　far　ahead。

One　cleric　stopped　to　aid　the　kneeling　crossbowmen。　They　showed　him　the　general　direction　of　their　quarry；　and　he　put　a　light　spell　up　there。

The　dead　drow；　his　torso　ripped　by　a　score　of　heavy　bolts；　hung　motionless　in　the　air。　As　if　on　cue　to　the　revealing　light；　his　levitation　spell　gave　out　and　he　plummeted　the　twenty　feet　to　the　floor。

The　dwarves　were　not　even　watching　him。　The　light　in　the　ceiling　had　revealed　two　of　the　drow's　hidden　panions。　These　new　dark　elves　worked　fast　to　counter　the　spell　with　their　innate　powers　of　darkness；　but　it　did　them　little　good；　for　the　skilled　crossbowmen　had　picked　them　out　and　no　longer　needed　to　see　them。

Groans　and　a　scream　of　agony　acpanied　a　frantic　explosion　of　clicking　sounds　as　the　host　of　quarrels　skipped　and　ricocheted　off　the　many　stalactites。　The　two　drow　dropped；　one　writhing　about　as　he　hit　the　floor；　not　quite　dead。

The　fierce　dwarves　fell　over　him；　bludgeoning　him　with　the　butts　of　their　heavy　weapons。



*　*　*　*　*



The　one　tunnel　became　several　as　the　riders；　in　hot　pursuit；　came　into　a　region　of　snaking　side　passages。　Dagna　picked　out　his　target　easily　enough；　despite　the　growing　maze　and　the　gloom。　Actually　the　dimness　aided　Dagna；　for　the　drow　he　was　chasing　had　been　hit　in　the　shoulder；　the　white…flaring　magnesium　serving　as　a　beacon　for　the　charging　dwarf。

He　gained　with　every　stride；　saw　the　drow　turn　to　face　him；　the　dark　elf's　shoulder　glowing　red　when　viewed　from　the　front。　Dagna　dropped　his　crossbow　aside　and　whipped　out　a　heavy　mace；　angling　the　boar　as　if　to　make　a　close　pass　by　the　drow's　wounded　flank。

The　drow；　taking　the　bait；　turned　sidelong；　getting　his　one　working　weapon　hand　in　line。　…　At　the　last　moment；　Dagna　lowered　his　head　and　veered　the　tusked　boar；　and　the　drow's　eyes　widened　when　he　realized　the　wild　dwarf's　new　course。　He　tried　to　leap　aside；　but　got　hit　solidly；　tusks　catching　him　just　above　the　knee；　Dagna's　iron　helmet　slamming　his　belly。　He　hurtled　through　the　air　for　perhaps　fifteen　feet；　and　would　have　gone　farther　if　the　tunnel　wall　hadn't　abruptly　stopped　him。

Crumpled　in　a　broken　heap　at　the　base　of　the　wall；　the　barely　conscious　drow　saw　Dagna　pull　his　mount　up　before　him　and　saw　Dagna's　mace　go　up。

The　explosion　in　his　head　flared　as　brightly　as　the　magnesium　in　his　shoulder；　then　there　was　only　darkness。



*　*　*　*　*



Bloodhounds　led　a　large　contingent　of　the　dwarven　army　down　to　the　left　of　the　main　chamber；　into　a　region　of　looping；　more　natural　caverns。　Soldiers　rumbled　straight　in；　clerics　among　their　ranks；　while　other　dwarves；　armed　not　with　weapons；　but　with　tools；　went　to　work　behind　them　and　among　the　passages　to　the　sides。

They　came　to　the　four…way　intersection；　the　bloodhounds　straining　against　their　leads　both　left　and　right。　The　sneaky　dwarves　forced　the　dogs　straight　ahead；　though；　and　predictably；　more　than　a　dozen　dark　elves　slipped　into　the　central　corridor　behind　them；　firing　their　nasty　bolts。

The　army　swung　about；　the　clerics　called　upon　their　spells　to　light　up　the　area；　and　the　drow；　outnumbered　f