精灵血脉四部曲-第53部分

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fort　her；　and　yet　he　had　not；　for　he　knew　that　his　words　would　do　little　to　soothe　Catti…brie's　grief。　Like　so　many　other　nights　when　he　had　stood　by　this　door；　a　watchful；　helpless　guardian；　the　ranger　ended　up　padding　down　the　stone　corridor；　filtering　through　the　shadows　of　low…dancing　torches；　his　toe…heel　step　making　not　a　whisper　of　sound。

R。　A。　Salvatore

With　only　a　short　pause　at　a'nother　door；　the　door　of　his　dearest　dwarven　friend；　Drizzt　soon　crossed　out　of　the　living　areas。　He　came　into　the　formal　gathering　places；　where　the　king　of　Mithril　Hall　entertained　visiting　emissaries。　A　couple　of　dwarves桪agna's　troops　probably梬ere　about　in　here；　but　they　heard　and　saw　nothing　of　the　draw's　silent　passing。

Drizzt　paused　again　as　he　came　to　the　entrance　of　the　Hall　of　Dumathoin；　wherein　the　dwarves　of　Clan　Battleham…mer　kept　their　most　precious　items。　He　knew　that　he　should　continue；　get　out　of　the　place　before　the　clan　began　to　stir；　but　he　could　not　ignore　the　emotions　pulling　at　his　heartstrings。　He　hadn't　e　to　this　hallowed　hall　in　the　two　weeks　since　his　drow　kin　had　been　driven　away；　but　he　knew　that　he　would　never　forgive　himself　if　he　didn't　take　at　least　one　look。

The　mighty　warhammer；　Aegis…fang；　rested　on　a　pillar　at　the　center　of　the　adorned　hall；　the　place　of　highest　honor。　It　seemed　fitting；　for　to　Drizzt's　violet　eyes；　Aegis…fang　far　outshone　all　the　other　artifacts：　the　shining　suits　of　mail；　the　great　axes　and　helms　of　heroes　long　dead；　the　anvil　of　a　legendary　smith。　Drizzt　smiled　at　the　notion　that　this　warhammer　hadn't　even　been　wielded　by　a　dwarf。　It　had　been　the　weapon　of　Wulfgar；　Drizzf　s　friend；　who　had　willingly　given　his　life　so　that　the　others　of　the　tight　band　might　survive。

Drizzt　stared　long　and　hard　at　the　mighty　weapon；　at　the　gleaming　mithril　head；　unscratched　despite　the　many　vicious　battles　the　hammer　had　seen　and　showing　the　perfectly　etched　sigils　of　the　dwarven　god　Dumathoin。　The　draw's　gaze　drifted　down　the　item；　settling　on　the　dried　blood　on　its　dark　adamantite　handle。　Bruenor；　so　stubborn；　hadn't　allowed　that　blood　to　be　cleaned　away。

Memories　of　Wulfgar；　of　fighting　beside　the　tall　and　strong；　golden…haired　and　golden…skinned　man　flooded　through　the　drow；　weakening　his　knees　and　his　resolve。　In　his　mind；　Drizzt　looked　again　into　Wulfgar's　clear　eyes；　the　icy　blue　of　the　northern　sky　and　always　filled　with　an　excited　sparkle。　Wulfgar　had　been　just　a　boy；　his　spirit　undaunted　by　the　harsh　realities　of　a　brutal　world。

Just　a　boy；　but　one　who　had　willingly　sacrificed　everything；　a　song　on　his　lips；　for　those　he　called　his　friends。

Starless　Night

〃Farewell；〃　Drizzt　whispered；　and　he　was　gone；　running　this　time；　though　no　more　loudly　than　he　had　walked　before。　In　a　few　seconds；　he　crossed　onto　a　balcony　and　down　a　flight　of　stairs；　into　a　wide　and　high　chamber。　He　crossed　under　the　watchful　eyes　of　Mithril　Hall's　eight　kings；　their　likenesses　cut　into　the　stone　wall。　The　last　of　the　busts；　that　of　King　Bruenor　Battlehammer；　was　the　most　striking。　Bruenor's　visage　was　stem；　a　grim　look　intensified　by　a　deep　scar　running　from　his　forehead　to　his　jawbone；　and　with　his　right　eye　gone。

More　than　Bruenor's　eye　had　been　wounded；　Drizzt　knew。　More　than　that　dwarvish　body；　rock　tough　and　resilient；　had　been　scarred。　Bruenor's　soul　was　the　part　most　pained；　slashed　by　the　loss　of　a　boy　he　had　called　his　son。　Was　the　dwarf　as　resilient　in　spirit　as　in　body？　Drizzt　knew　not　the　answer。　At　that　moment；　staring　at　Bruenor's　scarred　face；　Drizzt　felt　that　he　should　stay；　should　sit　beside　his　friend　and　help　heal　the　wounds。

It　was　a　passing　thought。　What　wounds　might　still　e　to　the　dwarf？　Drizzt　reminded　himself。　To　the　dwarf　and　to　all　his　remaining　friends？

Catti…brie　tossed　and　squirmed；　reliving　that　fateful　moment；　as　she　did　every　night梐t　least；　every　night　that　exhaustion　allowed　her　to　find　sleep。　She　heard　Wulfgar's　song　to　Tempus；　his　god　of　battle；　saw　the　serene　look　in　the　mighty　barbarian's　eye；　the　look　that　denied　the　obvious　agony；　the　look　that　allowed　him　to　chop　up　at　the　loose　stone　ceiling；　though　blocks　of　heavy　granite　had　begun　to　tumble　all　about　him。

Catti…brie　saw　Wulfgar's　garish　wounds；　the　white　of　bone；　his　skin　ripped　away　from　his　ribs　by　the　sharklike　teeth　of　the　yochlol；　an　evil；　extradimensional　beast；　an　ugly　lump　of　waxy　flesh　that　resembled　a　half…melted　candle。

The　roar　as　the　ceiling　dropped　over　her　love　brought　Catti…brie　up　in　her　bed；　sitting　in　the　darkness；　her　thick　auburn　hair　matted　to　her　face　by　cold　sweat。　She　took　a　long　moment　to　control　her　breathing；　told　herself　repeatedly　that

R。　A。　Salvatore

it　was　a　dream；　a　terrible　memory；　but　ultimately；　an　event　that　had　passed。　The　torchlight　outlining　her　door　forted　and　calmed　her。

She　wore　only　a　light　slip；　and　her　thrashing　had　knocked　her　blankets　away。　Goose　bumps　rose　on　her　arms；　and　she　shivered；　cold　and　damp　and　miserable。　She　roughly　retrieved　the　thickest　of　her　covers　and　pulled　them　tightly　to　her　neck；　then　lay　flat　on　her　back；　staring　up　into　the　darkness。

Something　was　wrong。　She　sensed　that　something　was　out　of　place。

Rationally；　the　young　woman　told　herself　that　she　was　imagining　things；　that　her　dreams　had　unnerved　her。　The　world　was　not　right　for　Catti…brie；　far　from　right；　but　she　told　herself　forcefully　that　she　was　in　Mithril　Hall；　surrounded　by　an　army　of　friends。

She　told　herself　that　she　was　imagining　things。

Drizzt　was　a　long　way　from　Mithril　Hall　when　the　sun　came　up。　He　didn't　sit　and　enjoy　the　dawn　this　day；　as　was　his　custom。　He　hardly　looked　at　the　rising　sun；　for　it　seemed　to　him　now　a　false　hope　of　things　that　could　not　be。　When　the　initial　glare　had　diminished；　the　drow　looked　out　to　the　south　and　east；　far　across　the　mountains；　and　remembered。

His　hand　went　to　his　neck；　to　the　hypnotic　ruby　pendant　Regis　had　given　him。　He　knew　how　much　Regis　relied　on　this　gem；　loved　it；　and　considered　again　the　halfling's　sacrifice；　the　sacrifice　of　a　true　friend。　Drizzt　had　known　true　friendship；　his　life　had　been　rich　since　he　had　walked　into　a　forlorn　land　called　Icewind　Dale　and　met　Bruenor　Battle…hammer　and　his　adopted　daughter；　Catti…brie。　It　pained　Drizzt　to　think　that　he　might　never　again　see　any　of　them。

The　drow　was　glad　to　have　the　magical　pendant；　though；　an　item　that　might　allow　him　to　get　answers　and　return　to　his　friends；　but　he　held　more　than　a　little　guilt　for　his　decision　to　tell　Regis　of　his　departure。　That　choice　seemed　a　weakness　to　Drizzt；　a　need　to　rely　on　Mends　who；　at　this　dark　time；　had　little　to　give。　He　could　rationalize　it；

Starless　Night

though；　as　a　necessary　safeguard　for　the　friends　he　would　leave　behind。　He　had　instructed　Regis　to　tell　Bruenor　the　truth　in　five　weeks；　so　that；　in　case　Drizzf　s　journey　proved　unsuccessful；　Clan　Battlehammer　would　at　least　have　time　to　prepare　for　the　darkness　that　might　yet　e。

It　was　a　logical　act；　but　Drizzt　had　to　admit　that　he　had　told　Regis　because　of　his　own　need；　because　he　had　to　tell　someone。

And　what　of　the　magical　mask？　he　wondered。　Had　he　been　weak　in　refusing　that；　too？　The　powerful　item　might　have　aided　Drizzt　and；　thus；　aided　his　friends；　but　he　had　not　the　strength　to　wear　it；　to　even　touch　it。

Doubts　floated　all　about　the　drow；　hovered　in　the　air　before　his　eyes；　mocking　him。　Drizzt　sighed　and　rubbed　the　ruby　between　his　slender　black　hands。　For　all　his　prowess　with　the　blade；　for　all　his　dedication　to　principles；　for　all　his　ranger　stoicism；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　needed　his　friends。　He　glanced　back　toward　Mithril　Hall　and　wondered；　for　his　own　sake；　if　he　had　chosen　rightly　in　undertaking　this　quest　privately　and　secretly。

More　weakness；　stubborn　Drizzt　decided。　He　let　go　of　the　ruby；　mentally　slapped　away　the　lingering　doubts；　and　slid　his　hand　inside　his　forest…green　traveling　cloak。　From　one　of　its　pockets　he　produced　a　parchment；　a　map　of　the　lands　between　the　Spine　of　the　World　Mountains　and　the　Great　Desert　of　Anauroch。　In　the　lower　right…hand　corner　Drizzt　had　marked　a　spot；　the　location　of　a　cave　from　which　he　had　once　emerged；　a　cave　that　would　take　him　home。

Parti

DUTY　BOUND

o　race　in　all　the　Realms　better　understands　the　word　vengeance　than　the　draw。　Vengeance　is　their　dessert　at　their　daily　table；　the　sweetness　they　taste　upon　their　smirking　lips　as　though　it　was　the　ultimate　delicious　pleasure。　And　so　hungering　did　the　drow　e　for　me。　I　cannot　escape　the　anger　and　the　guilt　I　feel　for　the　loss　of　Wulfgar；　for　the　pains　the　enemies　of　my　dark　past　have　brought　to　the　friends　I　hold　so　dear。　Whenever　I　look　into　Catti…brie's　fair　face；　I　see　a　profound　and　everlasting　sadness　that　should　not　be　there；　a　burden　that　has　no　place　in　the　sparkling　eyes　of　a　child。

Similarly　wounded；　I　have　no　words　to　fort　her　and　doubt　that　there　are　any　words　that　might　bring　solace。　It　is　my　course；　then；　that　I　must　continue　to　protect　my　friends。　I　have　e　to　realize　that　I　must　look　beyond　my　own　sense　of　loss　for　Wulfgar；　beyond　the　immediate　sadness　that　has　taken　hold　of　the　dwarves　ofMithril　Hall　and　the　hardy　men　of　Settlestone。

By　Catti…brie's　account　of　that　fateful　fight；　the　creature　Wulfgar　battled　was　a　yochlol；　a　handmaiden　ofLloth。　With　that　grim　information；　I　must　look　beyond　the　immediate　sorrow　and　consider　that　the　sadness　I　fear　is　still　to　e。

I　do　not　understand　all　the　chaotic　games　of　the　Spider　Queen桰　doubt　that　even　the　evil　high　priestesses　know　the　foul　creature's　true　designs梑ut　there　lies　in　a　yochlol's　presence　a　significance　that　even　I；　the　worst　of　the　drow　religious　students；　cannot　miss。　The　handmaiden's　appearance　revealed　that　the　hunt　was　sanctified　by　the　Spider　Queen。　And　the　fact　that　the　yochlol　intervened　in　the　fighting　does　not　bode　well　for　the

11

R。　A。　Salvatore

future　of　Mithril　Hall。

It　is　all　supposition；　of　course。　I　know　not　that　my　sister　Vierna　acted　in　concert　with　any　of　Menzoberranzan's　other　dark　pouters；　or　that；　with　Vierna's　death；　the　death　of　my　last　relative；　my　link　to　the　city　of　drow　would　ever　again　be　explored。

When　I　look　into　Catti…brie's　eyes；　when　I　look　upon　Bruenor's　horrid　scars；　I　am　reminded　that　hopeful　supposition　is　a　fe