精灵血脉四部曲-第133部分

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　　　In　the　sludge…filled　Abyss；　perched　atop　his　mushroom　throne；　Errtu　greatly　enjoyed　the　chaotic　scene。　Even　through　the　scrying　device　Lloth　had　prepared　for　him；　the　great　tanar'ri　could　feel　the　fears　of　the　gathered　worshippers　and　could　taste　the　bitter　hatred　on　the　lips　of　K'yorl　Odran。

　　　He　liked　K'yorl；　Errtu　decided。　Here　was　one　of　his　own　heart；　purely　and　deliciously　wicked；　a　murderess　who　killed　for　pleasure；　a　player　of　intrigue　for　no　better　reason　than　the　fun　of　the　game。　The　great　tanar'ri　wanted　to　watch　K'yorl　push　her　adversary　into　the　pillar　of　flame。

　　　But　Lloth's　instructions　had　been　explicit；　and　her　bartered　goods　too　tempting　for　the　fiend　to　pass　up。　Amazingly；　given　the　state　of　magic　at　the　time；　the　gate　was　opening；　and　opening　wide。

　　　Errtu　had　already　sent　one　tanar'ri；　a　giant　glabrezu；　through　a　smaller　gate　to　act　as　messenger；　but　that　gate；　brought　about　by　the　avatar　herself；　had　been　tenuous　and　open　for　only　a　fraction　of　a　moment。　Errtu　had　not　believed　the　feat　could　be　duplicated；　not　now。

　　　The　notion　of　magical　chaos　gave　the　fiend　a　sudden　inspiration。　Perhaps　the　old　rules　of　banishment　no　longer　applied。　Perhaps　he　himself　might　walk　through　this　opening　gate；　onto　the　Material　Plane　once　more。　Then　he　would　not　need　to　serve　as　Lloth's　lackey；　then　he　might　find　the　renegade　Do'Urden　on　his　own；　and；　after　punishing　the　drow；　he　could　return　to　the　frozen　Northland；　where　the　precious　Crenshinibon；　the　legendary　Crystal　Shard；　lay　buried！

　　　The　gate　was　opened。　Errtu　stepped　in。

　　　And　was　summarily　rejected；　pushed　back　into　the　Abyss；　the　place　of　his　hundred…year　banishment。

　　　Several　fiends　stalked　by　the　great　tanar'ri；　sensing　the　opening；　heading　for　the　gate；　but　snarling　Errtu；　enraged　by　the　defeat；　held　them　back。

　　　Let　this　wicked　drow；　K'yorl；　push　Lloth's　favored　into　the　flames；　the　wretched　Errtu　decided。　The　gate　would　remain　open　with　the　sacrifice；　might　even　open　wider。

　　　Errtu　did　not　like　the　banishment；　did　not　like　being　lackey　to　any　being。　Let　Lloth　suffer；　let　Baenre　be　consumed；　and　only　then　would　he　do　as　the　Spider　Queen　had　asked！



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　　　The　only　thing　that　saved　Baenre　from　exactly　that　fate　was　the　unexpected　intervention　of　Methil；　the　illithid。　The　glabrezu　had　gone　to　Methil　after　visiting　Jarlaxle；　bringing　the　same　prediction　that　House　Baenre　would　prevail；　and　Methil；　serving　as　ambassador　of　his　people；　made　it　a　point　to　remain　on　the　winning　side。

　　　The　illithid's　psionic　waves　disrupted　K'yorl's　telepathic　attack；　and　Matron　Baenre　slumped　back　to　the　side　of　the　table。

　　　K'yorl's　eyes　went　wide；　surprised　by　the　defeat梪ntil　Methil；　who　had　been　standing　invisibly　and　secretly　at　Matron　Baenre's　side；　came　into　view。

　　　Wait　for　this　to　end；　K'yorl's　thoughts　screamed　at　the　octopus…headed　creature。　See　who　wins　and　then　decide　where　your　alliances　lie。

　　　Methil's　assurance　that　he　already　knew　the　oute　did　not　disturb　K'yorl　half　as　much　as　the　sight　of　the　gigantic；　batlike　wing　that　suddenly　extended　from　the　pillar　of　flame：　a　tanar'ri梐　true　tanar'ri！

　　　Another　glabrezu　hopped　out　of　the　fire　to　land　on　the　floor　between　Baenre　and　her　adversary。　K'yorl　hit　it　with　a　psionic　barrage；　but　she　was　no　match　for　such　a　creature；　and　she　knew　it。

　　　She　took　note　that　the　pillar　was　still　dancing　wildly；　that　another　fiend　was　forming　within　the　flames。　Lloth　was　against　her！　she　suddenly　realized。　All　the　Abyss　seemed　to　be　ing　to　Matron　Baenre's　call！

　　　K'yorl　did　the　only　thing　she　could；　became　insubstantial　once　more　and　fled　across　the　city；　back　to　her　house。

　　　Fiends　rushed　through　the　open　gate；　a　hundred　of　them；　and　still　more。　It　went　on　for　more　than　an　hour；　the　minions　of　Errtu；　and；　thus；　the　minions　of　Lloth；　ing　to　the　call　of　the　desperate　matron　mothers；　swooping　across　the　city　in　frenzied　glee　to　surround　House　Oblodra。

　　　Smiles　of　satisfaction；　even　open　cheers；　were　exchanged　in　the　meeting　room　at　the　back　of　the　Qu'ellarz'orl。　The　avatar　had　done　as　promised；　and　the　future　of　Lloth's　faithful　seemed　deliciously　dark　once　more。

　　　Of　the　eight　gathered；　only　Gromph　wore　a　grin　that　was　less　than　sincere。　Not　that　he　wanted　House　Oblodra　to　win；　of　course；　but　the　male　held　no　joy　at　the　thought　that　things　might　soon　be　as　they　had　always　been；　that　he；　for　all　his　power　and　devotion　to　the　ways　of　magic；　would；　above　all　else；　be　a　mere　male　once　more。

　　　He　took　some　consolation；　as　the　flames　died　away　and　the　others　began　to　exit；　in　noticing　that　several　of　the　offered　items；　including　his　prized　spider　mask；　had　not　been　consumed　by　the　magical　flames。　Gromph　looked　to　the　door；　to　the　matron　mothers　and　Triel；　and　they　were　so　obsessed　with　the　spectacle　of　the　fiends　that　they　took　no　notice　of　him　at　all。

　　　Quietly　and　without　attracting　attention；　the　covetous　drow　wizard　replaced　his　precious　item　under　the　folds　of　his　robe；　then　added　to　his　collection　some　of　the　most　prized　artifacts　of　Menzoberranzan's　greatest　houses。



Part　3

RESOLUTION



　　　How　I　wanted　to　go　to　Catti…brie　after　I　realized　the　dangers　of　her　sword！　How　I　wanted　to　stand　by　her　and　protect　her！　The　item　had　possessed　her；　after　all；　and　was　imbued　with　a　powerful　and　obviously　sentient　magic。

　　　Catti…brie　wanted　me　by　her　side梬ho　wouldn't　want　the　supportive　shoulder　of　a　friend　with　such　a　struggle　looming？梐nd　yet　she　did　not　want　me　there；　could　not　have　me　there；　for　she　knew　this　battle　was　hers　to　fight　alone。

　　　I　had　to　respect　her　conclusion；　and　in　those　days　when　the　Time　of　Troubles　began　to　end　and　the　magics　of　the　world　sorted　themselves　out　once　more；　I　came　to　learn　that　sometimes　the　most　difficult　battles　are　the　ones　we　are　forced　not　to　fight。

　　　I　came　to　learn　then　why　mothers　and　fathers　seldom　have　fingernails　and　often　carry　an　expression　of　forlorn　resignation。　What　agony　it　must　be　for　a　parent　in　Silverymoon　to　be　told　by　her　offspring；　no　longer　a　child；　that　he　or　she　has　decided　to　head　out　to　the　west；　to　Waterdeep；　to　sail　for　adventure　along　the　Sword　Coast。　Everything　within　that　parent　wants　to　yell　out　〃Stay！〃　Every　instinct　within　that　parent　wants　to　hug　the　child　close；　to　protect　that　child　forever。　And　yet；　ultimately；　those　instincts　are　wrong。

　　　In　the　heart；　there　is　no　sting　greater　than　watching　the　struggles　of　one　you　love；　knowing　that　only　through　such　strife　will　that　person　grow　and　recognize　the　potential　of　his　or　her　existence。　Too　many　thieves　in　the　Realms　believe　the　formula　for　happiness　lies　in　an　unguarded　treasure　trove。　Too　many　wizards　seek　to　circumvent　the　years　of　study　required　for　true　power。　They　find　a　spell　on　a　scroll　or　an　enchanted　item　that　is　far　beyond　their　understanding；　yet　they　try　it　anyway；　only　to　be　consumed　by　the　powerful　magic。　Too　many　priests　in　the　Realms；　and　too　many　religious　sects　in　general；　ask　of　themselves　and　of　their　congregations　only　humble　servitude。

　　　All　of　them　are　doomed　to　fail　in　the　true　test　of　happiness。　There　is　one　ingredient　missing　in　stumbling　upon　an　unguarded　treasure　hoard；　there　is　one　element　absent　when　a　minor　wizard　lays　his　hands　on　an　arch…mage's　staff；　there　is　one　item　unaccounted　for　in　humble；　unquestioning；　and　unambitious　servitude。

　　　A　sense　of　acplishment。

　　　It　is　the　most　important　ingredient　in　any　rational　being's　formula　of　happiness。　It　is　the　element　that　builds　confidence　and　allows　us　to　go　on　to　other；　greater　tasks。　It　is　the　item　that　promotes　a　sense　of　self…worth；　that　allows　any　person　to　believe　there　is　value　in　life　itself；　that　gives　a　sense　of　purpose　to　bolster　us　as　we　face　life's　unanswerable　questions。

　　　So　it　was　with　Catti…brie　and　her　sword。　This　battle　had　found　her；　and　she　had　determined　to　fight　it。　Had　I　followed　my　protective　instincts；　I　would　have　refused　to　aid　her　in　taking　on　this　quest。　My　protective　instincts　told　me　to　go　to　Bruenor；　who　would　have　surely　ordered　the　sentient　sword　destroyed。　By　doing　that；　or　taking　any　other　course　to　prevent　Catti…brie's　battle；　I　would　have；　in　effect；　failed　to　trust　in　her；　failed　to　respect　her　individual　needs　and　her　chosen　destiny；　and；　thus；　I　would　have　stolen　a　bit　of　her　freedom。　That　had　been　Wulfgar's　single　failure。　In　his　fears　for　the　woman　he　so　dearly　loved；　the　brave　and　proud　barbarian　had　tried　to　smother　her　in　his　protective　hug。

　　　I　think　he　saw　the　truth　of　his　error　in　the　moments　before　his　death。　I　think　he　remembered　then　the　reasons　he　loved　Catti…brie：　her　strength　and　independence。　How　ironic　it　is　that　our　instincts　often　run　exactly　opposite　from　what　we　truly　desire　for　those　we　love。

　　　In　the　situation　I　earlier　named；　the　parents　would　have　to　let　their　child　go　to　Waterdeep　and　the　Sword　Coast。　And　so　it　was　with　Catti…brie。　She　chose　to　take　her　sword；　chose　to　explore　its　sentient　side；　perhaps　at　great　personal　risk。　The　decision　was　hers　to　make；　and　once　she　had　made　it；　I　had　to　respect　it；　had　to　respect　her。　I　didn't　see　her　much　over　the　next　couple　of　weeks；　as　she　waged　her　private　battle。

　　　But　I　thought　of　her　and　worried　for　her　every　waking　moment；　and　even　in　my　dreams。

　　　桪rizzt　Do'Urden



Chapter　12

WORTH　THE　TROUBLES



　　　〃I　have　tricked　tanar'ri　to　go　to　your　city；　Menzoberranzan；　and　soon　I　must　force　them　back；〃　the　great　Errtu　roared。　〃And　I　cannot　even　go　to　this　place　and　join　in　their　havoc；　or　even　to　retrieve　them！〃　The　balor　sat　on　his　mushroom　throne；　watching　the　scrying　device　that　showed　him　the　city　of　drow。　Earlier；　he　was　receiving　fleeting　images　only；　as　this　magic；　too；　struggled　against　the　effects　of　the　strange　time。　The　images　had　been　ing　more　strongly　lately；　though；　and　now　the　mirrorlike　surface　was　uncloudy；　showing　a　clear　scene　of　House　Oblodra；　wedged　between　the　fingers　of　the　Clawrift。　Fiends　great　and　minor　stalked　and　swooped　about　the　walled　pound；　banging　strong　fists　against　the　stone；　hurling　threats　and　missiles　of　rock。　The　Oblodrans　had　buttoned　the　place　up　tightly；　for　even　with　their　psionic　powers；　and　the　fact　that　the　fiends'