精灵血脉四部曲-第145部分

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r　a　small；　round　table　covered　with　dozens　of　maps　and　other　parchments。

　　　Bella　looked　up　and　motioned　to　Bruenor；　and　the　dwarf　king　rushed　to　her　side。

　　　〃Are　we　to　sit　and　wait？〃　Catti…brie　asked　Regis。

　　　〃For　the　time；〃　the　halfling　answered。　〃But　soon　Bruenor　and　I　will　lead　a　group　out；　along　with　one　of　the　Harpells；　to　rendezvous　with　Drizzt　and　Pwent　in　Tunult's　Cavern。　I'm　sure　Bruenor　means　for　you　to　e　with　us。〃

　　　〃Let　him　try　to　stop　me；〃　Catti…brie　muttered　under　her　breath。　She　silently　considered　the　rendezvous。　Tunult's　Cavern　was　the　largest　chamber　outside　Mithril　Hall；　and　if　they　were　going　to　meet　Drizzt　there；　instead　of　some　out…of…the…way　place梐nd　if　the　dark　elves　were　indeed　in　the　tunnels　near　Mithril　Hall梩hen　the　anticipated　battle　would　e　soon。　Catti…brie　took　a　deep　breath　and　took　up　Taulmaril；　her　magical　bow。　She　tested　its　pull；　then　checked　her　quiver　to　make　sure　it　was　full；　even　though　the　enchantment　of　the　quiver　ensured　that　it　was　always　full。

　　　We　are　ready；　came　a　thought　in　her　mind；　a　thought　imparted　by　Khazid'hea；　she　knew。　Catti…brie　took　fort　in　her　newest　panion。　She　trusted　the　sword　now；　knew　that　it　and　she　were　of　like　mind。　And　they　were　indeed　ready；　they　all　were。

　　　Still；　when　Bruenor　and　Bidderdoo　walked　away　from　the　other　Harpells；　the　dwarf　motioning　to　his　personal　escorts　and　Regis　and　Catti…brie；　the　young　woman's　heart　skipped　a　few　beats。



　　　*****



　　　The　Gutbuster　Brigade　rambled　and　jostled；　bouncing　off　walls　and　each　other。　Drow　in　the　tunnels！　They　had　spotted　drow　in　the　tunnels；　and　now　they　needed　a　catch　or　a　kill。

　　　To　the　few　dark　elves　who　were　indeed　so　close　to　Mithril　Hall；　forward　scouts　for　the　wave　that　would　follow；　the　thunder　of　Pwent's　minions　seemed　almost　deafening。　The　drow　were　a　quiet　race；　as　quiet　as　the　Underdark　itself；　and　the　bustle　of　surface…dwelling　dwarves　made　them　think　that　a　thousand　fierce　warriors　were　giving　chase。　So　the　dark　elves　fell　back；　stretched　their　lines　thin；　with　the　more…important　females　taking　the　lead　in　the　retreat　and　the　males　forced　to　hold　the　line　and　delay　the　enemy。

　　　First　contact　was　made　in　a　narrow　but　high　tunnel。　The　Gut…busters　came　in　hard　and　fast　from　the　east；　and　three　drow；　levitating　among　the　stalactites；　fired　hand…crossbows；　putting　poison…tipped　darts　into　Pwent　and　the　two　others　flanking　him　in　the　front　rank。

　　　〃What！〃　the　battlerager　roared；　as　did　his　panions；　surprised　by　the　sudden　sting。　The　ever　wary　Pwent；　cunning　and　prehending；　looked　around；　then　he　and　the　other　two　fell　to　the　floor。

　　　With　a　scream　of　surprise；　the　rest　of　the　Gutbusters　turned　about　and　fled；　not　even　thinking　to　recover　their　fallen　rades。

　　　Kill　two。　Take　one　back　for　questioning；　the　most　important　of　the　three　dark　elves　signaled　as　he　and　his　panions　began　floating　back　to　the　floor。

　　　They　touched　down　lightly　and　drew　out　fine　swords。

　　　Up　scrambled　the　three　battleragers；　their　little　legs　pumping　under　them　in　a　wild　flurry。　No　poison；　not　even　the　famed　drow　sleeping　poison；　could　get　through　the　wicked　concoctions　this　group　had　recently　imbibed。　Gutbuster　was　a　drink；　not　just　a　brigade；　and　if　a　dwarf　could　survive　the　drink　itself；　he　wouldn't　have　to　worry　much　about　being　poisoned　（or　being　cold）　for　some　time。

　　　Closest　to　the　dark　elves；　Pwent　lowered　his　head；　with　its　long　helmet　spike；　and　impaled　one　elf　through　the　chest；　blasting　through　the　fine　mesh　of　drow　armor　easily　and　brutally。

　　　The　second　drow　managed　to　deflect　the　next　battlerager's　charge；　turning　the　helmet　spike　aside　with　both　his　swords。　But　a　mailed　fist；　the　knuckles　devilishly　spiked　with　barbed　points；　caught　the　drow　under　the　chin　and　tore　a　gaping　hole　in　his　throat。　Fighting　for　breath；　the　drow　managed　to　score　two　nasty　hits　on　his　opponent's　back；　but　those　two　strikes　did　little　in　the　face　of　the　flurry　launched　by　the　wild…eyed　dwarf。

　　　Only　the　third　drow　survived　the　initial　assault。　He　leaped　high　in　the　air；　enacting　his　levitation　spell　once　more；　and　got　just　over　the　remaining　dwarf's　barreling　charge梞ostly　because　the　dwarf　slipped　on　the　slick　blood　of　Thibbledorf　Pwent's　quick　kill。

　　　Up　went　the　drow；　into　the　stalactite　tangle；　disappearing　from　sight。

　　　Pwent　straightened；　shaking　free　of　the　dead　drow。　〃That　way！〃　he　roared；　pointing　farther　along　the　corridor。　〃Find　an　open　area　o'　ceiling　and　take　up　a　watch！　We're　not　to　let　this　one　get　away！〃

　　　Around　the　eastern　bend　came　the　rest　of　the　Gutbusters；　whooping　and　shouting；　their　armor　clattering；　the　many　creases　and　points　on　each　suit　grating　and　squealing　like　fingernails　on　slate。

　　　〃Take　to　lookin'！〃　Pwent　bellowed；　indicating　the　ceiling；　and　all　the　dwarves　bobbed　about　eagerly。

　　　One　screeched；　taking　a　hand…crossbow　hit　squarely　in　the　face；　but　that　shout　of　pain　became　a　cry　of　joy；　for　the　dwarf　had　only　to　backtrack　the　angle　to　spot　the　floating　drow。　Immediately　a　globe　of　darkness　engulfed　that　area　of　the　stalactites；　but　the　dwarves　now　knew　where　to　find　him。

　　　〃Lariat！〃　Pwent　bellowed；　and　another　dwarf　pulled　a　rope　from　his　belt　and　scrambled　over　to　the　battlerager。　The　end　of　the　rope　was　looped　and　securely　tied　in　a　slip　knot；　and　so　the　dwarf；　misunderstanding　Pwent's　intent；　put　the　lasso　twirling　over　his　head　and　looked　to　the　darkened　area；　trying　to　discern　his　best　shot。

　　　Pwent　grabbed　him　by　the　wrist　and　held　fast；　sending　the　rope　limply　to　the　floor。　〃Battlerager　lariat；〃　Pwent　explained。

　　　Other　dwarves　crowded　about；　not　knowing　what　their　leader　had　in　mind。　Smiles　widened　on　every　face　as　Pwent　slipped　the　loop　over　his　foot；　tightened　it　about　his　ankle；　and　informed　the　others　that　it　would　take　more　than　one　of　them　to　get　this　drow…catcher　flying。

　　　Every　eager　dwarf　grabbed　the　rope　and　began　tugging　wildly；　doing　no　more　than　to　knock　Pwent　from　his　feet。　Gradually；　sobered　by　the　threats　of　the　vicious　battlerager　mander；　they　managed　to　find　a　rhythm；　and　soon　had　Pwent　skipping　about　the　floor。

　　　Then　they　had　him　up　in　the　air；　flying　wildly；　round　and　round。　But　too　much　slack　was　given　the　rope；　and　Pwent　scraped　hard　against　one　of　the　corridor　walls；　his　helmet　spike　throwing　a　line　of　bright　sparks。

　　　This　group　learned　fast；　though梒onsidering　that　they　were　dwarves　who　spent　their　days　running　headlong　into　steel…reinforced　doors梐nd　they　soon　had　the　timing　of　the　spin　and　the　length　of　the　rope　perfect。

　　　Two　turns；　five　turns；　and　off　flew　the　battlerager；　up　into　the　air；　to　crash　among　the　stalactites。　Pwent　grabbed　onto　one　momentarily；　but　it　broke　away　from　the　ceiling　and　down　the　dwarf　and　stone　tumbled。

　　　Pwent　hit　hard；　then　bounced　right　back　to　his　feet。

　　　〃One　less　barrier　to　our　enemy！〃　one　dwarf　roared；　and　before　the　dazed　Pwent　could　protest；　the　others　cheered　and　tugged；　bringing　the　battlerager　lariat　to　bear　once　more。

　　　Up　flew　Pwent；　to　similar；　painful　results；　then　a　third　time；　then　a　fourth；　which　proved　the　charm；　for　the　poor　drow；　blind　to　the　scene；　finally　dared　to　e　out　into　the　open；　edging　his　way　to　the　west。

　　　He　sensed　the　living　lariat　ing　and　managed　to　scramble　behind　a　long；　thin　stalactite；　but　that　hardly　mattered；　for　Pwent　took　the　stone　out　cleanly；　wrapped　his　arms　about　it；　and　about　the　drow　behind　it；　and　drow；　dwarf；　and　stone　fell　together；　crashing　hard　to　the　floor。　Before　the　drow　could　recover；　half　the　brigade　had　fallen　over　him；　battering　him　into　unconsciousness。

　　　It　took　them　another　five　minutes　to　get　the　semiconscious　Pwent　to　let　go　of　the　victim。

　　　They　were　up　and　moving；　Pwent　included；　soon　after；　having　tied　the　drow；　ankles　and　wrists　to　a　long　pole；　supported　on　the　shoulders　of　two　of　the　group。　They　hadn't　even　cleared　the　corridor；　though；　when　the　dwarves　farthest　to　the　west；　the　two　Pwent　had　sent　to　watch；　took　up　a　cry　of　〃Drow！〃　and　spun　about　at　the　ready。

　　　Into　the　passage　came　a　lone；　trotting　dark　elf；　and　before　Pwent　could　yell　out　〃Not　that　one！〃　the　two　dwarves　lowered　their　heads　and　roared　in。

　　　In　a　split　second；　the　dark　elf　cut　left；　back　to　the　right；　spun　a　plete　circuit　to　the　right；　then　went　wide　around　the　end；　and　the　two　Gutbusters　stumbled　and　slammed　hard　into　the　wall。　They　realized　their　foolishness　when　the　great　panther　came　by　an　instant　later；　following　her　drow　panion。

　　　Drizzt　was　back　by　the　dwarves'　side；　helping　them　to　their　feet。　〃Run　on；〃　he　whispered；　and　they　paused　at　the　warning　long　enough　to　hear　the　rumble　of　a　not…so…distant　charge。

　　　Misunderstanding；　the　Gutbusters　smiled　widely　and　prepared　to　continue　their　own　charge　to　the　west；　headlong　into　the　approaching　force；　but　Drizzt　held　them　firmly。

　　　〃Our　enemies　are　upon　us　in　great　numbers；〃　he　said。　〃You　will　get　your　fight；　more　than　you　ever　hoped　for；　but　not　here。〃

　　　By　the　time　Drizzt；　the　two　dwarves；　and　the　panther　caught　up　to　Pwent；　the　noise　of　the　ing　army　was　clearly　evident。

　　　〃I　thought　ye　said　the　damned　drow　moved　silent；〃　Pwent　remarked；　double…stepping　beside　the　swift　ranger。

　　　〃Not　drow；〃　Drizzt　replied。　〃Kobolds　and　goblins。〃

　　　Pwent　skidded　to　an　abrupt　halt。　〃We're　runnin'　from　stinkin'　kobolds？〃　he　asked。

　　　〃Thousands　of　stinking　kobolds；〃　Drizzt　replied　evenly；　〃and　bigger　monsters；　likely　with　thousands　of　drow　behind　them。〃

　　　〃Oh；〃　answered　the　battlerager；　suddenly　out　of　bluster。

　　　In　the　familiar　tunnels；　Drizzt　and　the　Gutbusters　had　no　trouble　keeping　ahead　of　the　rushing　army。　Drizzt　took　no　detours　this　time；　but　ran　straight　to　the　east；　past　the　tunnels　the　dwarves　had　rigged　to　fall。

　　　〃Run　on；〃　the　drow　ordered　the　assigned　trap…springers；　a　handful　of　dwarves　standing　ready　beside　cranks　that　would　release　the　ropes　supporting　the　tunnel　structure。　Each　of　them　in　turn　stared　blankly　at　the　surprising　mand。

　　　〃They're　ing；〃　one　remarked；　for　that　is　exactly　why　these　dwarves　were　out　in　the　tunnels。

　　　〃All　you　will　catch　is　kobolds；〃　Drizzt；　understanding　the　drow　tactics；　informed　them。　〃Run　on；　and　let　us　see　if　we　cannot　catch　a　few　drow　as　w