精灵血脉四部曲-第150部分

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　in　half　with　huge　swords　and　battle…axes；　or　simply　lifting　the　kobolds　high　over　head　and　hurling　them　down　the　mountainside。

　　　〃Wo　must　go　out　and　meet　them！〃　Berkthgar　roared；　seeing　his　kin　engaged。　He　raised　huge　Bankenfuere　high　into　the　air。　〃To　the　glory　of　Tempus！〃　he　roared；　a　cry　repeated　by　all　those　barbarians　on　the　second　position；　and　those　on　the　third　as　well。

　　　〃So　much　for　ambush；〃　muttered　Regweld　Harpell；　seated　on　his　horse…frog；　Puddlejumper。　With　a　nod　to　Besnell；　for　the　time　drew　near；　Regweld　gave　a　slight　tug　on　Puddlejumper's　rein　and　the　weird　beast　croaked　out　a　guttural　whinny　and　leaped　to　the　west；　clearing　thirty　feet。

　　　〃Not　yet；〃　Besnell　implored　Berkthgar；　the　barbarian's　hand　cupping　a　dozen　or　so　of　the　magic　light…giving　pellets。　The　knight　pointed　out　the　movements　of　the　enemy　force　below；　explained　to　Berkthgar　that；　while　many　climbed　up　to　meet　the　defenders　holding　the　easternmost　position；　many；　many　more　continued　to　filter　along　the　lower　trails　to　the　west。　Also；　the　light　was　not　so　intense　anymore；　as　dark　elves　used　their　innate　abilities　to　counter　the　stingingly　bright　enchantments。

　　　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃　Berkthgar　demanded。

　　　Besnell　continued　to　hold　his　hand　in　the　air；　continued　to　delay　the　charge。

　　　To　the　east；　a　barbarian　screamed　as　he　saw　that　his　form　was　outlined　suddenly　by　blue　flames；　magical　fires　that　did　not　burn。　They　weren't　truly　harmless；　though；　for　in　the　night；　they　gave　the　man's　position　clearly　away。　The　sound　of　many　crossbows　clicked　from　somewhere　below；　and　the　unfortunate　barbarian　cried　out　again　and　again；　then　he　fell　silent。

　　　That　was　more　than　enough　for　Berkthgar；　and　he　hurled　out　the　pellets。　His　nearby　kin　did　likewise；　and　this　second　section　of　the　south　face　brightened　with　magic。　Down　charged　the　men　of　Settlestone；　to　Besnell's　continuing　dismay。　The　riders　should　have　gone　down　first；　but　not　yet；　not　until　the　bulk　of　the　enemy　force　had　passed。

　　　〃We　must；〃　whispered　the　knight　behind　the　elven　leader　from　Silverymoon；　and　Besnell　quietly　nodded。　He　surveyed　the　scene　for　just　a　moment。　Berkthgar　and　his　hundred　were　already　engaged；　straight　down　the　face；　with　no　hope　of　linking　up　with　those　brave　men　holding　the　high　ground　in　the　east。　Despite　his　anger　at　the　impetuous　barbarian；　Besnell　marveled　at　Berkthgar's　exploits。　Mighty　Bankenfuere　took　out　three　kobolds　at　a　swipe；　launching　them；　whole　or　in　parts；　high　into　the　air。

　　　〃The　light　will　not　hold；〃　the　knight　behind　Besnell　remarked。

　　　〃Between　the　two　forces；〃　Besnell　replied；　speaking　loud　enough　so　that　all　those　riders　around　him　could　hear。　〃We　must　go　down　at　an　angle；　between　the　two　forces；　so　that　the　men　in　the　east　can　escape　behind　us。〃

　　　Not　a　word　of　plaint　came　back　to　him；　though　his　chosen　course　was　treacherous　indeed。　The　original　plan　had　called　for　the　Knights　in　Silver　to　ride　straight　into　the　enemy；　both　from　this　position　and　the　next　position　to　the　west；　while　Berkthgar　and　his　men　linked　behind　them；　the　whole　of　the　defending　force　rolling　gradually　to　the　west。　Now　Berkthgar；　in　his　bloodlust；　had　abandoned　that　plan；　and　the　Knights　in　Silver　might　pay　dearly　for　the　act。　But　neither　man　nor　elf　plained。

　　　〃Keep　fast　your　pellets；〃　Besnell　manded；　〃until　the　drow　counter　what　light　is　already　available。〃

　　　He　reared　his　horse　once；　for　effect。

　　　〃For　the　glory　of　Silverymoon！〃　he　cried。

　　　〃And　the　good　of　all　good　folk！〃　came　the　unified　response。

　　　Their　thunder　shook　the　side　of　Fourthpeak；　resonated　deep　into　the　dwarven　tunnels　below　the　stone。　To　the　blare　of　horns；　down　they　charged；　a　hundred　riders；　lances　low；　and　when　those　long　spears　became　entangled　or　snapped　apart　as　they　skewered　the　enemy；　out　came　flashing　swords。

　　　More　deadly　were　the　sturdy　mounts；　crushing　kobolds　under　pounding　hooves；　scattering　and　terrifying　kobolds　and　goblins　and　drow　alike；　for　these　invaders　from　the　deepest　Underdark　had　never　seen　such　a　cavalry　charge。

　　　In　mere　minutes　the　enemy　advance　up　the　mountain　was　halted　and　reversed；　with　only　a　few　of　the　defenders　taken　down。　And　as　the　dark　elves　continued　to　counter　the　light　pellets；　Besnell's　men　countered　their　spells　with　still　more　light　pellets。

　　　But　the　dark　force　continued　its　roll　along　the　lower　trails；　evidenced　by　the　blare　of　horns　to　the　west；　the　calls　to　Tempus　and　to　Longsaddle；　and　the　renewed　thunder　as　the　Longriders　followed　the　lead　of　the　Knights　in　Silver。

　　　The　first　real　throw　of　magic　led　the　charge　from　that　third　position；　a　lightning　bolt　from　Regweld　that　split　the　darkness；　causing　more　horror　than　destruction。

　　　Surprisingly；　there　came　no　magical　response　from　the　drow；　other　than　minor　darkness　spells　or　faerie　fire　limning　selected　defenders。

　　　The　remaining　barbarian　force　did　as　the　plan　had　demanded；　angling　between　the　Longriders　and　the　area　just　below　the　second　position；　linking　up；　not　with　the　Knights　in　Silver；　as　was　originally　planned；　but　with　Berkthgar　and　his　force。



　　　*****



　　　High　above　the　battle；　Alustriel　used　all　her　discipline　and　restraint　to　hold　herself　in　check。　The　defenders　were；　as　expected；　slicing　the　kobold　and　goblin　ranks　to　pieces；　killing　the　enemy　in　a　ratio　far　in　excess　of　fifty　to　one。

　　　That　number　would　have　easily　doubled　had　Alustriel　loosed　her　magic；　but　she　could　not。　The　drow　were　waiting　patiently；　and　she　respected　the　powers　of　those　evil　elves　enough　to　know　that　her　first　attack　might　be　her　only　one。

　　　She　whispered　to　the　enchanted　horses　pulling　the　aerial　chariot　and　moved　lower；　nodding　grimly　as　she　confirmed　that　the　battle　was　going　as　anticipated。　The　slaughter　high　on　the　south　face　was　plete；　but　the　dark　mass　continued　to　flow　below　the　struggle　to　the　west。

　　　Alustriel　understood　that　many　drow　were　among　the　ranks　of　that　lower　group。

　　　The　chariot　swooped　to　the　east；　swiftly　left　the　battle　behind；　and　the　Lady　of　Silverymoon　took　some　fort　in　the　realization　that　the　enemy　lines　were　not　so　long；　not　so　far　beyond　the　easternmost　of　the　defensive　positions。

　　　She　came　to　understand　why　when　she　heard　yet　another　battle；　around　the　mountain；　to　the　east。　The　enemy　had　found　Mithril　Hall's　eastern　door；　had　entered　the　plex；　and　was　battling　the　dwarves　within！

　　　Flashes　of　lightning　and　bursts　of　fire　erupted　within　the　shadows　of　that　low　door；　and　the　creatures　that　entered　were　not　diminutive　kobolds　or　stupid　goblins。　They　were　dark　elves；　many；　many　dark　elves。

　　　She　wanted　to　go　down　there；　to　rush　over　the　enemy　in　a　magical；　explosive　fury；　but　Alustriel　had　to　trust　in　Bruenor's　people。　The　tunnels　had　been　prepared；　she　knew；　and　the　attack　from　outside　the　mountain　had　been　expected。

　　　Her　chariot　flew　on；　around　to　the　north；　and　Alustriel　thought　to　plete　the　circuit；　to　cut　low　through　Keeper's　Dale　in　the　east；　where　the　other　allies；　another　hundred　of　her　Knights　in　Silver；　waited。

　　　What　she　saw　did　not　settle　well；　did　not　fort　her。

　　　The　northern　face　of　Fourthpeak　was　a　treacherous；　barren　stretch　of　virtually　unclimbable　rock　faces　and　broken　ravines　that　no　man　could　pass。

　　　Virtually　unclimbable；　but　not　to　the　sticky　feet　of　giant　subterranean　lizards。

　　　Berg'inyon　Baenre　and　his　elite　force；　the　four　hundred　famed　lizard　riders　of　House　Baenre；　scrambled　across　that　northern　facing；　making　swift　progress　to　the　west；　toward　Keeper's　Dale。

　　　The　waiting　knights　had　been　positioned　to　shore　up　the　final　defenses　against　the　force　crossing　the　southern　face。　Their　charge；　if　it　came；　would　be　to　open　up　the　last　flank；　to　allow　Besnell；　the　Longriders；　and　the　men　of　Nesme　and　Settlestone　to　get　into　the　dale；　which　was　accessible　through　only　one　narrow　pass。

　　　The　lizard…riders　would　get　there　first；　Alustriel　knew；　and　they　outnumbered　the　waiting　knights梐nd　they　were　drow。



　　　*****



　　　The　easternmost　position　was　surrendered。　The　barbarians；　or　what　remained　of　their　ranks；　ran　fast　to　the　west；　crossing　behind　the　Knights　in　Silver　to　join　Berkthgar。

　　　After　they　had　crossed；　Besnell　turned　his　force　to　the　west　as　well；　pushing　Berkthgar's　force；　which　had　swelled　to　include　nearly　every　living　warrior　from　Settlestone；　ahead。

　　　The　leader　of　the　Knights　in　Silver　began　to　think　that　Berkthgar's　error　would　not　be　so　devastating；　that　the　retreat　could　proceed　as　planned。　He　found　a　high　plateau　and　surveyed　the　area；　nodding　grimly　as　he　noted　that　the　enemy　force　below　had　rolled　around　the　first　three　positions。

　　　Besnell's　eyes　widened；　and　he　gasped　aloud　as　he　realized　the　exact　location　of　the　leading　edge　of　that　dark　cloud。　The　Riders　of　Nesme　had　missed　their　call！　They　had　to　get　down　the　mountainside　quickly；　to　hold　that　flank；　and　yet；　for　some　reason；　they　had　hesitated　and　the　leading　edge　of　the　enemy　force　seemed　beyond　the　fourth；　and　last；　position。

　　　Now　the　Riders　of　Nesme　did　e；　and　their　full…out　charge　down　the　smoothest　stone　of　the　south　face　was　indeed　devastating；　the　forty　horsemen　trampling　thrice　that　number　of　kobolds　in　mere　moments。

　　　But　the　enemy　had　that　many　to　spare；　Besnell　knew；　and　many　more　beyond　that。　The　plan　had　called　for　an　organized　retreat　to　the　west；　to　Keeper's　Dale；　even　in　through　Mithril　Hall's　western　door　if　need　be。

　　　It　was　a　good　plan；　but　now　the　flank　was　lost　and　the　way　to　the　west　was　closed。

　　　Besnell　could　only　watch　in　horror。



Part　5

OLD　KINGS　AND　OLD　QUEENS



　　　They　came　as　an　army；　but　not　so。　Eight　thousand　dark　elves　and　a　larger　number　of　humanoid　slaves；　a　mighty　and　massive　force；　swarmed　toward　Mithril　Hall。

　　　The　descriptions　are　fitting　in　terms　of　sheer　numbers　and　strength；　and　yet　〃army〃　and　〃force〃　imply　something　more；　a　sense　of　cohesion　and　collective　purpose。　Certainly　the　drow　are　among　the　finest　warriors　in　the　Realms；　trained　to　fight　from　the　youngest　age；　alone　or　in　groups；　and　certainly　the　purpose　seems　clear　when　the　war　is　racial；　when　it　is　drow　battling　dwarves。　Yet；　though　their　tactics　are　perfect；　groups　working　in　unison　to　support　eac