精灵血脉四部曲-第165部分

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　　　They　needed　a　break；　a　turn　in　the　tide；　and　Catti…brie　thought　she　saw　it　then；　and　a　moment　of　hope　came　to　her。　Finished　with　the　kill；　Guenhwyvar　growled　and　crouched；　ready　to　spring　upon　the　tanar'ri。

　　　That　moment　of　hope　for　Catti…brie　was　short…lived；　for　as　the　panther　sprang　out；　one　of　the　priestesses　casually　tossed　something　into　the　air；　Guenhwyvar's　way。　The　panther　dissipated　into　gray　mist　in　midleap　and　was　gone；　sent　back　to　the　Astral　Plane。

　　　〃And　so　we　die；〃　Catti…brie　whispered；　for　this　enemy　was　too　strong。　She　dropped　Taulmaril　to　the　floor　and　drew　Khazid'hea。　A　deep　breath　steadied　her；　reminded　her　that　she　had　run　close　to　death's　door　for　most　of　her　adult　life。　She　looked　to　her　father　and　prepared　to　charge；　prepared　to　die。

　　　A　shape　wavered　in　front　of　the　block　of　goo；　between　Catti…brie　and　Bruenor；　and　the　look　of　determination　on　the　young　woman's　face　turned　to　one　of　disgust　as　a　gruesome；　octopus…headed　monster　materialized　on　this　side　of　the　magical　block；　calmly　walking梟o；　floating梩oward　her。

　　　Catti…brie　raised　her　sword；　then　stopped；　overwhelmed　suddenly　by　a　psionic　blast；　the　likes　of　which　she　had　never　known。

　　　Methil　waded　in。



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　　　Berg'inyon's　force　pulled　up　and　regrouped　when　they　had　cleared　Keeper's　Dale　pletely；　had　left　the　din　of　battle　far　behind　and　were　near　the　last　run　for　the　tunnels　back　to　the　Under…dark。　Dimensional　doors　opened　near　the　lizard　rulers；　and　drow　wizards　（and　those　other　dark　elves　fortunate　enough　to　have　been　near　the　wizards　when　the　spells　were　enacted）　stepped　through。　Stragglers；　infantry　drow　and　a　scattering　of　humanoid　allies；　struggled　to　catch　up；　but　they　could　not　navigate　the　impossible　terrain　on　this　sign　of　the　mountain。　And　they　were　of　no　concern　to　the　Baenre　weapon　master。

　　　All　those　who　had　escaped　Keeper's　Dale　looked　to　Berg'inyon　for　guidance　as　the　day　brightened　about　them。

　　　〃My　mother　was　wrong；〃　Berg'inyon　said　bluntly；　an　act　of　blasphemy　in　drow　society；　where　the　word　of　any　matron　mother　was　Lloth…given　law。

　　　Not　a　drow　pointed　it　out；　though；　or　raised　a　word　of　disagreement。　Berg'inyon　motioned　to　the　east；　and　the　force　lumbered　on；　into　the　rising　sun；　miserable　and　defeated。

　　　〃The　surface　is　for　surface…dwellers；〃　Berg'inyon　remarked　to　one　of　his　advisors　when　she　walked　her　mount　beside　his。　〃I　shall　never　return。〃

　　　〃What　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden？〃　the　female　asked；　for　it　was　no　secret　that　Matron　Baenre　wanted　her　son　to　slay　the　renegade。

　　　Berg'inyon　laughed　at　her；　for　not　once　since　he　had　witnessed　Drizzt's　exploits　at　the　Academy　had　he　entertained　any　serious　thoughts　of　fighting　the　renegade。



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　　　Drizzt　could　see　little　beyond　the　gigantic　glabrezu；　and　that　spectacle　was　enough；　for　the　ranger　knew　he　was　not　prepared　for　such　a　foe；　knew　that　the　mighty　creature　would　likely　destroy　him。

　　　Even　if　it　didn't　defeat　him；　the　glabrezu　would　surely　hold　him　up　long　enough　for　Matron　Baenre　to　kill　them　all！

　　　Drizzt　felt　the　savage　hunger　of　his　scimitar；　a　blade　forged　to　kill　such　beasts；　but　he　fought　off　the　urge　to　charge；　knew　that　he　had　to　find　a　way　around　those　devilish　pincers。

　　　He　noted　Guenhwyvar's　futile　leap　and　disappearance。　Another　ally　lost。

　　　The　fight　was　over　before　it　had　begun；　Drizzt　realized。　They　had　killed　a　couple　of　elite　guards　and　nothing　more。　They　had　walked　headlong　into　the　pinnacle　of　Menzoberranzan's　power；　the　most　high　priestesses　of　the　Spider　Queen；　and　they　had　lost。　Waves　of　guilt　washed　over　Drizzt；　but　he　dismissed　them；　refused　to　accept　them。　He　had　e　out；　and　his　friends　had　e　beside　him；　because　this　had　been　Mithril　Hall's　only　chance。　Even　if　Drizzt　had　known　that　Matron　Baenre　herself　was　leading　this　march；　he　would　have　e　out　here；　and　would　not　have　denied　Bruenor　and　Regis　and　Catti…brie　the　opportunity　to　acpany　him。

　　　They　had　lost；　but　Drizzt　meant　to　make　their　enemy　hurt。

　　　〃Fight　on；　demon　spawn；〃　he　snarled　at　the　glabrezu；　and　he　fell　into　a　crouch；　waving　his　blades；　eager　to　give　his　scimitar　the　meal　it　so　greatly　desired。

　　　The　tanar'ri　straightened　and　held　out　a　curious　metal　coffer。

　　　Drizzt　didn't　wait　for　an　explanation；　and　almost　unintentionally　destroyed　the　only　chance　he　and　his　friends　had；　for　as　the　tanar'ri　moved　to　open　the　coffer；　Drizzt；　with　the　enchanted　ankle　bracers　speeding　his　rush；　yelled　and　charged；　right　past　the　lowered　pincers；　thrusting　his　scimitar　into　the　fiend's　belly。

　　　He　felt　the　surge　of　power　as　the　scimitar　fed。



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　　　Catti…brie　was　too　confused　to　strike；　too　overwhelmed　to　even　cry　out　in　protest　as　Methil　came　right　up　to　her　and　the　wretched　tentacles　licked　her　face。　Then；　through　the　confusion；　a　single　voice；　the　voice　of　Khazid'hea；　her　sword；　called　out　in　her　head。

　　　Strike！

　　　She　did；　and　though　her　aim　was　not　perfect；　Khazid'hea's　wicked　edge　hit　Methil　on　the　shoulder；　nearly　severing　the　illithid's　arm。

　　　Out　of　her　daze；　Catti…brie　swept　the　tentacles　from　her　face　with　her　free　hand。

　　　Another　psionic　wave　blasted　her；　crippling　her　once　more；　stealing　her　strength　and　buckling　her　legs。　Before　she　went　down；　she　saw　the　illithid　jerk　weirdly；　then　fall　away；　and　saw　Regis；　staggering；　his　hair　still　dancing　wildly。　The　halfling's　mace　was　covered　in　blood；　and　he　fell　sidelong；　over　the　stumbling　Methil。

　　　That　would　have　been　the　end　of　the　illithid；　especially　when　Catti…brie　regained　her　senses　enough　to　join　in；　except　that　Methil　had　anticipated　such　a　disaster　and　had　stored　enough　psionic　energy　to　get　out　of　the　fight。　Regis　lifted　his　mace　for　another　strike；　but　felt　himself　sinking　as　the　illithid　dissipated　beneath　him。　The　halfling　cried　out　in　confusion；　in　terror；　and　swung　anyway；　but　his　mace　clanged　loudly　as　it　hit　only　the　empty　stone　floor　beneath　him。



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　　　It　all　happened　in　a　mere　instant；　a　flicker　of　time　in　which　poor　Bruenor　had　not　gained　an　inch　toward　his　taunting　foes。

　　　The　glabrezu；　in　pain　greater　than　anything　it　had　ever　known；　could　have　killed　Drizzt　then。　Every　instinct　within　the　wicked　creature　urged　it　to　snap　this　impertinent　drow　in　half。　Every　instinct　except　one：　the　fear　of　Errtu's　reprisal　once　the　tanar'ri　got　back　to　the　Abyss梐nd　with　that　vile　scimitar　chewing　away　at　its　belly；　the　tanar'ri　knew　it　would　soon　make　that　trip。

　　　It　wanted　so　much　to　snap　Drizzt　in　half；　but　the　fiend　had　been　sent　here　for　a　different　reason；　and　evil　Errtu　would　accept　no　explanations　for　failure。　Growling　at　the　renegade　Do'Urden；　taking　pleasure　only　in　the　knowledge　that　Errtu　would　soon　return　to　punish　this　one　personally；　the　glabrezu　reached　across　and　tore　open　the　shielding　coffer；　producing　the　shining　black　sapphire。

　　　The　hunger　disappeared　from　Drizzt's　scimitar。　Suddenly；　the　ranger's　feet　weren't　moving　so　quickly。

　　　Across　the　Realms；　the　most　poignant　reminder　of　the　Time　of　Troubles　were　the　areas　known　as　dead　zones；　wherein　all　magic　ceased　to　exist。　This　sapphire　contained　within　it　the　negative　energy　of　such　a　zone；　possessed　the　antimagic　to　steal　magical　energy；　and　not　Drizzt's　scimitars　or　his　bracers；　not　Khazid'hea　or　the　magic　of　the　drow　priestesses；　could　overe　that　negative　force。

　　　It　happened　for　only　an　instant；　for　a　consequence　of　revealing　that　sapphire　was　the　release　of　the　summoned　tanar'ri　from　the　Material　Plane；　and　the　departing　glabrezu　took　with　it　the　sapphire。

　　　For　only　an　instant；　the　fires　stopped　in　the　tunnel　behind　Catti…brie。　For　only　an　instant；　the　shackles　binding　Gandalug　lost　their　enchantment。　For　only　an　instant；　the　block　of　goo　surrounding　Bruenor　was　no　more。

　　　For　only　an　instant；　but　that　was　long　enough　for　Gandalug；　teeming　with　centuries　of　rage；　to　tear　his　suddenly　feeble　shackles　apart；　and　for　Bruenor　to　surge　ahead；　so　that　when　the　block　of　goo　reappeared；　he　was　beyond　its　influence；　charging　hard　and　screaming　with　all　his　strength。

　　　Matron　Baenre　had　fallen　unceremoniously　to　the　floor；　and　her　driftdisk　reappeared　when　magic　returned；　hovering　above　her　head。

　　　Gandalug　launched　a　backhand　punch　to　the　left；　smacking　Quenthel　in　the　face　and　knocking　her　back　against　the　wall。　Then　he　jumped　to　the　right　and　caught　Bladen'Kerst's　five…headed　snake　whip　in　his　hand；　taking　more　than　one　numbing　bite。

　　　The　old　dwarf　ignored　the　pain　and　pressed　on；　barreling　over　the　surprised　Baenre　daughter。　He　reached　around　her　other　shoulder　and　caught　the　handle　of　her　whip　in　his　free　hand；　then　pulled　the　thing　tightly　against　her　neck；　strangling　her　with　her　own　wicked　weapon。

　　　They　fell　in　a　clinch。



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　　　In　all　the　Realms　there　was　no　creature　more　protected　by　magic　than　Matron　Baenre；　no　creature　shielded　from　blows　more　effectively；　not　even　a　thick…scaled　ancient　dragon。　But　most　of　those　wards　were　gone　now；　taken　from　her　in　the　moment　of　antimagic。　And　in　all　the　Realms　there　was　no　creature　more　consumed　by　rage　than　Bruenor　Battlehammer；　enraged　at　the　sight　of　the　old；　tormented　dwarf　he　knew　he　should　recognize。　Enraged　at　the　realization　that　his　friends；　that　his　dear　daughter；　were　dead；　or　soon　would　be。　Enraged　at　the　withered　drow　priestess；　in　his　mind　the　personification　of　the　evil　that　had　taken　his　boy。

　　　He　chopped　his　axe　straight　overhead；　the　many…notched　blade　diving　down；　shattering　the　blue　light　of　the　driftdisk；　blowing　the　enchantment　into　nothingness。　Bruenor　felt　the　burn　as　the　blade　hit　one　of　the　few　remaining　magical　shields；　energy　instantly　coursing　up　the　weapon's　head　and　handle；　into　the　furious　king。

　　　The　axe　went　from　green　to　orange　to　blue　as　it　tore　through　magical　defense　after　magical　defense；　rage　pitted　against　powerful　dweomers。　Bruenor　felt　agony；　but　would　admit　none。

　　　The　axe　drove　through　the　feeble　arm　that　Baenre　lifted　to　block；　through　Baenre's　skull；　through　her　jawbone　and　neck；　and　deep　into　her　frail　chest。



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　　　Quenthel　shook　off　Gandalug's　heavy　blow　and　instinctively　moved　for　her　sister。　Then；　suddenly；　her　mother　was　dead