精灵血脉四部曲-第18部分

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〃Ye've　never　once　mentioned　that　one；〃　Catti…brie　said　to　Bruenor。

〃Trust　me；　girl；〃　Bruenor　replied。　〃That　one's　not　worth　mentioning。〃



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Exhausted；　the　barbarian　fell　onto　his　cot　and　sought　some　needed　sleep。　He　felt　the　dream　returning　before　he　had　even　closed　his　eyes。　He　bolted　upright；　not　wanting　to　see　again　the　images　of　his　Catti…brie　entwined　with　the　likes　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden。

They　came　to　him　anyway。

He　saw　a　thousand　sparkles；　a　million　reflected　fires；　spiraling　downward；　inviting　him　along。

Wulfgar　growled　defiantly　and　tried　to　stand。　It　took　him　several　moments　to　realize　that　the　attempt　had　been　futile；　that　he　was　still　on　his　cot；　and　that　he　was　descending；　following　the　undeniable　trail　of　glittering　sparkles　down　to　the　images。

Cobble's　forces　joined　the　other　dwarves　two　hours　later；　reporting　the　rear　areas　clear　of　enemies。　The　rout　was　plete；　as　far　as　Bruenor　and　his　manders　could　discern；　with　not　a　single　enemy　left　alive。

None　of　the　dwarven　forces　had　noticed　the　slender；　dark　forms—dark　elves；　Jarlaxle's　spies—floating　among　the　stalactites　near　critical　areas　of　battle；　watching　the　dwarven　movements　and　battle　techniques　with　more　than　passing　interest。

The　goblin　threat　was　ended；　but　that　was　the　least　of　Bruenor　Battlehammer's　problems。



Chapter　9

Too　Clean　Cuts



“Goblins？〃　Regis　asked。　Drizzt　bent　low　over　one　of　the　dwarven　corpses；　shaking　his　head　even　before　he　got　close　enough　to　fully　inspect　the　wounds。　Goblins　would　not　likely　have　left　the　dwarves　in　this　condition；　the　drow　ranger　knew；　certainly　not　with　all　of　their　valuable　armor　and　equipment　intact。　Besides；　goblins　never　recovered　the　bodies　of　their　own　dead；　yet　the　only　kills　in　this　corridor　were　dwarves。　No　matter　how　large　the　goblin　force；　and　how　great　their　advantage　of　surprise；　Drizzt　did　not　think　it　likely　that　they　could　have　killed　this　sturdy　party　without　a　single　loss。

The　wounds　on　the　nearest　dwarf　seemed　to　confirm　the　drow's　instincts。　Slender　and　precise；　these　cuts　were　not　made　by　crude；　jagged　goblin　weapons。　A　fine　edge；　razor　sharp　and　probably　enchanted；　had　sliced　this　particular　dwarf's　throat。　The　line　was　barely　visible；　even　after　Drizzt　had　wiped　away　the　blood；　but　ultimately　deadly。

〃What　killed　them？〃　Regis　asked；　growing　impatient。　He　shifted　about　from　foot　to　foot；　moving　the　torch　alternately　from　one　hand　to　the　other。

Drizzt's　mind　refused　to　accept　the　obvious　conclusion。　How　many　times　in　his　years　in　Menzoberranzan；　fighting　beside　his　drow　kin；　had　Drizzt　Do'Urden　witnessed　wounds　similar　to　these？　No　other　race　in　all　the　Realms；　with　the　possible　exception　of　the　surface　elves；　used　weapons　so　finely　edged。

〃What　killed　them？〃　Regis　asked　again；　a　notable　tremor　in　his　voice。

Drizzt　shook　his　white　locks。　〃I　do　not　know；〃　he　replied　honestly。　He　moved　to　the　next　body；　this　one　slumped；　half…sitting　against　the　wall。　Despite　the　abundance　of　blood；　the　only　wound　the　drow　found　was　a　single　clean；　diagonal　slash　along　the　right　side　of　the　unfortunate　dwarf's　throat；　a　cut　paper　thin　but　very　deep。

〃It　could　be　Duergar；〃　Drizzt　said　to　Regis；　referring　to　the　evil　race　of　gray　dwarves。　The　thought　made　sense；　since　Duergar　had　served　as　minions　to　Shimmergloom　the　dragon；　and　had　inhabited　these　halls　until　just　a　few　months　before；　when　Bruenor's　forces　had　chased　them　out。　Still；　Drizzt　knew　that　his　reasoning　was　based　more　in　hope　than　in　truth。　Greedy　Duergar　would　have　stripped　these　victims　clean；　particularly　of　the　valuable　mining　equipment；　and　Duergar；　like　mountain　dwarves；　favored　heavier　weapons；　such　as　the　battle…axe。　No　such　weapon　had　hit　this　dwarf。

〃You　don't　believe　that；〃　Regis　said　behind　him。　Drizzt　didn't　turn　to　regard　the　halfling；　staying　in　a　crouch；　he　shuffled　over　to　the　next　unfortunate　dwarf。

Regis's　voice　fell　away　behind　him；　but　Drizzt　heard　the　halfling's　last　statement　as　clearly　as　he　had　ever　heard　anything　in　his　life。

〃You　think　Entreri　did　it。〃

Drizzt　did　not　think　that；　did　not　think　that　any　lone　warrior；　however　skilled；　could　possibly　have　done　such　a　plete　and　precise　job。　He　glanced　back　at　Regis；　standing　impassively　under　his　upheld　torch；　his　eyes　searching　Drizzt　for　some　clue　of　a　reaction。　Drizzt　thought　the　halfling's　reasoning　curious　indeed；　and　the　only　explanation　he　could　think　of　was　that　Regis　was　terribly　frightened　that　Entreri　had　followed　him　out　of　Calimport。

Drizzt　shook　his　head　and　turned　back　to　his　investigation。　On　the　body　of　the　third　dwarf　he　found　a　clue　that　narrowed　the　list　of　potential　killers　to　one　race。

A　tiny　dart　protruded　from　the　body's　side；　under　its　cloak。　Drizzt　had　to　take　a　steadying　breath　before　he　mustered　the　nerve　to　pull　it　out；　for　he　recognized　it；　and　it　explained　the　ease　with　which　these　toughened　dwarves　had　been　slaughtered。　The　quarrel；　made　for　a　hand…held　crossbow；　undoubtedly　had　been　coated　with　sleep　poison　and　was　a　favored　missile　of　dark　elves。

Drizzt　came　up　from　his　low　crouch；　his　scimitars　leaped　into　his　slender　hands。　〃We　must　leave　this　place；〃　he　whispered　harshly。

〃What　is　it？〃　Regis　asked。

Drizzt；　his　keen　senses　attuned　to　the　darkness　farther　along　the　corridor；　did　not　answer。

From　somewhere　back　behind　the　halfling；　Guenhwyvar　issued　a　low　growl。

Drizzt　eased　one　foot　behind　him　and　slid　slowly　backward；　somehow　understanding　that　any　abrupt　movement　would　trigger　an　attack。　Dark　elves　in　Mithril　Hall！　Of　all　the　horrors　Drizzt　could　think　of—and　in　Faerun；　these　were　countless—not　one　came　near　to　the　disaster　of　the　drow。

〃Which　way？〃　Regis　whispered。

Twinkle's　blue　light　seemed　to　flare。

〃Go！〃　Drizzt　cried；　understanding　the　scimitar's　warning　He　spun　about　and　saw　Regis　for　just　a　moment；　then　the　halfling　disappeared　under　a　ball　of　conjured　darkness；　the　magic　snuffing　out　the　light　of　the　halfling's　torch　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。

Drizzt　rolled　to　the　side　of　the　corridor　and　spun　back　around　behind　the　propped　body　of　a　dead　dwarf。　He　closed　his　eyes；　forcing　them　into　the　infrared　spectrum；　and　felt　the　dwarf's　body　jerk　slightly；　once　and　then　again。　Drizzt　knew　it　had　been　hit　with　quarrels。

A　black　streak　emerged　from　the　globe　of　darkness　behind　him；　the　corridor　brightened　just　a　bit　as　Regis　apparently　went　out　the　back　side　of　the　darkened　area；　his　torch　shedding　some　light　around　the　edge　of　the　unyielding　globe。

The　halfling　did　not　cry　out；　though。　This　surprised　Drizzt　and　made　him　fear　that　Regis　had　been　taken。

Guenhwyvar　padded　by　him　and　darted　left；　then　right。　A　poison…coated　quarrel　skipped　off　the　stone　floor；　inches　from　the　panther's　fast…moving　paws。　Another　struck　Guenhwyvar　with　a　thud；　but　the　cat　hardly　slowed。

Drizzt　saw　the　heated　outlines　of　two　slender　forms　many　yards　away；　each　with　a　single　arm　extended；　as　though　they　were　again　taking　aim　with　their　wicked　weapons。　Drizzt　called　upon　his　own　innate　magical　abilities　and　dropped　a　globe　of　darkness　into　the　corridor　ahead　of　Guenhwyvar；　offering　some　cover。　Then　he；　too；　was　up　and　running；　following　the　cat；　hoping　that　Regis　somehow　had　escaped。

He　went　into　his　own　area　of　darkness　without　slowing；　sure…footed；　remembering　the　layout　of　the　corridor　perfectly　and　deftly　skipping　over　yet　another　dwarven　body。　When　he　emerged；　Drizzt　noticed　the　black　mouth　of　a　side　passage　to　his　left。　Guenhwyvar　had　flown　right　past　it；　and　now　was　bearing　down　on　the　two　drow　forms；　but　Drizzt；　trained　in　the　tactics　of　the　dark　elves；　knew　in　his　heart　that　the　side　passage　could　not　be　clear。

He　heard　a　scuttling　noise；　as　of　many　hard…edged　legs；　and　then　he　fell　back；　stunned　and　afraid；　as　an　eight…legged　monstrosity；　half　drow　and　half　arachnid；　clambered　around　the　bend；　its　legs　catching　hold　with　equal　ease　on　both　floor　and　wall。　Twin　axes　waved　ominously　in　its　hands；　which　once　had　been　the　delicate　hands　of　a　drow。

In　all　the　wide　world；　there　was　nothing　more　repulsive　to　any　dark　elf；　Drizzt　Do'Urden　included；　than　a　drider。

Guenhwyvar's　roar；　acpanied　by　the　sounds　of　several　clicking　crossbows；　brought　Drizzt　back　to　his　senses　in　time　to　deflect　the　drider's　first　attack。　The　monster　came　straight　in　with　its　front　legs　raised　and　kicking—to　keep　Drizzt　off　balance—and　launched　its　axes　in　a　quick　double　chop　at　Drizzt's　head。

Drizzt　spun　back　out　of　range　of　the　legs　in　time　to　avoid　the　slicing　axes；　but　instead　of　continuing　his　retreat；　he　hooked　an　arm　on　one　spidery　leg　and　rolled　around　it；　rushing　back　in。　Twinkle　whipped　across；　blasting　aside　a　second　leg　and　giving　Drizzt　enough　of　an　opening　to　slide　down　to　his　knees；　right　under　the　beast。

The　drider　reared　and　hissed；　both　of　its　axes　chopping　at　Drizzt's　backside。

Drizzt's　other　scimitar　was　already　in　place；　though；　leveled　horizontally　in　back　of　his　vulnerable　neck。　It　deflected　one　axe　harmlessly　wide　and　caught　the　other　where　its　head　met　its　handle。　Drizzt　put　his　feet　under　him　and　turned　sideways　as　he　rose；　both　his　blades　turning　point　up。　With　his　parrying　scimitar；　he　continued　the　movement；　twisting　the　trapped　axe　right　over　in　the　drider's　hand；　then　tugging　it　free。　With　Twinkle　he　thrust　straight　up；　finding　a　ridge　in　the　creature's　armored　exoskeleton　and　sinking　the　blade　deep　into　spidery　flesh。　Hot　fluids　gushed　over　Drizzt's　arm；　the　drider　shrieked　in　agony　and　twitched　violently。

Legs　buffeted　Drizzt　from　every　side。　He　nearly　lost　his　grip　on　Twinkle　and　had　to　pull　the　blade　out　to　keep　hold　i　of　it。　Through　his　prison　bars　of　spider　legs　Drizzt　noticed　more　dark　forms　emerging　from　the　side　corridor；　drow　elves；　he　knew；　each　with　one　arm　extended　his　way。

He　spun　frantically　as　the　first　one　fired。　His　thick　cloak　luckily　floated　out　behind　him　and　caught　the　quarrel　！　harmlessly　in　its　heavy　folds。　When　he　ended　his　desperate　I　maneuver；　though；　Drizzt　found　that　he　was　half　out　from　j　under　the　drider；　and　the　creature　had　turned　about　enough　｜　to　line　him　up　with　its　remaining　axe。　Even　worse；　the　second　drow　had　him　solidly　targeted　in　crossbow　sights。

The　axe　came　down　curiously—flat　end　l