精灵血脉四部曲-第194部分

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　　　Drizzt　nodded　and　dropped　a　hand　across　Guenhwyvar's　muscled　flank。　Never　did　he　take　the　cat's　friendship　for　granted。

　　　Catti…brie　watched　the　drow's　actions　intently；　understanding　that　saving　the　sailor　was　important　to　Drizzt　for　reasons　beyond　the　drow's　altruistic　demeanor。　Had　the　sailor　drowned；　that　would　have　been　one　more　weight　of　guilt　laid　across　the　shoulders　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden；　one　more　innocent　sacrificed　because　of　the　ranger's　dark　past。

　　　But　that　had　not　e　to　pass；　and　it　seemed　for　a　moment　as　if　the　Sea　Sprite　and　all　of　her　crew　had　survived。　That　happy　notion　fell　away　a　moment　later；　though；　when　Harkle　bounded　over；　asking　a　simple；　but　poignant　question。　〃Where　is　Robillard？〃

　　　All　eyes　turned　to　regard　the　forward　rail　of　the　poop　deck；　to　see　that　the　rail　had　split　apart　in　precisely　the　spot　where　Drizzt　had　last　seen　the　wizard。

　　　Drizzt's　heart　nearly　failed　him　and　Catti…brie　rushed　to　the　rail　and　began　surveying　the　empty　water。

　　　Deudermont　didn't　seem　so　upset。　〃The　wizard　has　ways　to　escape　the　storm；〃　the　captain　assured　the　others。　〃It　has　happened　before。〃

　　　True　enough；　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie　realized。　On　several　occasions　Robillard　had　left　the　Sea　Sprite　by　use　of　his　magic　in　order　to　attend　a　meeting　of　his　guild　in　Waterdeep；　even　though　the　ship　was　sailing　waters　hundreds　of　miles　removed　from　that　city　at　the　time。

　　　〃He　cannot　drown；〃　Deudermont　assured　them。　〃Not　while　he　wears　that　ring。〃

　　　Both　the　friends　seemed　satisfied　with　that。　Robillard's　ring　was　of　the　Elemental　Plane　of　Water；　a　powerfully　enchanted　device　that　gave　the　wizard　many　advantages　on　the　sea；　no　matter　the　strength　of　a　storm。　He　might　have　been　hit　by　lightning；　or　might　have　been　knocked　unconscious；　but　more　likely；　he　had　been　swept　away　from　the　Sea　Sprite　and　forced　to　use　his　magic　to　get　clear　of　the　storm　long　before　the　ship　ever　did。

　　　Catti…brie　continued　her　scan；　and　Drizzt　joined　her。

　　　Deudermont　had　other　business　to　attend　to；　he　had　to　figure　out　how　he　was　going　to　get　the　Sea　Sprite　into　a　safe　port。　They　had　weathered　the　storm　and　survived；　but　that　might　prove　to　be　a　temporary　reprieve。

　　　Harkle；　in　watching　the　captain's　movements　and　in　surveying　the　extensive　damage　to　the　schooner；　knew　it　too。　He　moved　quietly　to　Deudermont's　cabin；　hiding　his　eagerness　until　he　was　safely　locked　away。　Then　he　rubbed　his　hands　together　briskly；　his　smile　wide；　and　took　out　a　leather　book。

　　　Glancing　around　to　ensure　that　no　one　was　watching；　Harkle　opened　a　magical　tome；　one　of　the　ponents　he　needed　for　his　newest；　and　perhaps　most　powerful　spell。　Most　of　the　pages　were　blank梐ll　of　them　had　been　blank　until　Harkle　had　first　cast　his　fog　of　fate。　Now　the　first　few　pages　read　as　a　journal　of　Harkle's　magical　ride　to　join　the　Sea　Sprite；　and；　he　was　glad　to　see；　of　his　continuing　experiences　with　the　ship。　To　his　absolute　amazement；　for　he　hadn't　dared　look　so　extensively　at　the　journal　before；　even　the　blind　seer's　poem　was　there；　word　for　word。

　　　The　fog　of　fate　was　working　still；　Harkle　knew；　for　neither　he　nor　any　other　man　had　penned　a　single　word　into　the　journal。　The　continuing　enchantment　of　the　spell　was　recording　the　events！

　　　This　exceeded　Harkle's　wildest　expectations　for　the　fog　of　fate。　He　didn't　know　how　long　this　might　continue；　but　he　understood　that　he　had　stumbled　onto　something　very　special　here。　And　something　that　needed　a　little　boost。　The　Sea　Sprite　was　dead　in　the　water；　and　so　was　the　quest　that　had　apparently　befallen　Drizzt　and　Catti…brie；　and　by　association；　Harkle。　Harkle　wasn't　one　to　be　patient；　not　now。　He　waved　his　hand　over　the　first　of　the　many　blank　pages；　chanting　softly。　He　reached　into　a　pouch　and　produced　some　diamond　dust；　sprinkling　it　sparingly　onto　the　first　of　the　still…blank　pages。

　　　Nothing　happened。

　　　Harkle　continued　for　nearly　an　hour；　but　when　he　emerged　from　the　cabin；　the　Sea　Sprite　was　still　listing；　still　drifting　aimlessly。

　　　Harkle　rubbed　the　stubble　on　his　unshaven　face。　Apparently；　the　spell　needed　more　work。



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　　　Robillard　stood　on　top　of　the　rolling　water；　tapping　his　foot　impatiently。　〃Where　is　that　brute？〃　he　asked；　referring　to　the　water　elemental　monster　he　had　summoned　to　his　aid。　He　had　sent　the　creature　in　search　of　the　Sea　Sprite；　but　that　had　been　many　minutes　ago。

　　　Finally；　the　azure　blanket　before　the　wizard　rolled　up　and　took　on　a　roughly　humanoid　shape。　Robillard　gurgled　at　it；　asking　the　creature　in　its　own　watery　language　if　it　had　found　the　ship。

　　　It　had；　and　so　the　wizard　bade　the　elemental　to　take　him　to　it。　The　creature　held　out　a　huge　arm。　It　appeared　watery；　but　was　in　truth　much　more　substantial　than　any　normal　liquid。　When　the　wizard　was　fortably　in　place；　the　monster　whisked　him　away　with　the　speed　of　a　breaking　wave。



Chapter　12

THE　FOG　OF　FATE



　　　The　crew　worked　through　the　afternoon；　but　they　seemed　to　be　making　little　progress　on　the　extensive　damage　the　ship　had　taken。　They　could　hoist　one　of　the　sails；　the　mizzensail；　but　they　couldn't　control　it　to　catch　the　wind；　or　to　steer　the　ship　in　any　desired　direction。

　　　Thus　was　their　condition　when　Catti…brie　called　out　an　alert　from　the　crow's　nest。　Deudermont　and　Drizzt　rushed　side　by　side　to　see　what　she　was　calling　about；　both　fearing　that　it　might　be　a　pirate　vessel。　If　that　was　the　case；　damaged　as　she　was　and　without　Robillard；　the　proud　Sea　Sprite　might　be　forced　to　surrender　without　a　fight。

　　　No　pirate　blocked　their　path；　but　directly　ahead　loomed　a　curtain　of　thick　fog。　Deudermont　looked　up　to　Catti…brie；　and　the　young　woman；　having　no　explanation；　only　shrugged　in　reply。　This　was　no　usual　occurrence。　The　sky　was　clear；　except　for　this　one　fog　bank；　and　the　temperature　had　been　fairly　constant。　〃What　would　cause　such　a　mist？〃　Drizzt　asked　Deudermont。　〃Nothing　that　I　know　of；〃　the　captain　insisted。　〃Man　some　oars！〃　he　yelled　out　to　the　crew。　〃Try　to　put　up　a　sail。　Let　us　see　if　we　can　navigate　around　it。〃

　　　By　the　time　Deudermont　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　sea　before　them；　however；　he　found　Drizzt　shaking　his　head　doubtfully；　for　the　fog　already　loomed　much　nearer。　It　was　not　stationary。

　　　〃It　is　approaching　us；〃　the　captain　breathed　in　disbelief。

　　　〃Swiftly；〃　Drizzt　added；　and　then　the　drow；　with　his　keen　ears；　heard　the　chuckle　of　Harkle　Harpell　and　knew　in　his　heart　that　this　was　the　wizard's　work。　He　turned　in　time　to　see　the　man　disappearing　through　the　hatch　belowdecks；　and　started　to　follow。　Drizzt　stopped　before　he　reached　the　hatch；　though；　hearing　Deudermont's　gasp　and　the　nervous　cries　of　many　crewmen。

　　　Catti…brie　scrambled　down　the　rigging。　〃What　is　it？〃　she　asked；　near　desperation。

　　　Into　the　gray　veil　they　went。　The　sound　of　splashing　water　went　away；　as　did　any　sensation　of　movement。　Crewmen　huddled　together　and　many　drew　out　their　weapons；　as　if　expecting　some　enemy　to　climb　aboard　from　the　dark　mist。

　　　It　was　Guenhwyvar　who　gave　Drizzt　the　next　clue　of　what　might　be　going　on。　The　panther　came　to　Drizzt's　side；　ears　flattened；　but　her　expression　and　demeanor　showing　more　curiosity　than　fear。

　　　〃Dimensional；〃　the　drow　remarked。

　　　Deudermont　looked　at　him　curiously。

　　　〃This　is　Harkle's　doing；〃　Drizzt　said。　〃The　wizard　is　using　his　magic　to　get　us　off　the　open　sea。〃

　　　Deudermont's　face　brightened　at　that　notion；　so　did　Catti…brie's梐t　least　until　both　of　them　took　a　moment　to　consider　the　source　of　their　apparent　salvation。

　　　Catti…brie　looked　out　at　the　thick　fog。　Suddenly；　drifting　in　a　damaged　ship　across　empty　waters　did　not　seem　like　such　a　bad　thing。



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　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　Robillard　roared。　He　slapped　his　hands　together　fiercely　and　translated　his　question　into　the　watery；　gurgling　language　of　the　water　elemental。

　　　The　reply　came　without　hesitation；　and　Robillard　knew　enough　of　such　a　creature　to　understand　that　it　had　the　means　to　know　the　truth　of　the　matter。　This　one　had　been　cooperative；　as　elemental　creatures　go；　and　Robillard　did　not　believe　that　it　was　lying　to　him。

　　　The　Sea　Sprite　was　gone；　vanished　from　the　sea。

　　　Robillard　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief　when　he　heard　the　next　reply；　that　the　ship　had　not　sunk；　had　simply　drifted　out　of　the　waters。

　　　〃Harkle　Harpell；〃　the　wizard　reasoned　aloud。　〃He　has　gotten　them　into　a　port。　Well　done！〃　Robillard　considered　his　own　situation　then；　alone　and　so　far　from　land。　He　manded　the　elemental　to　keep　him　moving　in　a　generally　easterly　direction；　and　explained　that　he　would　need　the　creature　until　the　next　dawn。　Then　he　took　out　his　spellbook；　a　fabulous　leatherbound　and　watertight　work；　and　moved　its　golden　tassel　bookmark　to　the　page　containing　his　teleportation　spell。

　　　Then　the　wizard　sat　back　and　relaxed。　He　needed　to　sleep；　to　gather　his　strength　and　his　energy。　The　elemental　would　see　to　his　safety　for　now；　and　in　the　morning　he　would　use　his　spell　to　put　him　in　his　private　room　in　the　guild　hall　in　Waterdeep。　Yes；　the　wizard　decided；　it　had　been　a　difficult　and　boring　few　weeks；　and　now　was　a　good　time　for　some　restful　shore　leave。

　　　Deudermont　would　just　have　to　catch　up　with　him　later。



*****



　　　The　Sea　Sprite　drifted　in　a　surreal　stillness；　no　sound　of　water　or　wind；　for　many　minutes。　The　fog　was　so　thick　about　them　that　Drizzt　had　to　hang　very　low　over　the　rail　to　even　see　the　water。　He　didn't　dare　reach　out　and　touch　that　gray　liquid；　not　knowing　what　Harkle's　spell；　if　this　was　indeed　Harkle's　spell；　might　be　doing。

　　　At　last　they　heard　a　splash；　the　lap　of　a　wave　against　the　prow　of　the　ship。　The　fog　began　to　thin　almost　immediately；　but　though　they　couldn't　see　their　surroundings；　everyone　on　board　sensed　that　something　had　changed。

　　　〃The　smell；〃　Catti…brie　remarked；　and　the　heads　of　all　those　near　her　bobbed　in　agreement。　Gone　was　the　salty　aroma；　so　thick　that　it　left　a　taste　in　your　mouth；　replaced　by　a　crisp　summer　scent；　filled　with　trees；　flowers；　and　the　slick　feel　of　an　inlet　swamp。　The　sounds；　too；　had　changed；　from　the　empty；　endless　whistle　of　the　wind　and　the　muted　splashes　of　deep　water　to　the　gentle　lapping　of　lesser　waves　and　the