精灵血脉四部曲-第219部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　Revjak　had　pushed　a　bit　too　hard；　too　fast。

　　　But　Berkthgar　took　no　offense。　He　didn't　respond　to　the　charge。　The　barbarian　didn't　show　that　he　agreed；　but　neither　did　he　bee　defensive。

　　　〃Return　with　us　now；〃　he　bade　Revjak。

　　　Revjak　looked　to　Drizzt；　then　to　Bruenor；　knowing　that　they　still　needed　his　help。　It　was　two　of　his　men；　after　all；　who　were　still　holding　Stumpet　up　in　the　air。

　　　Berkthgar　looked　first　to　Revjak；　then　followed　his　gaze　to　Bruenor；　and　then　looked　past　the　dwarf　and　to　the　coast　looming　not　so　far　away。　〃You　are　going　out　onto　the　Sea　of　Moving　Ice？〃

　　　A　frustrated　Bruenor　gave　Stumpet　a　sidelong　glance。　〃So　it'd　seem；〃　the　dwarf　admitted。

　　　〃We　cannot　acpany　you；〃　Berkthgar　said　flatly。　〃And　this　is　no　choice　of　mine；　but　an　edict　of　our　ancestors。　No　tribesman　may　venture　out　onto　the　floating　land。〃

　　　Revjak　had　to　nod　his　agreement。　It　was　indeed　an　ancient　edict；　one　put　in　for　practicality　because　there　was　little　to　be　gained　and　much　to　lose　in　venturing　out　onto　the　dangerous　ice　floes；　the　land　of　the　white　bear　and　the　great　whales。

　　　〃We　would　not　ask　for　you　to　go；〃　Drizzt　quickly　put　in；　and　his　panions　seemed　surprised　by　that。　They　were　going　off　to　fight　a　balor　and　all　of　his　devious　minions；　and　an　army　of　powerful　barbarians　might　e　in　handy！　But　Drizzt　knew　that　Berkthgar　would　not　go　against　that　ancient　rule；　and　he　did　not　want　Revjak　to　split　any　further　from　the　leader；　did　not　want　to　jeopardize　the　healing　that　had　begun　here。　Also；　none　of　Revjak's　warriors　had　been　killed　against　the　taers；　but　that　would　not　likely　hold　true　if　they　followed　Drizzt　all　the　way　to　Errtu。　Drizzt　Do'Urden　had　enough　blood　on　his　hands　already。　For　the　drow　ranger；　this　was　a　private　battle。　He　would　have　preferred　it　to　be　him　against　Errtu；　one　against　one；　but　he　knew　that　Errtu　would　not　be　alone；　and　he　could　not　deny　his　closest　friends　the　chance　to　stand　beside　him　as　he　would　stand　beside　them。

　　　〃But　ye　admit　that　yer　folk　owe　this　much；　at　least；　to　Bruenor？〃　Catti…brie　had　to　ask。

　　　Again　Berkthgar　didn't　openly　answer；　but　his　silence；　his　lack　of　protest；　was　all　the　confirmation　that　the　woman　needed　to　hear。

　　　The　panions　bandaged　up　their　bruises　as　well　as　possible；　bid　their　farewells；　and　thanked　the　barbarians。　Revjak's　men　put　Stumpet　down　then；　and　she　resumed　her　march。　The　panions　plodded　off　after　her。

　　　The　Tribe　of　the　Elk　turned　south　in　a　unified　march；　Berkthgar　and　Revjak　walking　side　by　side。



*****



　　　Sometime　later；　Kierstaad　came　upon　the　scene　of　a　hundred　taer　bodies　bloating　in　the　afternoon　sun。　It　didn't　take　the　wily　young　barbarian　long　to　figure　out　what　had　happened。　Obviously　the　barbarians　with　his　father　had　joined　in　the　fight　beside　Bruenor's　group；　and　so　many　different　prints　were　to　be　found　that　Kierstaad　understood　that　another　group梒ertainly　one　led　by　Berkthgar梙ad　also　e　upon　the　scene。

　　　Kierstaad　looked　to　the　south；　wondering　if　his　father　had　been　escorted　back　to　the　encampment　as　a　prisoner。　He　almost　turned　then　and　ran　off　in　pursuit；　but　the　other　tracks梩he　ones　of　two　dwarves；　a　drow；　a　woman；　a　halfling　and　a　hunting　cat梒ompelled　him　to　the　north。

　　　Aegis…fang　in　hand；　the　young　barbarian　picked　his　way　down　to　the　cold　coast　and　then　out　onto　the　broken　trail　of　ice　floes。　He　was　breaking　the　ancient　edicts　of　his　people；　he　knew；　but　he　dismissed　that。　In　his　mind　and　in　his　heart；　he　was　following　the　footsteps　of　Wulfgar。



Chapter　26

NOT　BY　SURPRISE



　　　The　glabrezu　was　adamant；　not　backing　down　from　his　story　despite　the　mounting　threats　of　a　nervous　and　desperate　Errtu。

　　　〃Drizzt　Do'Urden　and　his　friends　have　passed　the　taers；〃　Bizmatec　insisted　once　more；　〃leaving　them　dead　and　torn　on　the　plain。〃

　　　〃You　have　seen　this？〃　Errtu　asked　for　the　fifth　time；　the　great　balor　clenching　and　unclenching　his　fist　repeatedly。

　　　〃I　have　seen　this；〃　Bizmatec　replied　without　hesitation；　though　the　glabrezu　did　lean　back　warily　from　the　balor。　〃The　taers　did　not　stop　them；　hardly　slowed　them。　They　are　mighty　indeed；　these　enemies　you　have　chosen。〃

　　　〃And　the　dwarf？〃　Errtu　asked；　his　frustration　turning　fast　to　eagerness。　As　he　spoke；　the　balor　tapped　his　bejeweled　ring　to　show　that　he　was　referring　to　the　imprisoned　female　dwarf。

　　　〃Leads　them　still；〃　Bizmatec　answered　with　a　wicked　smile；　the　glabrezu　thrilled　to　see　the　eagerness；　the　sheer　wickedness　bringing　the　light　back　to　Errtu's　glowing　eyes。

　　　The　balor　left　with　a　great　flourish；　a　victorious　spin　and　flap　of　leathery　wings　that　got　it　to　the　landing　of　the　crystalline　tower's　open　first　level。　Up　Errtu　climbed；　maddened　by　hunger；　by　desire　to　show　Crenshinibon　its　failure。

　　　〃Errtu　has　put　us　in　line　with　worthy　enemies；〃　Bizmatec　remarked　again；　watching　the　balor's　departure。

　　　The　other　tanar'ri　in　the　tower's　lowest　level；　a　six…armed　woman　with　the　lower　torso　of　a　snake；　smirked；　seeming　truly　unimpressed。　There　were　no　worthy　enemies　to　be　found　among　the　mortals　of　the　Prime　Material　Plane。

　　　High　above　his　minions；　Errtu　clambered　into　the　small　room　at　the　tower's　highest　level。　The　fiend　went　to　the　narrow　window　first；　peering　out　in　the　hopes　that　he　might　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　approaching　quarry。　Errtu　wanted　to　make　a　dramatic　statement　to　Crenshinibon；　but　the　fiend's　excitement　betrayed　his　thoughts　to　the　sentient；　telepathic　artifact。

　　　Your　path　remains　one　of　danger；　the　crystal　shard　warned。

　　　Errtu　spun　away　from　the　window　and　issued　a　hearty；　croaking　laugh。

　　　You　must　not　fail；　the　artifact's　telepathic　message　went　on。　If　you　and　yours　are　defeated；　then　defeated　am　I；　placed　in　the　hands　of　those　who　know　my　nature　and　。　。　。

　　　Errtu's　continued　laughter　rebuked　any　more　telepathic　intrusions。

　　　〃I　have　met　the　likes　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden　before；〃　the　great　balor　said　with　a　feral　snarl。　〃He　will　know　true　sorrow　and　true　pain　before　I　release　him　into　death！　He　will　see　the　deaths　of　his　beloved；　of　those　who　were　foolish　enough　to　acpany　him　and　of　he　who　I　hold　as　prisoner。〃　The　great　fiend　turned　back　angrily　toward　the　window。　〃What　an　enemy　have　you　made；　foolish　drow　rogue！　e　to　me　now　that　I　might　exact　my　revenge　and　give　to　you　the　punishment　you　deserve！〃

　　　With　that；　Errtu　kicked　the　small　coffer　still　lying　on　the　floor　where　the　fiend　had　dropped　it　after　the　volatile　reaction　between　the　crystal　shard　and　the　antimagic　sapphire。　Errtu　started　to　leave；　but　reconsidered　for　just　a　moment。　He　would　be　facing　Drizzt　and　all　of　his　panions　soon；　including　the　imprisoned　priestess。　If　Stumpet　came　face　to　face　with　the　fiend's　entrapping　gemstone；　her　spirit　might　find　its　way　aback　to　her　body。

　　　Errtu　pulled　off　his　ring　and　showed　it　to　Crenshinibon。　〃The　dwarven　priestess；〃　the　fiend　explained。　〃This　holds　her　spirit。　Dominate　her　and　lend　what　aid　you　may！〃

　　　Errtu　dropped　the　ring　to　the　floor　and　stormed　from　the　chamber；　back　down　to　his　minions　to　prepare　for　the　arrival　of　Drizzt　Do'Urden。

　　　Crenshinibon　felt　keenly　the　tanar'ri's　rage　and　the　sheer　wickedness　that　was　mighty　Errtu。　Drizzt　and　his　friends　had　gotten　past　the　taers；　so　it　seemed；　but　what　were　they　pared　to　the　likes　of　Errtu？

　　　And　Errtu；　the　crystal　shard　knew；　had　powerful　allies　lying　in　wait。

　　　Crenshinibon　was　satisfied；　was　quite　secure。　And　to　the　evil　artifact；　the　thought　of　using　Stumpet　against　the　panions　was　certainly　a　pleasant　one。



*****



　　　Stumpet　continued　her　march　across　the　treacherous　and　broken　ice；　leaping　small　gaps；　sometimes　splashing　her　feet　into　the　icy　water；　but　pulling　them　out　with　apparently　no　regard　for　the　freezing　wetness。

　　　Drizzt　understood　the　dangers　of　the　water。　He　wanted　to　tackle　Stumpet　once　more　and　pull　off　her　boots；　wrapping　her　feet　in　warm　and　dry　blankets。　The　drow　let　it　go。　He　figured　that　if　frozen　toes　were　the　worst　of　their　troubles；　they　would　certainly　be　better　off　than　he　had　hoped。　Right　now；　the　best　thing　he　could　do　for　Stumpet；　for　all　of　them；　was　to　get　to　Errtu　and　get　this　grim　business　over　with。

　　　The　drow　kept　one　hand　in　his　pocket　as　he　marched；　fingers　feeling　the　intricate　detailing　of　the　onyx　figurine。　He　had　sent　Guenhwyvar　home　shortly　after　the　taer　fight；　giving　the　cat　what　little　rest　she　might　find　before　the　next　battle。　Now；　in　looking　around；　the　drow　wondered　about　the　wisdom　of　that　decision；　for　he　knew　that　he　was　out　of　place　in　this　unfamiliar　terrain。

　　　The　landscape　seemed　surreal；　nothing　but　jagged　white　mounds；　some　as　high　as　forty　feet；　and　long　sheets　of　flat　whiteness；　often　cracked　by　zigzagging　dark　lines。

　　　They　were　more　than　two　hours　off　the　beach；　far　out　into　the　ice…clogged　sea；　when　the　weather　turned。　Dark　and　ominous　clouds　rose　up；　the　wind　bit　harder；　colder。　Still　they　plodded　on；　crawling　up　the　side　of　one　conical　iceberg；　then　sliding　down　the　other　side。　They　came　into　an　area　of　more　dark　water　and　less　ice；　and　there　they　caught　their　first　sight　of　their　goal；　far　away　to　the　north　and　west。　The　crystalline　tower　gleamed　above　the　berg　cones；　shining　even　in　the　dull　gray　daylight。　There　could　be　no　doubt；　for　the　tower　was　no　natural　structure；　and　though　it　appeared　as　if　it　was　made　of　ice；　it　seemed　unnatural　and　out　of　place　among　the　hard　and　stark　whiteness　of　the　bergs。

　　　Bruenor　considered　the　sight　and　their　present　course；　then　shook　his　head。　〃Too　much　water；〃　he　explained；　pointing　to　the　west。　〃Should　be　going　straight　out　that　way。〃

　　　By　all　appearances；　it　seemed　as　if　the　dwarf　was　right。　They　were　traveling　generally　north；　but　the　ice　floes　seemed　more　tightly　packed　to　the　west。

　　　Their　course　was　not　for　them　to　decide　though；　and　Stumpet　continued　on　her　oblivious　way　to　the　north；　where　it　seemed　as　if　she　would　soon　be　stopped　by　a　wide　gap　of　open　water。

　　　Appearances　could　be　deceiving　in　the　surreal　and　unfamiliar　landscape。　A　long　finger　of　ice　bridged　that　watery　gap；　turning　them　more　directly　toward　the　crystal　tower。　When　they　crossed　over；　they　came　into　another　region　of　clogged　icebergs；　and　looming　befo