精灵血脉四部曲-第45部分

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ping　in　closer　（exactly　the　opposite　course　Pwent　had　expected　him　to　travel）；　then　launching　his　high…riding　weapon　out　in　a　wide；　arcing；　and　smoothly　descending　course　as　he　stepped　to　the　side；　bringing　the　blade　to　bear　at　the　back　of　the　dwarf's　knee。

Pwent　momentarily　forgot　about　his　impending　leap　and　instinctively　bent　the　vulnerable　leg　away　from　the　attack。　Drizzt　pressed　on；　putting　just　enough　pressure　on　the　dwarf's　knee　to　keep　it　moving　along。　Pwent　pitched　into　the　air；　landed　hard　on　the　floor；　flat　on　his　back。

〃Stop　it！〃　Regis　yelled　at　the　stubborn；　fallen　dwarf；　who　was　again　trying　to　get　up。　〃Stop　it。　We　are　not　your　enemies！〃

〃He　speaks　the　truth；〃　Drizzt　added。

Pwent；　up　on　one　knee；　paused　and　looked　curiously　from　Regis　to　Drizzt。　〃We　came　in　here　to　get　the　halfling；〃　he　said　to　Drizzt；　obviously　confused。　〃To　get　him　and　skin　him　alive；　and　now　ye're　telling　me　to　trust　him？〃

〃Different　halfling；〃　Drizzt　remarked；　snapping　his　blades　into　their　sheaths。

An　inadvertent　grin　showed　on　the　dwarf's　face　as　he　considered　the　advantage　his　enemy　apparently　had　just　given　him。

〃We　are　not　your　enemy；〃　Drizzt　said　evenly；　lavender　eyes　flashing　dangerously；　〃but　I've　no　more　time　to　play　your　foolish　games。〃

Pwent　leaned　forward；　muscles　twitching；　eager　to　leap　ahead　and　rip　the　drow　apart。

Again　the　drow's　eyes　flashed；　and　Pwent　relaxed；　understanding　that　this　opponent　had　just　read　his　thoughts。

〃e　ahead　if　you　will；〃　Drizzt　warned；　〃but　know　that　the　next　time　you　go　down；　you　will　never　get　back　up。〃

Thibbledorf　Pwent；　rarely　shaken；　considered　the　grim　promise　and　his　opponent's　easy　stance；　and　he　remembered　what　Catti…brie　had　told　him　about　this　drow—if　indeed　this　was　the　legendary　Drizzt　Do'Urden。　〃Guess　we're　friends；〃　the　unnerved　dwarf　admitted；　and　he　slowly　rose。



Chapter　23

The　Warrior　Incarnate



With　Pwent　backtracking　and　leading　the　way；　I　Drizzt　was　sure　he　would　soon　learn　the　fate　of　I　his　friends；　and　would　face　his　evil　sister　once　more。　The　battlerager　couldn't　tell　him　much　about　Bruenor　and　the　others；　only　that　when　he　had　been　separated　from　them；　they　were　being　hard　pressed。

The　news　drove　Drizzt　on　more　quickly。　Images　of　Catti…brie；　a　helpless　prisoner　being　tortured　by　Vierna；　flitted　on　the　edges　of　his　consciousness。　He　pictured　stubborn　Bruenor　spitting　in　Vierna's　face—and　Vierna　tearing　the　dwarf's　face　off　in　reply。

Few　chambers　dotted　this　region。　Long；　narrow　tunnels　dominated；　some　wholly　natural；　others　worked　in　places　where　the　goblins　apparently　had　decided　that　support　was　needed。　The　three　came　into　a　fully　bricked　tunnel　then；　long　and　straight；　angling　slightly　up　and　with　several　side　passages　running　off　it。　Drizzt　didn't　see　the　forms　of　the　dark　elves　ahead　of　him；　down　the　long；　dark　corridor；　but　when　Twinkle　flared　suddenly；　he　did　not　doubt　the　sword's　warning。

The　fact　was　confirmed　a　moment　later　when　a　crossbow　quarrel　zipped　from　the　darkness　and　stuck　Regis　in　the　arm。　The　halfling　groaned；　Drizzt　pulled　him　back　and　dropped　him　safely　behind　the　corner　of　a　side　passage　they　had　just　passed。　By　the　time　the　drow　had　turned　back　to　the　main　corridor；　Pwent　was　in　full　charge；　singing　wildly；　taking　hit　after　hit　from　poisoned　darts　but　walking　through　them　without　a　concern。

Drizzt　rushed　after　him；　saw　Pwent　charge　right　past　the　dark　hole　of　another　side　corridor；　and　knew　instinctively　that　the　dwarf　likely　had　wandered　into　a　trap。

Drizzt　lost　all　track　of　the　battlerager　a　moment　later；　when　a　quarrel　shot　past　the　distant　dwarf　to　hit　Drizzt。　He　looked　down　to　it；　hanging　painfully　from　his　forearm；　and　felt　the　burning　tingle　as　Pwent's　countering　elixir　battled　the　poison。　Drizzt　thought　of　slumping　where　he　stood；　of　inviting　his　enemies　to　think　that　their　poison　had　felled　him　again；　an　easy　capture。

He　couldn't　abandon　Pwent；　though；　and　he　was　simply　too　angry　to　wait　for　this　encounter　any　longer。　The　time　had　e　to　end　the　threat。

He　slipped　up　to　the　dark　hole　of　the　side　tunnel；　kept　Twinkle　back　a　bit　so　it　would　not　fully　give　him　away。　A　roar　of　outrage　exploded　from　up　ahead；　followed　by　a　steady　stream　of　dwarven　curses；　which　told　Drizzt　that　Pwent's　intended　victims　had　slipped　away。

Drizzt　heard　a　slight　shuffle　to　the　side；　knew　that　the　battlerager　had　piqued　the　curiosity　of　whoever　was　in　there。　He　took　one　deep　breath；　mentally　counted　to　three；　and　leaped　around　the　corner；　Twinkle　flaring　viciously。　The　closest　drow　fell　back；　firing　a　second　crossbow　quarrel　at　Drizzt　that　nicked　his　skin　through　a　shoulder　crease　in　his　fine　armor。　He　could　only　hope　that　Pwent's　potion　was　strong　enough　to　handle　a　second　hit　and　took　some　fort　in　the　fact　that　Pwent　had　seemed　to　be　hit　repeatedly　during　his　corridor　charge。

Drizzt　pressed　the　crossbowman　backward　in　a　rush；　the　evil　drow　fumbling　to　draw　his　melee　weapon。　He　would　have　had　the　drow　quickly；　except　that　a　second　drow　joined　him；　this　one　armed　with　sword　and　dirk。　…Drizzt　had　e　into　a　small；　roughly　circular　chamber；　a　second　exit　off　to　his　right；　probably　joining　the　main　corridor　somewhere　farther　along。　Drizzt　hardly　registered　the　physical　features　of　the　room；　though；　hardly　took　note　of　the　initial　swings　of　battle；　parrying　aside　his　opponents'　measured　strikes。　His　eyes　remained　beyond　them；　to　the　back　of　the　room；　where　stood　Vierna　and　the　mercenary　Jarlaxle。

〃You　have　caused　me　great　pains；　my　lost　brother；〃　Vierna　snarled　at　him；　〃but　the　reward　will　be　worth　the　cost；　now　that　you　have　returned　to　me。〃

Listening　to　her　every　word；　the　distracted　Drizzt　nearly　let　a　sword　slip　past　his　defenses。　He　slapped　it　away　at　the　last　moment　and　came　on　in　a　flourish；　scimitars　swirling　in　a　descending；　crisscrossing　pattern。

The　dark　elf　soldiers　worked　well　together；　though；　and　they　fended　off　the　attack；　countering　one　after　the　other　and　forcing　Drizzt　back　on　his　heels。

〃I　do　so　love　to　watch　you　fight；〃　Vierna　continued；　now　smiling　smugly；　〃but　I　cannot　take　the　chance　that　you　will　be　slain—not　yet。〃　She　began　a　series　of　chants　then；　and　Drizzt　knew　her　impending　spell　would　be　aimed　his　way；　probably　at　his　mind。　He　gritted　his　teeth　and　accelerated　the　course　of　his　battle；　conjuring　images　of　a　tortured　Catti…brie；　putting　up　a　wall　of　sheer　anger。

Vierna　released　her　spell　with　a　glorious　cry；　and　waves　of　energy　rolled　over　Drizzt；　assaulted　him　and　told　him；　mind　and　body；　to　stop　in　place；　to　simply　hold　still　and　be　captured。

Inside　the　drow　ranger　welled　a　part　of　him；　a　primal　and　savage　alter　ego　that　he　had　not　known　since　his　days　in　the　wild　Underdark。　He　was　the　hunter　again；　free　of　emotions；　free　of　mental　vulnerability。　He　shrugged　away　the　spell；　his　scimitars　banged　hard　against　his　enemies'　blades；　hard…pressing　his　two　opponents。

Vierna's　eyes　went　wide　with　surprise。　Jarlaxle；　at　her　side；　gave　an　undeniable　snicker。

〃Your　Lloth…given　powers　will　not　affect　me；〃　Drizzt　proclaimed。　〃I　deny　the　Spider　Queen！〃

〃You　will　be　given　to　the　Spider　Queen！〃　Vierna　shouted　back；　and　she　seemed　to　gain　the　upper　hand　once　more　as　another　drow　soldier　entered　the　chamber　from　the　tunnel　to　Drizzt's　right。　〃Kill　him！〃　the　priestess　manded。　〃Let　the　sacrifice　be　here　and　now。　I'll　tolerate　no　more　blasphemy　from　this　outcast！〃

Drizzt　was　fighting　magnificently；　keeping　both　his　enemies　more　on　their　heels　than　on　their　toes。　If　the　third　skilled　soldier　came　in；　however。。。

It　never　got　to　that。　There　came　a　wild　roar　from　the　tunnel　on　the　right；　and　Thibbledorf　Pwent；　head　bowed　in　one　of　his　typically　frantic　charges；　plowed　through。　He　hit　the　surprised　drow　soldier　on　the　side；　his　bent　helmet　spike　slicing　through　the　unfortunate　elf's　slender　hip；　tearing　into　his　abdomen。

Pwent's　powerful　legs　continued　to　drive　through　until　he　at　last　got　tangled　in　the　impaled　drow's　feet；　and　both　batants　crashed　to　the　floor　right　before　a　stunned　Vierna。

The　drow　thrashed　in　helpless　desperation　as　Pwent　pounded　him　mercilessly。

Drizzt　knew　he　had　to　get　to　his　peer's　side　quickly；　understood　the　danger　Pwent　faced　with　Vierna　and　the　mercenary　having　open　shots　at　him。　He　brought　Twinkle　in　a　flashing　downward　cross；　deflecting　both　his　opponents'　swords　to　the　side；　and　he　stepped　right　in　behind　the　blade；　ing　with　his　second　blade　at　his　closest　opponent；　the　one　who　had　hit　him　with　the　crossbow　bolt　and　who　carried　no　second　weapon。

The　arm　of　the　other　drow　shot　across；　dirk　hitting　the　scimitar　just　enough　to　prevent　a　kill。　Still；　Drizzt　had　scored　a　painful　hit　on　one　opponent；　slicing　the　drow's　cheek　wide。

…　Out　came　Vierna's　snake…headed　whip；　the　priestess's　face　an　image　of　pure　rage　as　she　beat　at　the　prone　battlerager's　back。　Living　snake　heads　darted　about　the　battle…rager's　fine　armor；　finding　gaps　through　which　they　could　bite　at　his　thick　hide。

Pwent　wriggled　his　helmet　spike　free；　drove　a　glove　nail　through　the　dying　dark　elf's　face；　then　turned　his　attention　to　his　newest　attacker　and　her　wicked　weapon。

Snap！

A　snake　head　got　him　on　the　shoulder。　Two　others　nipped　his　neck。　Pwent　threw　his　arm　up　as　he　turned；　but　got　bitten　twice　on　the　hand；　his　limb　immediately　going　numb。　He　felt　his　potent　elixir　fighting　back；　but　he　hesitated；　near　to　swooning。

Swap！

Vierna　hit　him　again；　all　five　snake　heads　finding　a　target　on　the　dwarf's　hand　and　face。　Pwent　regarded　her　a　moment　longer；　formed　his　lips　as　if　to　speak　out　a　curse；　then　he　fell　to　the　stone　and　flopped　about　like　a　grounded　fish；　his　entire　body　nearly　numb；　his　nerves　and　muscles　unable　to　function　in　any　coordinated　way。

Vierna　looked　Drizzt's　way；　her　eyes　burning　with　open　hatred。　〃Now　all　your　pitiful　friends　are　dead；　my　lost　brother！〃　she　growled；　something　she　sincerely　believed　true。　She　advanced　a　step；　snake　whip　held　high；　but　paused　at　the　sheer　and　unbridled　rage　that　suddenly　contorted　her　brother's　features。

All　your　pitiful　friends　are　dead！

The　words　burned　in　Drizzt's　blood；　turned　his　heart　to　stone。

All　your　pitiful　friends　are　dead！

Catti…brie；　Wulfgar；　and　Bruenor；　everything　Drizzt　Do'Urden　he