精灵血脉四部曲-第50部分

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e　forth　my　prize；　tormented　King！

A　swirl　of　bluish　smoke　appeared　at　the　tip　of　the　dwarf　tooth。　The　mist　gained　speed　and　size　as　the　seconds　slipped　past。　Soon　a　small　twister　stood　up　from　Matron　Baenre's　hand。　It　leaned　away　from　her　at　her　mental　bidding；　intensifying　in　speed　and　in　light；　growing　as　it　stretched　outward。　After　a　few　moments；　it　broke　free　of　the　tooth　altogether　and　swirled　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　where　it　glowed　a　fierce　blue　light。

Gradually　an　image　formed　in　the　middle　of　that　swirl：　an　old；　gray…bearded　dwarf　standing　very　still　in　the　vortex；　upraised　hands　clenched　tightly。

The　wind；　the　blue　light；　died　away；　leaving　the　specter　of　the　ancient　dwarf。　It　was　not　a　solid　image；　merely　translucent；　but　the　ghost's　distinctive　details—the　red…tinged　gray　beard　and　steel…gray　eyes—showed　clearly。

〃Gandalug　Battlehammer；〃　Matron　Baenre　said　immediately；　utilizing　the　binding　power　of　the　dwarf's　true　name　to　keep　the　spirit　fully　under　her　mand。　Before　her　stood　the　First　King　of　Mithril　Hall；　the　patron　of　Clan　Battlehammer。

The　old　dwarf　looked　at　his　ancient　nemesis；　his　eyes　narrowed　in　hatred。

〃It　has　been　too　long；〃　Baenre　teased。

〃I'd　walk　an　eternity　o'　torment　as　long　as　I'd　the　guarantee　that　yerself'd　not　be　there；　drow　witch！〃　the　ghost　replied　in　its　gravelly　voice。　〃I'd　。。。〃

A　wave　of　Matron　Baenre's　hand　silenced　the　angry　spirit。　〃I　did　not　recall　you　to　hear　your　plaints；〃　she　replied。　〃I　thought　to　offer　you　some　information　that　you　might　find　entertaining。〃

The　spirit　turned　sideways　and　cocked　his　hairy　head　to　stare　over　his　shoulder；　pointedly　looking　away　from　Baenre。　Gandalug　was　trying　to　appear　indifferent；　removed；　but　like　most　dwarves；　the　old　king　was　not　so　good　at　hiding　his　true　feelings。

〃e　now；　dear　Gandalug；〃　Baenre　teased。　〃How　boring　the　waiting　must　be　for　you！　Centuries　have　passed　as　you　have　sat　in　your　prison。　Surely　you　care　how　your　descendants　fare。〃

Gandalug　turned　a　pensive　pose　over　the　other　shoulder；　back　toward　Matron　Baenre。　How　he　hated　the　withered　old　drow！　Her　talk　of　his　descendants　alarmed　him；　though；　that　much　he　could　not　deny。　Heritage　was　the　most　important　thing　to　any　respectable　dwarf；　even　above　gems　and　jewels；　and　Gandalug；　as　the　patron　of　his　clan；　considered　every　dwarf　who　allied　himself　with　Clan　Battlehammer　as　one　of　his　own　children。

He　could　not　hide　his　worry。

〃Did　you　hope　that　I　would　forget　Mithril　Hall？〃　Baenre　asked　teasingly。　〃It　has　been　only　two　thousand　years；　old　king。〃

〃Two　thousand　years；〃　Gandalug　spat　back　disgustedly。　〃Why　don't　ye　just　lay　down　and　die；　old　witch？〃

〃Soon；〃　Baenre　answered　and　nodded　at　the　truth　of　her　own　statement；　〃but　not　before　I　plete　what　I　began　two　thousand　years　ago。

〃Do　you　remember　that　fateful　day；　old　king？〃　she　went　on；　and　Gandalug　winced；　understanding　that　she　meant　to　replay　it　again；　to　open　old　wounds　and　leave　the　dwarf　in　perfect　despair。

When　the　halls　were　new；　when　the　veins　ran　thick；

Gleaming　walls；　with　silver　slick；

When　the　king　was　young；　the　adventure　fresh；

And　your　kinfolk　sang　as　one

When　Gandalug　ruled　from　the　mithril　throne

Clan　Battlehammer　had　begun。

pelled　by　the　magic　within　Matron　Baenre's　continuing　chant；　Gandalug　Battlehammer　found　his　thoughts　cascading　back　along　the　corridors　of　the　distant　past；　back　to　the　time　of　the　founding　of　Mithril　Hall；　back　to　when　he　looked　ahead　with　hope　for　his　children；　and　their　children　after　them。

Back　to　the　time　right　before　he　had　met　Yvonnel　Baenre。



*　*　*　*　*



Gandalug　stood　watching　the　cutting　as　the　busy　dwarves　of　Clan　Battlehammer　chipped　away　at　the　sloping　walls　of　the　great　cavern；　cutting　the　steps　that　would　bee　the　Undercity　of　Mithril　Hall。　This　was　the　vision　of　Bruenor；　Gandalug's　third　son；　the　clan's　greatest　hero；　who　had　led　the　procession　that　had　brought　the　thousand　dwarves　to　this　place。

〃Ye　did　well　in　givin'　it　to　Bruenor；〃　the　dirty　dwarf　beside　the　aged　king　remarked；　referring　to　Gandalug's　decision　to　award　his　throne　to　Bruenor；　and　not　to　Bruenor's　older　brothers。　Unlike　many　of　the　races；　dwarves　did　not　automatically　award　their　inheritance　or　titles　to　the　eldest　of　their　children；　taking　the　more　pragmatic　approach　of　choosing　which　they　thought　most　fitting。

Gandalug　nodded　and　was　content。　He　was　old；　well　past　four　centuries；　and　tired。　The　quest　of　his　life　had　been　to　establish　his　own　clan；　the　Battlehammer　clan；　and　he　had　spent　the　better　part　of　two　centuries　seeking　the　location　of　a　fitting　kingdom。　Soon　after　Clan　Battlehammer　had　tamed　and　settled　Mithril　Hall；　Gandalug　had　begun　to　see　the　truth；　had　begun　to　realize　that　his　time　and　his　duty　had　passed。　His　ambitions　had　been　met；　and；　thus　contented；　Gandalug　found　that　he　could　not　muster　the　energy　to　match　the　plans　his　sons　and　the　younger　dwarves　laid　out　before　him；　plans　for　the　great　Undercity；　for　a　bridge　spanning　the　huge　chasm　at　the　plex's　eastern　end；　for　a　city　above　the　ground；　south　of　the　mountains；　to　serve　as　a　trading　link　with　the　surrounding　kingdoms。

It　all　sounded　wonderful　to　Gandalug；　of　course；　but　he　hadn't　the　yearning　to　see　it　through。

The　old　graybeard；　his　hair　and　whiskers　still　showing　hints　of　their　previous　fiery　red；　turned　an　appreciative　look　upon　his　dear　panion。　Through　those　two　centuries；　Gandalug　could　not　have　asked　for　a　better　traveling　panion　than　Crommower　Pwent；　and　now；　with　one　more　journey　before　him；　the　king　who　had　stepped　down　from　the　throne　was　glad　for　the　pany。

Unlike　the　regal　Gandalug；　Crommower　was　dirty。　He　wore　a　beard；　black　still；　and　kept　his　head　shaved　so　that　his　huge；　pointed　helm　would　hold　a　tight　fit。　〃Can't　be　runnin'　into　things　with　me　helm　turnin'　aside；　now　can　I？〃　Crommower　was　fond　of　saying。　And　in　all　truth；　Crommower　Pwent　loved　to　run　into　things。　He　was　a　battlerager；　a　dwarf　with　a　singular　view　of　the　world。　If　it　threatened　his　king　or　insulted　his　gods；　he'd　kill　it；　plain　and　simple。　He'd　duck　his　head　and　skewer　the　enemy；　slam　the　enemy　with　his　glove　nails；　with　his　elbow　spikes；　with　his　knee　spikes。　He'd　bite　an　enemy's　ear　off；　or　his　tongue　out；　or　his　head　off　if　he　could。　He'd　scratch　and　claw　and　kick　and　spit；　but　most　of　all；　he'd　win。

Gandalug；　whose　life　had　been　hard　in　the　untamed　world；　valued　Crommower　above　all　others　in　his　clan；　even　above　his　precious　and　loyal　children。　That　view　was　not　shared　among　the　clan。　Some　of　the　dwarves；　sturdy　as　they　were；　could　hardly　tolerate　Crommower's　odor；　and　the　squealing　of　the　battlerager's　ridged　armor　grated　as　sourly　as　fingernails　scratching　a　piece　of　slate。

Two　centuries　of　traveling　beside　someone；　of　fighting　beside　someone；　often　in　desperate　straits；　tends　to　make　such　facts　diminish。

〃e；　me　friend；〃　old　Gandalug　bade。　He　had　already　said　his　farewells　to　his　children；　to　Bruenor；　the　new　King　of　Mithril　Hall；　and　to　all　his　clan。　Now　was　the　time　for　traveling　again；　with　Crommower　beside　him；　as　it　had　been　for　so　many　years。　〃I　go　to　expand　the　boundaries　of　Mithril　Hall；〃　Gandalug　had　proclaimed；　〃to　seek　greater　riches　for　me　clan。〃　And　so　the　dwarves　had　cheered；　but　more　than　one　eye　had　been　teary　that　day；　for　all　the　dwarves　understood　that　Gandalug　would　not　be　ing　home。

〃Think　we'll　get　a　good　fight　or　two　outta　this？〃　Crommower　eagerly　asked　as　he　skittered　along　beside　his　beloved　king；　his　armor　squealing　noisily　every　step　of　the　way。

The　old　graybeard　only　laughed。

The　two　spent　many　days　searching　the　tunnels　directly　below　and　west　of　the　Mithril　Hall　plex。　They　found　little　in　the　way　of　the　precious　silvery　mithril；　though—certainly　no　hints　of　any　veins　to　match　the　huge　deposits　back　in　the　plex　proper。　Undaunted；　the　two　wanderers　then　went　lower；　into　caverns　that　seemed　foreign　even　to　their　dwarven　sensibilities；　into　corridors　where　the　sheer　pressure　of　thousands　of　tons　of　rock　pushed　crystals　out　in　front　of　them　in　swirling　arrays；　into　tunnels　of　beautiful　colors；　where　strange　lichen　glowed　eerie　colors。　Into　the　Underdark。

Long　after　their　lamp　oils　had　been　exhausted；　long　after　their　torches　had　burned　away；　Crommower　Pwent　got　his　fight。

It　started　when　the　myriad　of　color　patterns　revealed　by　heat…sensing　dwarven　infravision　blurred　to　gray　and　then　disappeared　altogether　in　a　cloud　of　inky　blackness。

〃Me　king！〃　Crommower　called　out　wildly。　〃I've　lost　me　sight！〃

〃As　have　I！〃　Gandalug　assured　the　smelly　battlerager；　and；　predictably；　he　heard　the　roar　and　the　shuffle　of　anxious　feet　as　Crommower　sped　off；　looking　for　an　enemy　to　skewer。

Gandalug　ran　in　the　noise　of　the　battlerager's　wake。　He　had　seen　enough　magic　to　understand　that　some　wizard　or　cleric　had　dropped　a　globe　of　darkness　over　them；　and　that；　the　old　graybeard　knew；　was　probably　only　the　beginning　of　a　more　direct　assault。

Crommower's　grunts　and　crashes　allowed　Gandalug　to　get　out　of　the　darkened　area　with　relatively　few　bruises。　He　caught　a　quick　look　at　his　adversary　before　yet　another　globe　dropped　over　him。

〃Draw；　Crommower！〃　Gandalug　cried；　terror　in　his　voice；　for　even　back　then；　the　reputation　of　the　merciless　dark　elves　sent　shivers　along　the　backbones　of　the　hardiest　surface　dwellers。

〃I　seen　'em；〃　came　Crommower's　surprisingly　easy　reply。　〃We　oughtta　kill　about　fifty　o'　the　skinny　things；　lay　'em　flat　out　with　their　hands　above　their　heads；　and　use　'em　for　window　blinds　once　they're　stiffened！〃

The　sight　of　draw　and　the　use　of　magic　told　Gandalug　that　he　and　the　battlerager　were　in　tight　straits；　but　he　laughed　anyway；　gaining　confidence　and　strength　from　his　friend's　confident　manner。

They　came　bouncing　out　of　the　second　globe；　and　a　third　went　over　them；　this　one　acpanied　by　the　subtle　clicking　sound　of　hand…held　crossbows　firing。

〃Will　ye　stop　doing　that？〃　Crommower　plained　to　the　mysterious　enemies。　〃How　am　I　supp—Ow！　Why　ye　dirty　sneak…sters！—supposed　to　skewer　ye　if　I　can't　see　ye？〃

When　they　came　out　the　other　side　of　this　globe；　into　a　wider　tunnel　strewn　with　tall　stalagmite　mounds　and　hanging　stalactites；　Gandalug　saw　Crommower　yanking　a　small　dart　from　the　side　of　his　nec