war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第44部分

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　　　The　first　opponent　stepped　in；　slashing　with　his　short　sword　up　high；　then　bringing　his　long　sword　through　in　a　sweep　across　Ryld's　midsection。　The　weapons　master　ducked　below　the　first　slice　and　parried　the　lower　blow　with　Splitter。
　　　Try　that　again；　and　I'll　have　you　down　to　two　short　swords；　Ryld　thought；　watching　to　see　if　the　other　drow　would　fall　into　a　pattern。
　　　To　his　left；　another　of　the　soldiers　was　trying　to　scoot　along　the　wall；　obviously　hoping　he　could　squeeze　past　Ryld；　but　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　was　keeping　them　all　in　his　line　of　sight。　He　made　a　quick　slash　to　the　side；　causing　the　soldier　to　flinch　back。　Ryld　bounced　back　to　the　middle　of　the　corridor；　still　watching　the　drow　with　two　blades。　The　other　two　drow；　both　on　Ryld's　right；　were　waiting　and　watching。
　　　Fine　with　me；　Ryld　thought；　keeping　his　main　attention　on　the　one　in　front　of　him。
　　　The　drow　changed　tactics　this　time；　stepping　in　with　the　long　sword　leading；　and　proceeded　through　a　flurry　of　blows　with　only　that　weapon；　watching　how　Ryld　blocked　them。　When　Ryld　swung　through　a　parry　and　counterattacked；　the　other　warrior　was　ready；　deflecting　the　stroke　with　the　short　sword。　Unfortunately；　the　engagement　allowed　the　drow　on　Ryld's　left　to　finally　shoot　past　him。
　　　〃Pharaun！〃　Ryld　called；　〃watch　out！〃
　　　He　stepped　away　from　the　center　of　the　hallway；　angling　backward　to　keep　his　opponents　in　his　sight；　and　the　weapons　master　could　hear　cries　of　pain　and　terror　behind　him。　He　hoped　it　was　the　other　group　of　drow；　and　not　his　two　panions。　The　male　with　two　swords　pressed　in　again；　and　this　time　Ryld　was　ready　for　him。　When　the　first　swipe　from　the　short　sword　passed　high；　Ryld　knew　that　the　long　sword　would　follow　low。　This　time　when　the　stroke　approached　Ryld　cut　sharply　with　his　own　blade；　neatly　slicing　the　long　sword　in　half。　The　broken　end　skittered　away　with　a　clatter。
　　　〃Damn　you；　motherless　rothé！〃　the　other　drow　snarled；　but　he　gasped　in　the　next　instant　as　Ryld's　momentum　spun　the　weapons　master　fully　around　in　a　circle　and　into　him　again。
　　　His　cut　was　quick　and　true；　and　the　opponent　dropped　to　the　floor　with　a　groan。　Ryld　didn't　waste　time　watching　him　fall。　He　was　already　sidestepping　the　attack　from　the　soldier　who'd　gotten　behind　him　and　who　was　trying　to　cut　at　him　from　the　back。　He　took　a　short　spear　in　the　side　of　his　leg　for　his　troubles　and　growled　in　pain　as　he　back…stepped　from　the　attack；　limping。　He　couldn't　let　himself　get　turned　away　from　anyone；　yet　they　were　moving　to　do　just　that　by　surrounding　him。
　　　Appearing　as　if　from　nowhere；　Valas　caught　the　soldier　with　the　long　sword　from　behind；　sliding　an　arm　around　his　neck　and　planting　one　of　his　kukris　into　the　fellow's　back。　Seeing　the　attack；　Ryld　quickly　turned　and　parried　several　thrusts　from　the　short　spears。　The　final　two　drow　had　hoped　to　get　in　close　and　attack　Ryld　while　his　attention　was　focused　on　the　opposite　side；　but　they'd　lost　their　chance。
　　　Ryld　stepped　fully　into　the　middle　of　the　hallway　again；　wanting　as　much　room　as　possible　to　use　Splitter。　When　the　two　House　Zauvirr　soldiers　saw　that　the　odds　were　down　to　two　to　one　and　would　quickly　be　even　with　Valas　beside　him；　they　faltered　and　began　to　back　up。
　　　A　staccato　series　of　glowing　bluish…white　missiles　shot　past　Ryld；　slamming　into　the　two　drow　as　they　tried　to　turn　and　flee。　A　few　of　the　magical　streaks　of　light　fizzled　out　as　they　reached　their　targets；　but　far　more　of　them　struck　true；　causing　the　two　soldiers　to　shudder　and　convulse　as　they　went　sprawling　to　the　floor。　Ryld　glanced　back　to　see　Pharaun　holding　a　slender　length　of　some　darkly　stained　wood　cut　from　a　tree　on　the　surface　world。
　　　The　wizard　nodded　in　satisfaction　and　tucked　the　wand　away。
　　　〃We　mustn't　tarry；〃　he　said；　〃Everyone　in　the　entire　House　probably　heard　that。〃
　　　Curious；　Ryld　took　another　glance　back　past　Pharaun　to　where　the　other　contingent　of　drow　had　been。　They　were　all　dead；　clutched　in　the　grip　of　the　black；　shiny　tentacles　the　mage　sometimes　summoned。　The　tentacles　continued　to　squeeze　and　contract　around　the　bodies　of　those　unfortunate　soldiers　or　flailed　about　blindly　if　they　had　nothing　to　grip。
　　　Turning　back；　Ryld　followed　the　other　two　past　the　dead　drow　and　into　the　stairwell。
　　　***
　　　
　　　Halisstra　stumbled　and　lost　her　balance　as　the　deep　rumble　shook　House　Melarn。　To　either　side　of　her；　the　guards　who　were　〃escorting〃　her　into　the　audience　chamber　stumbled　as　well；　losing　their　grips　on　the　drow　noble's　arms　as　they　flailed　about；　trying　to　regain　their　collective　balance。　All　around　Halisstra；　shouts　rose　as　drow　began　to　mill　about　uncertainly　in　the　confusion　caused　by　the　vibration；　whatever　it　was。　Stunned　as　much　by　the　proceedings　that　had　been　taking　place　in　her　mother's　House…her　House　now；　Halisstra　realized…as　by　the　shock　wave　that　tore　through　the　place；　Halisstra　merely　stood　in　place；　dressed　in　only　her　underclothes　and　with　her　arms　securely　manacled　behind　her　back；　staring　at　the　chaos　around　her。
　　　When　the　liveried　servant　from　House　Nasadra　ran　into　the　room；　announcing　the　fighting　outside；　Halisstra　blinked　in　astonishment。
　　　Duergar？　Attacking　House　Melarn？　Why　in　the　Abyss　would　they…
　　　A　second　blast　rocked　House　Melarn　and　knocked　Halisstra　off　her　feet。　Or　rather；　it　would　have　if　someone　hadn't　caught　her　from　behind。
　　　〃On　your　feet。　。　。　I've　got　to　get　you　out　of　here。〃
　　　It　was　Danifae；　dressed　for　battle　and　looking　remarkably　like　just　another　guard　in　a　House　Zauvirr　piwafwi。
　　　Halisstra　struggled　to　right　herself　with　Danifae's　help；　then　turned　to　look　at　her　battle　captive。　The　servant　was　not　normally　permitted　to　arm　and　armor　herself；　but　she　was　currently　wearing　her　old　chain　shirt　and　buckler　and　had　her　morning　star　at　her　side。　Halisstra　wondered　how　Danifae　had　managed　to　get　to　her　accoutrements；　which　had　been　locked　away　in　Halisstra's　rooms；　but　she　wasn't　going　to　take　the　time　to　plain　just　then。
　　　Halisstra　heard　a　shout　from　behind　them；　and　she　turned；　expecting　to　see　her　original　guards　realizing　she　was　free。　Instead；　she　discovered　that　a　thick　mist　had　filled　the　room；　and　she　could　see　very　little　beyond　a　couple　of　paces　away。
　　　〃e　on；〃　Halisstra　hissed；　scrambling　through　the　mist　toward　the　back　of　the　room；　to　a　doorway　leading　deeper　into　the　House　where　her　own　chambers　were　located。　〃Back　to　my　rooms；　and　you　can　get　these…〃she　held　her　arms　out　away　from　her　back　to　indicate　the　manacles…〃off　me。〃
　　　〃Of　course；　Mistress；〃　Danifae　said；　steering　her　superior　by　one　arm　through　the　thick；　obscuring　mist；　along　the　wall　and　toward　the　door。　〃We'll　thank　someone　later　for　hiding　our　escape　with　this　fog。〃
　　　〃You　mean；　that's　not　something　you　and　Lirdnolu　Maerret　planned　to　help　extricate　me　from　Ssipriina　Zauvirr？〃
　　　Danifae　laughed　once；　a　bitter　chuckle。
　　　〃Hardly；〃　she　said；　〃Despite　my　convincing　performance　before　Matron　Mother　Zauvirr；　you　didn't　really　expect　her　to　let　me　wander　free　did　you？　I　had　no　way　to　reach　House　Maerret。　No；　that　motion　back　there　was　someone　else's　doing；〃
　　　Once　the　two　of　them　were　out　of　the　audience　chamber　and　into　the　hall；　Halisstra　could　see　better；　and　she　set　off　regally　toward　her　own　chambers；　despite　the　fact　that　she　was　half…naked　and　bound。　She　hadn't　managed　more　than　three　or　four　steps　before　a　third　rumble　staggered　her。　She　gasped　as　she　lost　her　balance　and　stumbled　against　one　wall　of　the　hallway；　but　Danifae　was　there；　catching　hold　of　her　mistress　and　steadying　her　as　the　tremor　quieted。
　　　〃What　the　blazes　is　going　on？〃　Halisstra　demanded　as　they　righted　themselves　and　hurried　on　their　way。
　　　〃I　don't　know　for　sure；　but　I　can　hazard　a　guess；〃　her　subordinate　replied　as　they　turned　a　corner。　〃There　are　riots　welling　up　in　the　streets。〃
　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Halisstra　said；　〃but　why　would　duergar　target　House　Melarn？〃
　　　〃That；　I　can't　say；〃　Danifae　replied；　〃but　my　guess　is　it　has　more　to　do　with　Ssipriina　Zauvirr's　attempt　to　overthrow　House　Melarn　than　anything　else。　Regardless；　it　served　my　purposes　well　enough。　P