war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第58部分

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hrough　into　the　open　air　of　the　city　beyond；　she　saw　that　Jeggred　had　a　hold　of　Valas。　The　draegloth　lifted　effortlessly　toward　the　hole；　and　it　was　at　that　moment　that　Halisstra　remembered　that　Danifae　could　not　levitate　either。
　　　The　House　Melarn　daughter　looked　down　desperately　and　saw　her　attendant；　crouched　in　the　low　corner　of　the　room；　near　the　collapsed　ceiling；　scrambling　to　stay　atop　the　shifting　pile　of　rock　as　the　room　continued　to　tip　over。　Danifae's　eyes　were　blazing　with　fury　as　she　gazed　angrily　up　toward　where　everyone　else　was　escaping　the　collapsing　dwelling。　There　was　another　excruciatingly　loud　snapping　sound　as　more　stone　buckled　and　popped；　and　Danifae；　still　inside　the　destroyed　remains　of　House　Melarn；　was　falling　away。
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　　　Khorrl　Xornbane　was　bloody　and　exhausted。　His　clan；　gathered　all　around　him；　looked　that　way　too。　He　had　no　idea　how　long　they'd　been　fighting；　but　it　was　too　long。　They　needed　rest　and　water。　They　couldn't　keep　this　up　for　much　longer。　Unfortunately；　the　captain　of　Clan　Xornbane　feared　that　the　day　would　grow　much　worse　before　it　got　better。　He　hoped　he　was　wrong。
　　　Khorrl　had　already　passed　the　word　that　his　troops　were　to　abandon　their　positions　defending　House　Melarn。　They　had　been　besieged　there　for　so　long　and　had　used　up　so　many　of　their　firepots　that　he　feared　the　place　was　growing　unstable。
　　　I'm　not　going　to　lose　my　boys　that　way；　he　told　himself。
　　　The　remains　of　his　forces　were　reforming　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　plaza　from　the　House；　and　for　the　moment　they　were　being　left　alone。　It　was　hard　to　be　sure　how　long　that　peace　would；　last；　though；　because　none　of　them　could　see　very　far　in　the　thick　smoke　of　the　burning　stone。
　　　What　Khorrl　and　his　duergar　could　see　told　the　tale　clearly　enough；　though。　The　plaza　was　covered　with　the　bodies　of　goblins　and　kobolds。　Littered　in　between　them　were　slightly　fewer　drow；　though　the　number　of　dead　dark　elves　surprised；　him。　More　dead　gray　dwarves　than　Khorrl　would　have　liked　were　scattered　here　and　there；　too。　It　had　been　a　hellish　day；　and　it　was　far　from　over；　the　captain　feared。
　　　〃Sir；〃　one　of　his　aides　said；　running　up　to　Khorrl；　〃we've　pletely　abandoned　the　estate。　The　last　of　the　troops　have　formed　a　line　from　that　corner…〃　the　young　gray　dwarf　pointed　through　the　smoke　toward　the　edge　of　a　dwelling　behind　them…〃across　to　the　flank　of　our　main　position；　there。〃　He　swung　his　arm　across　to　the　far　right　side　of　the　plaza。
　　　〃Good；〃　Khorrl　replied；　visualizing　the　battlefield　in　his　mind；　since　he　could　no　longer　clearly　see　it　with　his　eyes。
　　　〃Also；〃　the　aide　continued；　〃there's　another　force　of　drow　ing　toward　us；　from　that　direction。〃
　　　He　pointed　off　to　the　left；　where　the　plaza　was　joined　by　a　large　web　street。　It　was；　regrettably；　the　weakest　point　of　Clan　Xornbane's　defenses。
　　　〃Friend　or　foe？　Did　you　get　a　look　at　their　House　insignias？〃
　　　The　aide　shrugged　and　said；　〃Not　in　this　smoke。〃
　　　Khorrl　sighed。　He　would　have　to　send　scouts　out　to　reconnoiter　the　new　troops。　He　said　as　much　to　the　aide；　who　saluted　him　and　started　to　turn　away。
　　　〃Wait；〃　the　captain　said；　and　the　aide　stopped　attentively。　'Get　some　boys　up　there…〃　Khorrl　pointed　toward　the　street　one　level　above　where　they　were　currently　positioned…〃I　don't　want　another　swarm　of　those　damned　dark　elves　dropping　in　on　us　like　they　did　earlier。〃
　　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　aide　replied；　and　hurried　off　to　execute　his　captain's　mands。
　　　Khorrl　sighed　again　and　turned　to　call　for　water。　From　behind　him　there　was　a　loud　popping　sound；　a　sound　he　knew　too　well…　splintering　stone。　He　spun　back　around　and　peered　through　the　gloom　of　smoke　in　the　direction　from　which　it　had　e。　All　up　and　down　the　lines　that　protected　the　clan's　position；　the　word　was　spreading；　and　it　reached　Khorrl　quickly　enough。　House　Melarn　was　burning　to　oblivion；　and　it　was　about　to　go　over。
　　　Khorrl　shook　his　head；　knowing　what　was　about　to　happen。　He　hoped　his　aide　was　right　and　hoped　that　all　his　boys　had　gotten　out　of　there。　He　lamented　the　ones　who　couldn't；　for　whatever　reason。
　　　The　popping　started　again；　and　grew　louder　and　more　steady。　He　could　feel　the　vibrations　in　the　stone　beneath　his　feet。　He　almost　wished　he　could　see　it；　but　in　a　way；　he　didn't。　It　was　going　to　be　a　deathtrap　for　anyone　still　inside。
　　　The　snapping；　splintering　sound　of　stone　reached　a　crescendo；　and　there　was　one　final　explosion；　a　tremor　that　shook　the　entire　street　enough　that　Khorrl　had　to　brace　himself　with　his　axe。　There　was　a　jerk；　and　the　rumbling　ceased。　Khorrl　knew　the　whole　building　had　gone　over　the　side；　tumbling　into　the　void。
　　　A　few　seconds　later；　there　was　a　horrendous　crash　from　below。　House　Melarn　had　struck　something。　A　heartbeat　later；　he　felt　the　vibrations　of　the　impact。　It　was　subtle；　but　for　that　sort　of　vibration　to　travel　through　a　web　street　and　into　the　walls　of　the　huge　cavern；　and　back　along　the　other　web　streets；　the　initial　impact　must　have　been　devastating。
　　　It　might　take　out　several　more　streets；　the　duergar　mused　grimly。
　　　〃Sir！〃
　　　It　was　the　aide　again；　rushing　up　to　his　captain；　his　look　wide…eyed。
　　　〃What　is　it？〃　Khorrl　demanded；　wondering　what　would　so　shake　up　the　lad。
　　　〃A　spider！　A　huge　one；　as　big　as　a　house！　It's　ing　this　way！〃　Khorrl　groaned；　realizing　just　how　much　worse　things　had　gotten。　He　hated　being　right。
　　　FIFTEEN
　　　As　he　floated　up　and　out　of　the　collapsing　building　that　had　at　one　time　been　House　Melarn；　Phataun　Mizzrym　heard　a　cry　of　anguish　below　him。　Looking　downward；　he　spied　Halisstra；　still　emerging　from　the　gaping　opening　that　led　into　the　ruin　of　her　mother's　chambers。　She　was　staring　back　down　into　the　building。
　　　For　the　rest　of　his　days；　the　wizard　wouldn't　be　sure　what　convinced　him　to　do　it；　but　sensing　that　someone　was　still　inside；　he　made　up　his　mind　in　the　blink　of　an　eye　to　cast　a　spell。　Yanking　off　his　piwafwi　and　tossing　it　to　Ryld；　he　uttered　a　quick　arcane　phrase　and　began　transforming　himself　into　a　loathsome　and　wretched　creature。　He　had　seen　the　horrid　thing　several　times　before　and　in　fact　had　hunted　them　for　sport　a　few　times　in　his　younger　days。　As　he　dropped　back　down　toward　the　crumbling　building；　which　was　beginning　to　break　away　from　the　last　of　its　moorings　and　drop　into　the　space　below；　he　changed　from　the　handsome　drow　elf　with　the　winning　smile　to　a　winged　woman　with　scaly　hindquarters。　Though　the　form　was　repulsive；　it　did　have　one　advantage　over　the　wizard's　natural　shape：　It　could　fly。　Pharaun　hoped　his　harpy　shape　would　be　strong　enough　to　lift　whoever　was　still　trapped　inside。
　　　Halisstra　seemed　about　to　drop　back　down　into　the　cavernous　room；　which　was　tilted　pletely　on　its　side；　but　Pharaun　grasped　hold　of　her　piwafwi　and　shoved　her　to　the　side。　She　looked　up　at　him；　startled；　and　gave　a　quick　shriek　of　surprise　and　horror；　even　as　she　stumbled　back。　She　fumbled　for　something　tucked　inside　her　own　piwafwi；　and　the　mage　got　the　impression　she　had　no　clue　it　was　him。　She　was　about　to　attack　him。
　　　〃Get　up　with　the　others！〃　he　hissed；　motioning　with　one　of　his　clawed　hands。　〃I'll　go　back。〃
　　　He　saw　the　flash　of　a　dagger；　and　Halisstra　relaxed　the　slightest　bit；　seeming　to　understand　who　the　harpy　really　was。　He　filed　away　for　later　the　fact　that　she'd　secreted　a　weapon　on　her　person。
　　　Halisstra　nodded　and　pushed　herself　up　from　the　edge　of　the　hole　even　as　Pharaun　folded　his　wings　to　his　side　and　stepped　over　the　opening　so　that　he　could　drop　through。　Inside；　he　saw　Danifae　flailing　madly　atop　a　pile　of　rocks　that　had　once　been　the　ceiling；　as　the　mound　of　rubble　shifted　beneath　her。　At　that　point；　House　Melarn　was　truly　falling；　and　the　two　of　them　with　it。　He　noticed　that　the　rubble　shifted　and　ground　itself　together　as　the　building　plummeted　downward；　grinding　itself　into　oblivion。　It　almost　seemed　to　be　draining　out　of　a　hole　below　her；　like　some　great　hourglass。　She　was　struggling　to　keep　from　getting　sucked　down　with　the　stone；　but　her　leg　was　wedged　between　two　large　blocks；　and　she　could　not　gain　a　sufficient　grip　anywhere　else　in　order　to　pull　her　limb