war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第53部分

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ted　the　axe　around　and　swung　again。　He　knew　the　dark　elf　would　lean　back　again　and　was　ready　for　it。　He　actually　aimed　at　a　point　several　inches　behind　the　drow's　head。　The　only　thing　he　could　see　was　the　drow；　and　when　the　axe　came　at　the　dark　elf's　head；　Piet　closed　his　eyes；　expecting　a　splash　of　blood。
　　　The　axe　stopped；　and　hot；　thick　liquid　splashed　over　Piet's　face。　He　closed　his　eyes　tighter　to　keep　the　blood　out　of　his　eyes　and　tried　to　wrench　the　axe　out　of　the　dark　elf's　skull；　but　it　was　stuck。　The　falling　body　dragged　Piet　down　with　in　and　he　slowly　sank　to　his　knees。　Piet's　forehead　bumped　the　wall；　which　surprised　him。　He　didn't　think　he　was　that　far　forward。
　　　He　wiped　his　eyes　with　one　sleeve　as　he　said；　〃I　got　him；　Ulo！　I　split　the　black　devil's　sku…〃
　　　Piet　stopped　cold　when　he　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　exactly　whose　skull　he'd　split。　Ulo's　dead　eyes　stared　back　at　him；　glassy　and　vacant。　Piet's　axe　head　was　jammed　into　the　side　of　his　friend's　head；　and　blood　was　still　oozing　out　from　around　it。
　　　Piet's　body　shook；　wracked　by　a　spasm；　but　he　kept　himself　from　vomiting　by　pressing　a　hand　tightly　to　his　mouth；　letting　go　of　the　axe　that　was　still　stuck　in　his　friend's　head；　and　rolling　off　onto　the　floor。
　　　He　looked　up　and　saw　the　dark　elf　looking　down　at　him；　making　no　move　to　kill　him；　though　the　drow　would　have　had　an　easy　time　of　it。　Piet　met　the　black　creature's　gaze　and　got　the　sinking　feeling　that　the　drow　was　not　only　pleased　with　himself　for　getting　Piet　to　kill　Ulo　but　that　he　was　thinking　about　trying　something　like　it　again。
　　　〃Men！〃　Piet　barked；　his　voice　cracking。
　　　He　wanted　to　warn　them；　but　his　throat　was　tight；　and　he　had　trouble　forcing　the　words　out。　Looking　up　at　the　other　four　loggers；　Piet　saw　the　huge；　gray…furred　demon　rip　Arkam's　throat　out　with　one　hand；　as　if　he　were　digging　a　handful　of　shortening　out　of　a　pot。　Blood　poured　out　everywhere；　and　Arkam　was　dead　before　his　gore…soaked　body　hit　the　floor。
　　　Piet　knew　the　second　the　two　bizarre　creatures　burst　in　through　the　window　that　things　were　going　to　end　badly　for　the　logging　crew；　but　there　was　something　about　the　way　matters　were　unfolding…the　casual　manner　in　which　the　gray　demon　ripped　Arkam's　throat　out　and　the　conniving；　almost　mean…spirited　way　the　dark　elf　made　Piet　kill　his　own　friend…that　made　it　seem　too　personal；　as　if　they'd　e　there　for　that　reason。
　　　Piet's　palms　weren't　sweating　anymore。　His　jaw　was　still　tight；　but　for　a　different　reason。　His　blood　pounded　in　his　ears。　The　dark　elf　was　watching　the　demon　toy　with　Ansen；　Kinsky；　and　Lint。　He　didn't　even　think　Piet　was　dangerous　enough　to　keep　an　eye　on。
　　　That；　Piet　thought；　is　your　second　and　last　mistake；　drow。
　　　Piet　coughed　back　the　bile　that　rose　in　his　throat　when　he　put　his　heavy…booted　foot　on　his　friend　Ulo's　split…open　head　and　pushed　while　pulling　on　the　axe　handle。　The　axe　head　came　loose　with　a　nauseating　sucking　sound；　but　Piet　managed　to　ignore　it。
　　　Axe　in　hand；　Piet　stood　then　lunged　at　the　dark　elf。　The　slippery　drow　dodged　him　again；　quickly　and　easily　enough　that　Piet　thought　he　must　have　eyes　on　the　back　of　his　head。　Undaunted；　the　logger　swung　again　but　sliced　through　nothing　but　air。　The　drow　danced　back；　not　even　parrying　with　his　huge　greatsword；　just　stepping　back；　leaning　to　either　side　or　backward　as　Piet　swung　again　and　again。
　　　Piet　finally　gave　up。　His　lungs　were　burning。　He　tried　to　speak　but　couldn't。　He　wanted　to　run　but　his　legs　felt　like　twigs　ready　to　snap…he'd　already　spent　a　long　day　cutting　down　trees。　All　he　could　do　was　stand　there　and　watch　the　dark　elf　watch　the　demon…thing　kill　the　rest　of　the　men　in　the　room。
　　　The　demon　had　one　of　the　heavy　oak　tables　in　his　hands…the　larger　two　of　the　thing's　three　hands…and　was　pressing　Ansen；　Kinsky；　and　Lint　into　the　wall。　Their　weapons　were　caught　between　the　tabletop　and　their　own　bodies。　Ansen's　torch　burned　his　face；　Kinsky's　axe　handle　cracked　his　collarbone；　and　Lint's　spear　wagged　impotently　from　behind　the　table；　digging　deep　furrows　into　the　roof　beam　above　him。
　　　The　men　were　grunting　and　coughing。　Ansen　screamed。　Smoke　billowed　up　from　his　hair；　and　the　flesh　around　his　right　eye　was　crisping　and　beginning　to　flake　away。
　　　〃Stop　it；〃　Piet　gasped。
　　　Neither　the　drow　nor　the　demon　even　looked　at　him。
　　　〃Stop　。　。　。〃　he　moaned　and　was　about　to　drop　his　axe　when　the　door　burst　open；　and　five　men　all　but　crawled　over　each　other　to　get　into　the　mon　room。
　　　Piet　knew　them　all：　Nedreg；　the　tall　man　from　Sembia　who　was　one　of　two　men　in　the　camp　who'd　brought　a　sword　with　him。　Kem；　the　short　guy　from　Cormyr　who　also　had　a　sword　and　who　hated　Nedreg　as　much　as　Nedreg　hated　him。　Raula；　the　only　woman　in　the　camp；　had　a　spear　she　said　was　magical　but　no　one　believed　her。　Aynd；　Raula's　husband；　had　a　spear　that　was　so　warped　he　didn't　bother　telling　anyone　it　was　anything　but　an　old　piece　of　Impilturan　army　garbage　he'd　found　on　the　side　of　a　road。
　　　The　first　of　the　five　to　get　into　the　room　was　the　foreman　of　the　camp：　a　big　man　named　Rab　who　claimed　to　have　been　a　sergeant　in　the　Cormyrean　army；　who　was　on　the　battlefield　the　day　King　Azoun　was　killed。　Everyone　believed　what　Rab　told　them…whatever　Rab　told　them…because　everyone　was　afraid　of　him。　Piet　never　liked　Rab；　but　seeing　him　burst　into　the　blood…soaked　tavern　with　his　greataxe　at　the　ready　was　the　most　beautiful　thing　Piet　had　ever　seen。
　　　It　was　then；　for　no　reason　Piet　could　understand；　that　the　dark　elf　finally　attacked　him。　The　greatsword　moved　so　fast　Piet　could　barely　see　it。　Still；　he　managed　to　stagger　back　away　from　the　blade。　He　tried　to　parry　with　his　axe；　but　the　dark　elf　never　touched　it。　His　greatsword　whirled　around　it；　flipped　over　it；　pulled　away　from　it。
　　　Piet　had　taken　maybe　ten　steps　before　he　even　realized　he　was　walking。　He　was　closer　to　the　demon　than　he'd　intended　to　go；　but　the　monster　was　still　pushing　against　the　table　behind　which　Ansen；　Kinsky；　and　Lint　were　trapped。　Ansen　was　still　screaming。　The　tone　of　his　voice　had　taken　on　a　more　desperate；　almost　girlish　quality；　and　Piet　found　himself　wishing　the　man　would　hurry　up　and　die。　It　was　the　only　humane　thing。
　　　The　other　two　men　looked　as　if　they　were　trying　to　scream　but　couldn't。　The　demon…thing　glanced　up　at　the　men　who'd　burst　into　the　room　but　who　were　hesitating　at　the　door　still　trying　to　understand　the　grim　scene。　The　demon　took　advantage　of　their　hesitation　and　pressed　harder。　Piet　could　see　the　thing's　legs　tense　and　the　sharp　claws　on　its　feet　dig　into　the　floor。　Kinsky's　eyes　popped　out　of　his　head；　followed　by　a　waterfall　of　blood。　Lint　coughed　out　a　mouthful　of　blood；　gurgled；　and　died。　Kinsky　tried　to　scream。　The　room　filled　with　a　series　of　loud　cracking　noises；　and　he　went　limp。　Ansen　finally　stopped　screaming；　though　he　continued　to　burn。
　　　Rab　and　the　others　charged　at　the　demon。　Piet　wasn't　even　sure　they　noticed　the　dark　elf。
　　　〃Why？〃　Piet　asked　the　drow；　who　was　watching　the　others　charge　the　demon。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　Why　are　you　doing　this？　What　do　you　want？〃
　　　The　dark　elf　turned　to　him　and　raised　an　eyebrow；　looking　down　his　nose　at　Piet…though　the　human　was　easily　six　inches　taller。
　　　〃What　do　you　want　here？〃　Piet　asked　again。
　　　〃Nothing；〃　the　drow　said　in　strangely　accented　mon。
　　　Piet　was　aware　of　some　motion　below　him…something　that　looked　as　if　the　dark　elf　had　shrugged…then　he　felt　something　wet　on　his　neck；　warm　liquid　pouring　down　his　chest。　Piet　put　a　hand　to　his　throat　and　his　fingers　met　a　pulsing　jet　of　hot　red　blood　shooting　in　a　four…foot　stream　from　his　throat。　When　he　tried　to　speak；　his　lungs　filled　with　blood；　then　his　eyesight　blurred。
　　　The　dark　elf　turned　away　from　him；　and　as　he　died；　Piet　knew　that　the　drow　would　never　give　him　a　second　thought。　He　didn't　live　long　enough　to　decide　how　he　felt　about　that。
　　　
　　　Ryld　didn't　give　the　dead　human　a　second　thought。　Five　more　of　them　had　e　in；　and　though　Jeggred　had　dispatched　the　first　three　humans　he'd　encountered　with　minimal　effort；　at　least　one　of　the　newers　looked　like　someone　who　could　actu