war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第54部分

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　he'd　encountered　with　minimal　effort；　at　least　one　of　the　newers　looked　like　someone　who　could　actually　fight。　Ryld　didn't　entertain　for　a　second　the　thought　that　Jeggred　might　not　be　able　to　handle　the　five　humans…even　the　one　with　the　greataxe…but　the　five　of　them　together　might　slow　the　draegloth　down　a　bit；　and　that　would　have　to　do。
　　　Ryld　sheathed　Splitter；　and　before　the　blade　was　entirely　covered　his　feet　were　off　the　ground。　He　intended　to　jump　through　the　window　and　almost　made　it　when　someone　grabbed　his　foot。　Ryld　knew　before　he　turned　that　it　was　Jeggred。
　　　The　draegloth　pulled　hard　on　Ryld's　foot；　and　the　weapons　master　twisted　in　his　grip　and　kicked　Jeggred　in　the　face。　The　half…demon's　head　snapped　back　into　one　of　the　onrushing　humans…one　armed　with　a　sword…who　took　the　opportunity　to　slice　at　the　back　of　the　draegloth's　head。　The　sword　tangled　in　Jeggred's　still…wet　mane　of　thick　white　hair。
　　　Two　more　of　the　humans　came　up　on　either　side　of　the　half…demon　and　jabbed　their　spearheads　into　Jeggred's　back。　The　spearheads　sank　into　the　draegloth's　flesh；　and　Jeggred　let　out　a　loud　growl。　He　let　go　of　Ryld；　who　landed　on　his　feet；　face　to　face　with　the　draegloth。　The　humans　withdrew　their　spears；　and　Jeggred　and　Ryld　shared　a　look　that　said　Jeggred　wanted　the　human　male　and　female　with　spears。　The　swordsman　drew　his　weapon　back　to　stab　the　draegloth　from　behind。
　　　Jeggred　spun　away；　sending　the　two　humans　with　spears　scattering。　The　human　with　the　sword　was　left　facing　Ryld。
　　　〃The　draegloth　will　kill　you　all；〃　Ryld　said；　reasonably　certain　he　got　the　mon　right。
　　　The　human　seemed　more　frightened　that　Ryld　could　speak　his　language　than　he　was　of　the　dark　elf　himself。　That　was　a　mistake　the　man　wouldn't　make　twice。
　　　〃Don't…〃　Ryld　warned　as　the　human　pulled　his　sword　up　to　hack　down　at　the　dark　elf。
　　　With　an　impatient　sigh；　Ryld　flicked　his　sword　in　a　fast　arc　in　front　of　him　and　took　the　human's　sword　arm。　The　man　staggered　back；　bulging　eyes　fixed　on　the　blood　pumping　out　of　his　stump。　He　looked　at　Ryld；　made　eye　contact　with　him　for　the　space　of　a　heartbeat。　The　human　seemed　to　be　waiting　for　Ryld　to　say　something；　to　explain　why　the　drow　had　taken　his　arm。　Humans　were　an　odd　lot。
　　　Ryld　shrugged。　The　man　opened　his　mouth　to　speak　then　fell　over　dead。
　　　The　female　human　jabbed　at　Jeggred；　and　the　draegloth　grabbed　the　spear。　He　snapped　it　like　a　twig；　and　the　woman　backstepped　away；　her　hands　up　in　front　of　her　face　in　a　feeble　attempt　to　fend　off　the　half…demon。
　　　Ryld　suppressed　the　urge　to　laugh。　Instead；　he　bent　quickly　and　ripped　the　dead　human's　hand　off　the　sword。　He　had　to　break　a　few　of　the　man's　fingers　to　get　the　weapon　free；　but　it　certainly　didn't　matter　to　the　swordsman　anymore。
　　　The　other　spearman　went　for　Jeggred　with　renewed　fury；　his　hopelessly　warped　spear　jabbing　again　and　again　at　the　draegloth；　who　danced　out　of　its　way；　toying　with　the　man。　The　woman　had　her　hands　on　her　mouth；　apparently　concerned　with　what　might　happen　to　the　other　spearman。　There　was　something　about　the　look　on　her　face　that　Ryld　recognized；　and　in　response　he　tossed　her　the　dead　man's　sword。　She　didn't　notice　the　blade　ing　at　her　until　it　was　halfway　there；　but　she　caught　it　just　the　same。
　　　The　woman　met　Ryld's　gaze；　and　the　weapons　master　nodded　at　the　draegloth。
　　　〃Take　the　dark　elf；　girl！〃　the　man　with　the　greataxe　yelled　to　the　woman。
　　　The　man　with　the　greataxe　had　been　barking　orders　all　along；　but　Ryld　hadn't　paid　much　attention。　Hearing　someone　order　his　death　wasn't　an　entirely　alien　experience　for　Ryld；　but　there　was　something　about　the　circumstances　that　frustrated　him。　He'd　just　tossed　her　a　weapon　。。。　so　what　if　he'd　taken　it　out　of　the　severed　limb　of　one　of　her　rades？
　　　The　woman　hesitated；　looked　at　the　sword　as　if　she　wasn't　sure　what　to　do　with　it；　then　looked　at　Jeggred。　The　draegloth　stepped　into　the　man　with　the　spear；　deftly　slipping　past　the　spearhead；　and　grabbed　the　logger's　head　in　one　of　his　huge；　clawed　hands。　With　a　twist　of　the　draegloth's　wrist　and　a　bend　of　his　elbow　the　human　spearman's　head　came　free　of　his　shoulders　in　a　shower　of　blood。
　　　The　woman　screamed；　and　Ryld　was　taken　aback　by　the　sound。　It　was　soaked　with　emotion…a　sound　Ryld　hadn't　heard　often　in　Menzoberranzan。　He　looked　at　her　and　she　met　his　gaze。　Tears　streamed　down　her　face。　She　looked　back　at　the　draegloth；　who　was　meeting　the　advance　of　the　man　with　the　greataxe。
　　　The　woman　dropped　the　sword　and　ran；　rushing　past　Jeggred　and　the　man　with　the　greataxe　to　stumble　out　the　door。　Ryld　heard　her　footsteps　recede　into　the　night。
　　　The　weapons　master　longed　to　follow　her。
　　　
　　　Rab　Shuoc　was　born　in　the　Year　of　the　Striking　Hawk　in　the　Cormyrean　city　of　Arabel。　He　grew　up　there；　the　son　of　a　city　watchman；　and　spent　his　childhood　hunting　rats　with　his　friends　in　the　back　alleys　and　occasionally　following　his　father　on　his　rounds　in　the　wealthier　sections　of　the　city。　It　wasn't　the　slightest　bit　surprising　to　anyone　who　knew　him　when　he　joined　the　army。　Rab　was　fiercely　loyal　to　the　kingdom　of　his　birth　and　the　king　he　admired　more　than　anyone　but　his　father。
　　　He　worked　his　way　up　the　ranks；　slowly；　and　was　a　sergeant　when　the　ghazneths　and　goblins　ravaged　Cormyr　and　all　but　destroyed　Arabel。　He　was　nearly　killed　in　the　same　battle　that　resulted　in　the　death　of　the　king；　and　he　watched　the　city　of　his　birth　burned。　His　father　was　killed　when　part　of　a　building　fell　on　him。　With　the　king　and　his　father　both　dead；　and　no　family　of　his　own　to　tie　him　down；　Rab　simply　walked　away。
　　　He　went　on　to　bee　alternately　a　sellsword；　a　tavern　bouncer；　an　innkeeper；　a　weaponsmith；　then　a　logger。　He　was　strong　and　smart；　so　he　soon　became　foreman。　His　employers　paid　Rab　a　considerable　sum　in　gold　to　gather　crews　to　go　deep　into　some　of　the　most　dangerous　places　in　Faerun　to　find　exotic　woods。　He　quickly　built　a　solid　reputation　among　the　lumber　mill　owners　and　loggers　alike　as　a　fair　but　tough　leader　who　knew　how　to　get　the　job　done；　and　Rab　always　delivered。
　　　During　those　hard　forty…six　years　of　life；　Rab　Shuoc　had　missed　out　on　a　lot。　There　had　been　women　but　never　a　wife　and　never　any　children。　Since　the　war　he　hadn't　even　had　a　home。　He　rarely　worked　with　the　same　men　more　than　one　season　at　a　time　and　had　no　real　friends　to　speak　of。
　　　He　wasn't　the　kind　of　man　who　worried　about　his　own　happiness　or　even　expected　to　be　happy。　He　wanted　to　live；　work；　and　be　left　alone。
　　　When　he　stepped　into　his　mon　room　and　saw　some　of　his　crew　already　dead　at　the　hands　of　a　dark　elf　and　some　kind　of　giant　demon　monster；　he　knew　that　if　he　wanted　to　live；　he　would　have　to　fight　harder　than　he　ever　had　before。　It　was　with　that　thought　foremost　in　his　mind　that　he　stepped　toward　the　two　interlopers　and　got　started　with　the　last　thirty　seconds　of　his　life。
　　　Raula　was　smart　enough　to　tun；　and　Rab　let　her　go。　The　dark　elf　watched　her　go　too；　and　the　demon　ignored　her。　The　huge；　gray…furred　creature　locked　its　blazing　red　eyes　on　Rab　and　advanced　on　him。　Rab　hefted　his　greataxe　and　stepped　into　the　demon's　attack。　He　was　aware　of　the　drow　facing　him　as　well。
　　　The　drow　came　in　faster　than　the　demon；　swinging　his　enormous　greatsword　in　a　wild；　chaotic　fashion。　Rab　was　sure　he　could　parry　the　uncontrolled　assault　with　ease　and　he　held　the　steel　haft　of　his　greataxe　in　both　hands　so　the　greatsword　would　bounce　off　it…but　it　didn't。
　　　The　tip　of　the　greatsword　wasn't　where　it　was　supposed　to　be。　It　didn't　seem　possible　to　Rab　that　someone　could　move　such　a　huge；　heavy　weapon　so　quickly；　but　that　strange　dark　elf　had；　and　it　was　Rab　who　paid　the　price。　The　tip　of　the　sword　drew　a　deep　cut　across　the　logger's　chest。　Pain　flared；　and　blood　poured；　and　in　that　half…second　of　shock；　the　demon　took　his　axe。
　　　He'd　been　disarmed　before　but　he'd　never　had　an　opponent　actually　reach　out　and　take　the　weapon　right　out　of　his　hand。
　　　Rab　was　still　puzzling　over　that　when　something　even　stranger　happened：　the　dark　elf　drew　his　greatsword　across　the　demon's　back；　cutting　it　deeply　enough　that　blood　sprayed　from　the　wound