war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第7部分

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e　unfortunate　effect　of　tipping　the　point　of　his　greatsword　up。　The　animal　pushed　down；　and　its　weight　was　enough　to　send　Ryld　sinking；　slipping；　then　falling　onto　his　back。　Splitter's　tip　passed　harmlessly　past　the　animal's　shoulder。　When　he　felt　the　other　claw　clamp　onto　his　left　pauldron；　Ryld　knew　he　was　pinned。
　　　The　beast　snapped　at　his　face；　but　Ryld　still　had　enough　room　to　jerk　his　head　out　of　the　way。　With　all　his　considerable　strength；　the　weapons　master　pushed　up；　but　with　his　arms　trapped　over　his　head　and　his　sword　all　but　immobile　next　to　the　animal's　ear；　he　had　to　use　his　back　and　shoulders　to　try　to　lift　himself　off　the　ground…carrying　the　fifteen…foot　animal　that　must　have　weighed　a　ton　at　least　with　him。　He　didn't　move　it　far；　but　when　the　animal　felt　him　trying　to　push　up；　it　pushed　down；　extending　its　arms　the　fraction　of　an　inch　Ryld　needed　to　muscle　his　sword　down　and　under。　Twisting　his　wrists　painfully；　Ryld　managed　to　get　the　greatsword's　tip　up　under　the　beast's　chin。
　　　The　animal　rolled；　its　dark；　dull　eyes　down　and　stretched　its　neck　up　and　away　from　the　sword。　The　two　of　them　were　stuck　that　way；　and　Ryld　feared　that　that　was　how　they　were　going　to　remain　for　a　very　long　time：　it　pushing　him　away；　he　trying　to　stab　it　through　the　throat。
　　　〃Halisstra！〃　Feliane　screamed。　〃No！〃
　　　The　sound　was　shrill；　panicked；　and　close　enough　that　it　finally　registered　on　Ryld　that　the　two　females　were　still　there。　He　wasn't　alone。　As　females　were　wont　to　do；　they　were　letting　him　take　the　brunt　of　the　punishment；　but　they　wouldn't　leave　him　like　that…of　would　they？　From　the　sound　of　Feliane's　voice；　it　was　exactly　what　she　intended　to　do。
　　　Ryld　redoubled　his　efforts；　but　so　did　the　beast　and　they　got　no　closer　to　a　resolution…until　Ryld　heard　a　woman　growl　in　an　odd　way；　realizing　it　was　Halisstra。　The　thing　dipped　that　fraction　of　an　inch　forward　that　Ryld　was　hoping　for。
　　　The　tip　of　the　greatsword　bit　into　the　animal's　throat；　and　blood　poured　down　the　blade。　The　animal　grunted；　opening　its　mouth　a　quarter　of　an　inch…and　allowing　the　blade　to　slip　that　much　farther　in。　Hot　red　blood　exploded　from　the　wound；　then　pumped　out　of　the　monstrosity's　neck　in　rhythm　to　its　speeding　heart…Ryld　had　found　the　artery　he'd　been　hoping　for。
　　　He　saw　Halisstra's　boot　to　his　right　and　heard　a　sword　e　out　of　its　sheath。　She　had　jumped　onto　the　animal's　back　and　was　straddling　it；　drawing　the　Crescent　Blade　to　deliver　the　killing　blow。
　　　Ryld　celebrated　that　realization　by　twisting　Splitter's　tip　into　the　creature's　throat；　bringing　more　blood　and　sending　a　shiver　rippling　through　the　creature's　fur。
　　　Feliane　ran　up　next　to　them　and　must　have　hit　the　side　of　the　animal　hard。　Halisstra　grunted；　and　the　hulk　started　to　topple　sideways。　Ryld　sawed　into　its　neck　for　good　measure；　not　sure　it　was　actually　dead。
　　　Feliane's　boot　scuffled　in　the　snow　next　to　him；　and　she　said；　〃Stop　it。　For　Eilistraee's　sake；　that's　not　what　the　Crescent　Blade　was　meant　for。〃
　　　Ryld　let　the　quivering　carcass　roll　off　him　and　fall　into　a　dead　sprawl　in　the　underbrush。　Wincing　from　the　pain　in　his　shoulder　and　underarm；　he　slid　his　blade　out　of　the　dead　animal's　neck　and　got　to　his　feet；　stepping　back　a　few　steps　before　he　had　his　legs　under　him。
　　　Halisstra　and　Feliane　were　standing　next　to　the　fallen　animal；　and　Feliane's　hand　was　wrapped　tightly　around　Halisstra's　sword　arm。
　　　〃I　couldn't　。　。　。〃　Halisstra　said；　her　voice　quavering；　each　word　punctuated　by　a　puff　of　steam　that　rolled　into　the　frigid　air。　〃I　couldn't　let　it　kill　him。〃
　　　Both　of　the　women　turned　to　look　at　Ryld；　who　could　only　shrug。
　　　〃She　was　only　protecting　her　young；〃　Feliane　said。
　　　She　was　looking　at　Ryld；　but　the　weapons　master　got　the　distinct　impression　she　was　talking　to　Halisstra。　Ryld　didn't　understand。　Who　was　protecting　。　。　。　？
　　　〃The　animal？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃She's　a　giant　land　sloth；〃　the　Eilistraeen　said；　releasing　Halisstra's　arm　and　stepping　away　from　her。　〃She　was　a　giant　land　sloth。　They're　rare；　especially　this　far　north。〃
　　　〃Good；〃　Ryld　said。　〃It　was　tougher　than　it　looks。〃
　　　〃Damn　it！〃　Feliane　cursed。　〃She　was　only　protecting　her　young。　You　didn't　have　to　kill　her。〃
　　　Halisstra　was　looking　at　her　sword；　the　blade　glowing　in　the　darkness。
　　　〃Why；〃　Ryld　asked；　〃would　it　attack　an　armed　drow　to　protect　its　young？　It　could　have　lived　to　birth　more。〃
　　　Feliane　opened　her　mouth　to　answer　but　said　nothing。　A　strange　look　came　over　her；　one　that　Ryld　couldn't　remember　ever　seeing　on　the　face　of　a　drow。
　　　Halisstra　looked　down　at　the　dead　sloth　and　whispered；　〃She。　。　。　。〃
　　　Ryld　shook　his　head。　He　didn't　understand　and　was　beginning　to　think　he　never　would。
　　　
Chapter　Three
　　　It　had　been　two　days　since　Pharaun　had　contacted　his　master；　and　the　news　that　sending　had　brought　still　sat　heavily　on　the　wizard's　shoulders。　The　spell　allowed　only　a　short　message　to　travel　through　the　Weave　from　the　Lake　of　Shadows　into　Menzoberranzan　and　an　equally　short　message　back。
　　　Ship　of　chaos　is　ours；　Pharaun　had　sent；　careful　to　use　no　unnecessary　words　though　that　was　against　his　natural　tendencies。　Advise　on　proper　diet。　Don't　trust　captain。　Any　word　of　Ryld　Argith　or　Halisstra　Melarn？　Sent　home　to　report　details。
　　　He'd　waited　the　interminable　seconds　for　a　reply；　all　the　time　wondering　if　the　time　he　had　been　waiting　for　had　e…the　moment　when　Gromph　Baenre；　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan；　would　fail　to　answer。　That　would　be　the　moment　Pharaun　would　know　that　they　had　failed；　that　they　had　no　city　to　return　to；　no　civilization　to　protect。
　　　That　time　had。　not　yet　e。
　　　Feed　it　manes；　the　archmage　had　replied。　As　many　as　you　can。　Captain　will　serve　power。　Master　Argith　and　Mistress　Melarn　not　here。　Stop　your　squabbling　and　get　moving。
　　　Pharaun　didn't　stop　to　wonder　how　Gromph　had　known　that　the　tenuous　alliances　within　the　expedition　were　fraying。　Gromph　was　a　drow　himself；　after　all；　and　probably　assumed　it。　If　he　thought　he'd　had　the　time；　Pharaun　might　have　studied　that　point　much　more　closely；　tried　to　determine　the　degree　to　which　Gromph　was　aware　of　their　actions；　but　there　was　work　to　do。
　　　A　manes　demon　was　hardly　the　most　daunting　creature　to　either　summon　or　control；　but　it　was　a　demon　nonetheless。　He　would　have　to　use　powerful　spells　to　summon　and　bind　them；　all　the　while　maintaining　some　measure　of　control　over　the　uridezu　captain　who　gave　his　name　as　Raashub。　It　had　been　two　long；　difficult；　and　tiring　days　for　Pharaun。　He　had　taken　only　enough　Reverie　to　replenish　his　spells　and　was　doing　everything　his　considerable　training　allowed　him　to　push　his　casting　to　its　limit。　The　parade　of　hideous；　groveling；　snapping　sub…demons　he　brought　to　the　ship's　deck　began　to　amaze　even　himself；　and　Pharaun　hoped　that　Quenthel　and　the　others　were　taking　note。　Those　among　them　capable　of　gauging　such　abilities　would　have　to　be　impressed；　and　if　they　were　impressed　they　would　be　scared。　So　long　as　they　were　scared；　he　would　be　safe。
　　　As　he　led　a　string　of　the　vile…smelling　fiends　into　the　gnashing　jaws　of　the　demonic　ship's　hold；　Pharaun　let　his　mind　wander　back　to　the　rest　of　that　sending。　Ryld　hadn't　made　it　to　Menzoberranzan；　but　that　could　mean　anything。　He　could　be　dead　anywhere　between　that　cave　on　the　World　Above　and　the　City　of　Spiders；　or　he　could　still　be　on　his　way。　There　was　no　straight　line　between　any　two　points　in　the　Underdark；　and　he　could　be　only　a　few　miles　as　the　worm　bored　from　Menzoberranzan　and　still　have　a　tenday's　travel　ahead　of　him。
　　　Ryld　might　still　hold　a　grudge　for　Pharaun's　having　abandoned　him　all　those　days　before；　back　in　the　city；　but　Pharaun　knew　he　still　had　a　powerful　ally　in　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere。　The　warrior　might　have　fallen　under　the　spell　of　the　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn；　but　if　Halisstra　herself　still　lived；　surely　she　would　be　on　her　way　to　Menzoberranzan　herself。　Pharaun　couldn't　imagine　the　homeless　priestess　had　anywhere　else　to　go。
　　　Without　Ryld　at　his　side；　Pharaun　had　given　Quenthel　and　her　draegloth　nephew　Jeggred　as　much　room　as　the　cramped　deck　allowed。　T