war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第50部分

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　　　〃Clearly；　the　Council　must　reach　some　decisions　quickly；〃　Triel　Baenre　said；　breaking　her　thoughtful　silence。　〃We　don't　have　much　time　if　we　wish　to　meet　the　duergar　outside　the　city；　so　I　will　order　half　of　Baenre's　troops　to　make　ready　to　march。　I　advise　the　rest　of　you　to　do　the　same。　If　we　decide　to　stand　on　the　defensive　in　the　city　cavern；　we　can　have　our　soldiers　stand　down；　but　if　we　decide　to　march；　we　will　want　to　be　able　to　inarch　soon。〃
　　　〃I　favor　a　vigorous　and　aggressive　defense　of　the　city；〃　said　Yasraena　Dyrr。　〃Hard　exertion　now　may　serve　to　deter　further　attacks　later。　I　will　order　half　the　strength　of　House　Dyrr　to　make　ready　at　once。〃　She　studied　the　other　matrons　carefully　and　added；　〃Provided；　of　course；　that　some　other　Houses　agree　to　shoulder　a　share　of　the　risk　and　assist　us。　Either　we　all　make　the　same　mitment；　or　none。〃
　　　〃House　Baenre　guarantees　Agrach　Dyrr　until　the　return　of　the　expedition；〃　Triel　said　briskly。
　　　Nimor　nodded　to　himself。　He'd　expected　that　the　leader　of　Menzoberranzan's　strongest　House　would　choose　to　lead　by　example　in　this　instance。　Among　other　things；　it　deflected　any　predatory　designs　of　the　other　Houses　into　an　external　activity；　where　the　Baenre　could　be　seen　to　be　taking　strong　and　decisive　action　to　secure　the　city。　Triel　was　badly　in　need　of　such　measures。
　　　She　looked　up　at　the　various　guards；　advisors；　and　guests　in　the　council　chamber　and　said；　〃The　matron　mothers　must　discuss　how　best　to　meet　this　treacherous　attack　in　private。　Leave　us。〃
　　　〃Captain　Zhayemd；〃　Yasraena　Dyrr　said；　〃I　would　like　it　if　you　took　mand　of　the　Agrach　Dyrr　contingent　and　began　your　preparations　at　once。　I　know　you　have　fought　your　way　through　great　peril　already　today；　but　you　have　intimate　knowledge　of　the　field　of　battle；　and　I　have　the　utmost　confidence　in　you。〃
　　　〃I　will　serve　to　the　best　of　my　abilities；〃　Nimor　said。　〃With　the　goddess's　aid；　I　will　scour　our　city's　foes　from　our　territory。〃
　　　He　offered　another　deep　bow　to　the　matron　mothers；　and　quietly　withdrew。
　　　
　　　The　forest　sounds　abruptly　returned；　signaling　the　end　of　the　spell　of　silence。　Wind　sighed　in　the　treetops；　a　small　brook　ran　somewhere　nearby；　and　tiny　rustles　and　scuttling　sounds　whispered　in　the　darkness　as　the　small　creatures　of　the　woods…or　larger　ones　who　knew　how　to　be　stealthy…moved　about　nearby。　Halisstra　listened　for　a　long　time；　hoping　to　hear　some　sort　of　positive　evidence　that　the　surface　dwellers　had　gone　or　that　her　rades　battled　on　somewhere　nearby；　but　no　ringing　swords　or　thunderous　spells　split　the　night。　She　heard　nothing　as　convenient　as　an　enemy　conversation　to　help　her　decide　if　her　foes　had　left；　or　were　instead　crouched　silently　outside　the　darkness；　waiting　for　her　to　emerge。　Halisstra　could　be　quite　patient　when　it　suited　her；　and　she　was　not　unused　to　hardship　and　danger；　but　the　sheer　nervous　tension　of　stretching　out　to　identify　and　categorize　every　tiny　sound　that　came　to　her　ears　soon　left　beads　of　sweat　trickling　down　her　face。
　　　If　Quenthel　and　the　others　were　nearby；　I　would　hear　it；　she　decided。　The　fight　must　have　carried　them　far　ahead　by　now。
　　　Her　heart　pounded　at　the　thought　of　being　lost　in　the　endless　woods　alone；　a　reviled　enemy　to　any　creature　who　walked　the　surface　world。
　　　Better　to　die　trying　to　rejoin　the　others；　Halisstra　decided。　At　least　I　know　where　they're　going；　if　I　can　manage　to　keep　my　course。
　　　First；　she　needed　to　escape　from　the　darkness　that　sheltered　her。　She　did　not　choose　to　dismiss　the　magical　gloom；　deciding　to　leave　it　to　continue　until　it　failed　in　an　hour　or　two。　There　was　a　small　chance　that　her　enemies　might　be　waiting　quietly　outside　for　the　darkness　to　fail　before　moving　in。　Halisstra　groped　in　her　belt　pouch　and　withdrew　a　slender　ivory　wand。　She　felt　very　carefully　to　determine　if　it　was　the　wand　she　needed；　and　when　she　was　convinced　that　she　had　the　right　one；　she　tapped　it　against　her　chest　and　whispered　a　word。
　　　Though　there　was　no　way　for　her　to　verify　it；　sitting　on　the　forest　floor　in　the　magical　darkness；　the　wand's　magic　had　made　her　invisible。　She　stood　as　quietly　as　she　could；　cringing　at　every　soft　rustle　or　clink　of　her　mail；　and　began　steadily　moving　away。
　　　Halisstra　broke　out　into　the　open　night　much　sooner　than　she　expected…it　seemed　she　had　been　sitting　no　more　than　six　or　seven　feet　from　the　edge　of　the　darkness。　Confident　in　her　invisibility；　she　stood　up　straight　and　looked　around。　The　forest　looked　much　as　it　had　before；　except　there　was　no　sign　of　her　panions　or　the　woodsmen　and　surface　elves　who　had　attacked　them。　The　moon　was　rising；　and　its　brilliant　silver　light　flooded　the　forest　floor。　She　set　off　in　what　she　hoped　was　a　westerly　direction；　moving　as　quickly　and　quietly　as　she　could。
　　　She　soon　came　upon　the　scene　of　a　furious　battle；　if　she　read　the　signs　right。　Several　large；　blackened　circles　in　the　forest　still　smoldered。　In　other　places　the　bodies　of　perhaps　half　a　dozen　surface　elves　and　green…garbed　human　warriors　lay　where　they'd　fallen；　most　bearing　the　marks　of　sword；　mace；　and　talon。　Of　the　drow；　there　was　no　sign。
　　　Halisstra　tried　to　remember　what　she'd　seen　of　the　pale　elves　and　their　human　allies；　deciding　that　there　might　have　been　as　many　as　fifteen　to　twenty　of　the　surface　folk。
　　　〃Where　are　your　rades；　I　wonder？〃　she　asked　the　fallen　warriors　before　moving　on。
　　　Halisstra　only　managed　another　half　mile　through　the　moonlit　forest　before　she　stumbled　into　the　ambush。　One　moment　she　was　stealing　along；　quick　and　confident；　eager　to　catch　up　to　the　rest　of　the　pany　and　the　familiar　perils　of　their　association；　the　next　she　was　surprised　by　the　appearance　of　a　surface　elf　wizard　who　simply　stepped　out　of　a　tree　and　hurled　a　spell　at　her；　barking　words　of　arcane　might　as　he　gestured　with　his　hands。
　　　〃Quick！〃　he　shouted。　〃We　have　her！〃
　　　Halisstra's　invisibility　failed　at　once；　undone　by　the　surface　wizard；　and　from　the　foliage　and　tree　trunks　all　around　her　a　dozen　of　the　pale　elves　and　the　green…clad　humans　abruptly　appeared；　weapons　at　the　ready。　They　leaped　at　her；　murder　in　their　eyes；　filling　the　forest　with　their　war　cries　and　shouts　of　exultation。
　　　Recognizing　the　hopelessness　of　her　plight；　Halisstra　snarled　in　pure　drow　rage　and　charged　to　meet　the　surface　warriors；　determined　not　to　sell　her　life　cheaply。
　　　The　first　foe　in　her　path　was　a　hulking　human　with　a　bristling　black　beard；　fighting　with　a　pair　of　short　swords。　He　launched　into　a　spinning　attack；　stabbing　one　blade　at　her　eyes　to　raise　her　shield　and　slipping　the　other　low　to　gut　her　while　her　guard　was　high。　Halisstra　simply　dodged　aside　and　hammered　down　at　his　extended　left　arm　with　her　mace；　striking　a　heavy　blow　that　cracked　bone　and　jarred　the　blade　from　his　injured　hand。　The　man　grunted　in　pain　but　kept　at　her；　giving　ground　grudgingly　as　he　continued　to　hew　and　slash　with　his　one　remaining　sword。
　　　Three　more　of　his　rades　moved　up　to　engage　Halisstra　from　all　sides；　and　she　was　forced　on　the　defensive；　batting　spear　and　blade　aside　with　her　shield　and　delivering　crushing　parries　with　her　magical　mace。　The　forest　echoed　with　the　sounds　of　steel　on　steel。
　　　〃Take　her　alive　if　you　can；〃　called　the　wizard。　〃Lord　Dessaer　wants　to　find　out　who　these　newers　are　and　where　they　came　from。〃
　　　〃Easier　said　than　done；〃　grunted　the　first　swordsman；　still　holding　his　ground　despite　the　loss　of　his　off…hand　blade。　〃She　does　not　seem　interested　in　surrendering。〃
　　　Halisstra　growled　in　frustration　and　abruptly　turned　on　the　elf　to　her　left；　slipping　inside　the　point　of　his　spear　and　rushing　him。　The　fellow　backstepped　and　brought　in　his　weapon　as　quickly　as　he　could；　but　she　had　him。
　　　With　a　snarl　of　cold　glee　she　smashed　her　mace　hard　at　the　bridge　of　his　nose。　The　weapon　struck　with　a　deadly　crack　of　thunder　and　blew　apart　the　skull　of　her　victim；　who　fell　in　a　nerveless　heap。
　　　She　paid　the　price　for　her　aggressive　move　a　moment　later　when　the　elf　swordsman　behind　her　jammed　the　point　of　his　weapon　into　her　left　shoulder　blade　despite　her　cat…quick　effort　to　twist　away　from　the　attack。　Steel　grated　on