war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第76部分

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ar。〃
　　　Nimor　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　battle。　The　Agrach　Dyrr　riders；　well　clear　of　the　Pillars；　charged　madly　in　a　circle；　skirting　the　perimeter　of　the　cave　and　avoiding　the　main　mass　of　the　Menzoberranyr　army。　Their　task　was　to　get　to　the　rear　and　aid　the　Agrach　Dyrr　infantry　in　sealing　the　tunnel　through　which　the　Army　of　the　Black　Spider　had　just　e。
　　　Duergar　cavalry　streamed　up　and　through　the　gap；　overrunning　the　positions　that　had　been　supposedly　held　against　them　and　spilling　out　onto　the　cavern　floor。　Several　of　the　House　contingents　in　the　van　of　the　march　milled　about　in　evident　disorder；　surprised　to　find　themselves　suddenly　faced　with　a　thundering　charge　in　an　open　field　instead　of　siege…work　and　camp…building　behind　a　stout　line。
　　　Other　Houses　responded　to　the　sudden　assault　with　adroitness　and　valor。　The　huge　Baenre　contingent　raised　a　fierce　war　cry　of　their　own；　and　dashed　forward　to　seize　the　pass　before　any　more　duergar　could　flood　through　it。
　　　〃A　bold　move；　Andzrel；〃　Nimor　said；　not　without　admiration。　〃Unfortunately；　I　think　it's　too　late　to　put　the　cork　back　in　that　bottle。〃
　　　Nimor　flicked　his　war…lizard's　reins　and　positioned　himself　for　a　better　view　of　the　cavern　center。　He'd　expected　the　mad　rush　of　motion；　the　sight　of　armored　ranks　surging　forward　to　crash　and　retreat　like　the　bloody　surf　of　an　iron　sea；　but　the　sound　of　the　battle　was　intolerable。　Caught　by　rock　above；　below；　and　to　all　sides；　the　roars；　screams；　and　clang　of　weapons　on　shields　became　pletely　indistinguishable；　growing　into　a　single　great　thundering　sound　that　continued　to　build　and　build　as　more　and　more　warriors　became　embroiled　in　the　fighting。
　　　〃The　noise　will　stand　to　our　advantage；〃　he　cried　over　his　shoulder　to　Horgar；　though　he　could　not　hear　his　own　words。　〃The　manders　of　the　Army　of　the　Black　Spider　must　decide　how　to　respond；　and　give　the　appropriate　orders。〃
　　　〃Aye；〃　the　gray　dwarf　monarch　answered。　Nimor　had　to　strain　to　understand　him。　〃The　middle　of　a　fight　is　hardly　the　best　time　to　draw　up　your　plan　of　battle！〃
　　　A　brilliant　lightning　bolt　tore　into　the　duergar　ranks；　followed　by　a　thunderclap　audible　even　over　the　din　of　the　battle。　Exploding　balls　of　fire　and　scathing　sheets　of　flame　streaked　across　the　battlefield；　as　wizards　on　each　side　began　to　make　their　presence　felt。
　　　Nimor　frowned。　A　handful　of　powerful　wizards　could　decide　the　issue；　even　in　the　teeth　of　the　ferocious　duergar　assault　and　the　duplicity　of　his　allies　in　Agrach　Dyrr；　but　there　were　wizards　among　the　duergar　troops；　too；　many　of　them　disguised　as　mon　riders　and　infantrymen。　As　the　drow　mages　struck　at　the　attacking　gray　dwarves；　they　gave　away　their　own　positions。　Duergar　wizards　answered　each　bolt　of　lightning；　each　blast　of　fire；　in　kind；　and　in　moments　the　cavern　was　filled　with　flashes　of　painful　light　and　ruddy　fire；　the　air　hot　and　acrid　with　the　mighty　magic　thrown　heedlessly　from　one　side　to　the　other。
　　　Try　as　he　might；　Nimor　couldn't　tell　whose　magic　would　prevail；　as　the　whole　terrible　scene　descended　into　plete　anarchy。　In　the　space　of　a　few　dozen　heartbeats；　the　sheer　mass　of　Menzoberranyr　troops　in　the　middle　of　the　cavern　checked　the　initial　rush　of　the　duergar　charge；　the　two　armies　tangling　in　a　long　line　of　contact　that　snaked　across　the　cavern　floor　for　hundreds　of　yards。　Standards　waved　and　fell；　war…lizards　reared　and　plunged；　as　the　great　charge　bogged　down　into　a　thousand　individual　duels。
　　　Rushing　columns　of　heavily　armored　duergar　pressed　through　the　seams　where　dark　elf　Houses　met；　streaming　in　and　around　their　desperately　battling　foes。　Nimor　smiled　grimly。　The　dark　elves　had　very　little　notion　of　how　to　weld　their　panies　together　to　make　an　army　into　a　single　weapon；　but　each　House　contingent　was　a　small　army　of　deadly；　seasoned　veterans　by　itself。　The　duergar　assault　had　smashed　the　Army　of　the　Black　Spider　into　twenty　smaller　forces　that　swarmed　and　stung　back　like　a　basket　of　scorpions　that　had　been　kicked　over。
　　　〃Our　victory　is　still　in　question；　Nimor；〃　Horgar　called　from　above。　〃The　cursed　wizards　have　checked　our　first　assault！〃
　　　〃Yes；　but　you　have　forced　the　Pillars；　have　you　not？〃　Nimor　shouted　back。　〃I'd　thought　the　initial　charge　would　break　the　Menzoberranyr　outright；　but　it　seems　the　House　armies　are　not　so　easily　swept　away。〃
　　　As　he　surveyed　the　battle；　Nimor　thought　the　gray　dwarves；　with　advantage　of　surprise；　would　most　likely　be　able　to　defeat　the　Houses　of　Menzoberranzan　in　detail；　but　it　would　be　a　long　hard　day　of　fighting　to　reduce　the　dark　elf　force。　House　Baenre；　in　particular；　had　managed　to　close　the　Pillars　of　Woe　for　the　moment；　and　the　longer　Andzrel　held　the　pass；　the　better　the　dark　elves'　chances　were。
　　　Fortunately；　Nimor　had　taken　steps　against　this　very　possibility。　The　Menzoberranyr　seemed　heavily　engaged　to　the　front　with　the　gray　dwarf　assault。　It　was　time　to　slip　his　knife　between　Menzoberranzan's　ribs　while　their　swords　were　locked。
　　　〃Now；　Aliisza；〃　he　said　into　the　raging　air。
　　　Nimor　wheeled　his　mount　around；　drew　his　sword；　and　spurred　his　war…lizard　down　into　the　confused　fray。　Mez'Barris　Armgo　and　Andzrel　Baenre　were　somewhere　near　the　center　of　the　fight；　and　he　intended　to　make　sure　they　did　not　escape　the　destruction　of　their　army。
　　　
　　　A　little　less　than　half　a　mile　away；　crowded　into　a　small　tunnel　that　descended　from　the　east　toward　the　upper　field　at　the　head　of　the　Pillars　of　Woe；　Aliisza　stood　with　her　eyes　closed；　her　mind　focused　on　the　spell　that　allowed　her　to　observe　Nimor。　By　virtue　of　the　magic　she　used；　she　heard　his　every　word　as　if　he'd　spoken　clearly　in　a　quiet　room。　She　shook　herself　and　allowed　the　spell　to　dissipate。
　　　〃It's　time；〃　she　said　to　Kaanyr　Vhok。
　　　〃Good；〃　the　warlord　said。　His　pointed　teeth　were　bared　in　a　fierce　smile；　anticipating　battle。　He　glanced　at　the　assassin　Zammzt；　who　stood　nearby。　〃Well；　renegade；　I　suppose　this　is　your　lucky　day。　I　will　throw　my　warriors　against　the　dark　elves；　not　your　duergar　allies。〃
　　　Zammzt　inclined　his　head　and　replied；　〃I　assure　you；　you　will　not　regret　it；　Warlord。　Destroy　this　army；　and　Menzoberranzan　will　lie　naked　before　you。〃
　　　Kaanyr　strode　past　the　alu…fiend　and　the　dark　elf　to　the　place　where　his　standard…bearers　stood。
　　　〃Sound　the　charge！〃　he　cried。
　　　Instantly；　a　dozen　bugbear　drummers　struck　their　instruments；　sounding　a　simple　three…beat　ruffle；　repeating　three　times。　Thronging　the　tunnel　below；　the　tanarukks　of　Kaanyr　Vhok's　Scoured　Legion　howled　in　bloodlust　and　pressed　forward；　stamping　their　feet　and　clashing　their　axes　as　they　poured　down　the　tunnel。　Kaanyr　drew　his　own　molten　sword　and　joined　his　charging　troops；　as　his　guards　and　standard…bearers　hurried　to　keep　up。　Aliisza　caught　her　breath　at　the　sight；　and　took　to　the　air　to　wing　after　Kaanyr's　standard。　A　battle　like　this　didn't　e　along　every　day；　after　all。
　　　Ahead　of　the　charging　tanarukks；　one　of　the　cavern　walls　on　the　flank　of　the　Army　of　the　Black　Spider　seemed　to　shimmer；　and　abruptly　vanished；　revealing　a　gaping　tunnel　mouth　that　had　been　concealed　by　a　clever　illusion。　The　screaming　horde　of　slavering　tanarukks　poured　from　the　hidden　roadway；　streaming　out　to　take　the　drow　army　from　behind　while　the　great　Houses　were　engaged　by　the　duergar　riders　who　had　e　up　through　the　Pillars　of　Woe。　Aliisza　glimpsed　Kaanyr's　red　banner　flying　proudly　at　the　head　of　the　force；　and　the　Scoured　Legion　slammed　into　the　battle。
　　　Only　a　handful　of　minor　Houses　stood　in　the　path　of　the　onrushing　horde。　The　wave　of　bloodthirsty　orc…demons　overran　them；　a　spear　of　red…hot　iron　punching　deep　into　the　army's　flank。　Aliisza　found　herself　whooping　in　exultation　and　terror；　gripped　by　the　terrible　spectacle　and　helpless　to　express　her　excitement　in　any　other　way。　The　Army　of　the　Black　Spider　was　hopelessly　entangled　in　the　very　battle　it　did　not　want　to　fight；　a　wild　melee　in　open　terrain　against　the　bined　armies　of　Gracklstugh　and　Kaanyr　Vhok。　Like　islands　in　a　swirling　sea　of　foes；　each　House　of　Menzoberranzan　stood　alone　against　a　tide　of　steel　and　spell；　battling　for　its　life。
　　　The　alu…fien