war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第49章

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　　　The　fiend　decided　to　move　in　for　a　closer　look。　She　stepped　over　the　side　of　the　roof　and　dropped　down　to　another；　two　levels　below；　magically　slowing　her　descent。　She　crouched　low　as　a　half…giant　passed；　not　wanting　to　distract　the　creature。
　　　The　half…giant　strode　along　the　wide　street；　its　war　axe　held　loosely　in　its　hand。　The　blade　of　the　weapon　was　slick　with　blood；　dripping　a　trail　behind　it　as　it　moved。　The　air　was　thick　with　smoke。
　　　A　gang　of　dark　elves；　soldiers　led　by　priestesses　and　wizards；　poured　into　the　street　in　the　distance；　organized　and　grim；　seeking　to　stop　the　half…giant。　Before　they　could　take　three　steps　in　the　direction　of　their　quarry；　a　huge　chunk　of　something　crashed　to　the　street　between　them。　The　weight　of　it　shook　the　street；　and　the　sound　it　made　was　like　a　thousand　blades　striking　a　thousand　shields。　It　made　the　half…giant　nearly　fall；　and　it　had　to　drop　to　one　knee　before　it　pletely　lost　its　balance。
　　　Aliisza　peered　through　the　smoke　to　see　what　had　landed　atop　the　web　street。　It　was　nothing　but　a　smoking　pile　of　rock；　but　the　fiend　could　tell　that　it　had　been　a　part　of　the　street　overhead。　Actually；　it　looked　like　part　of　the　street　and　a　couple　of　buildings。　The　whole　pile　of　rubble　was　ablaze；　thick　plumes　of　smoke　pouring　off　it。　She　looked　up；　wondering　where　the　chunk　of　the　city　had　e　from。
　　　Even　through　the　smoky　haze；　Aliisza　could　see　a　thoroughfare　above　them；　crossing　at　an　angle；　connecting　to　the　besieged　House。　A　large　chunk　of　the　road　was　missing；　as　if　a　huge　bite　had　been　taken　out　of　the　immense　spiderweb　strand。　Flames　still　licked　the　stone　of　the　causeway　where　it　had　broken　off；　bringing　a　small　part　of　the　House　with　it。　The　rest　of　the　immense　structure　still　sat　where　it　had；　but　Aliisza　realized　that　more　of　it　could　go　at　any　moment。　The　alu　saw　how　dangerous　it　was　to　be　down　there；　below　the　burning　stone。
　　　The　half…giant　must　have　sensed　this　too；　for　it　turned　to　move　back　along　the　street；　retracing　its　steps。　That's　when　a　second　drow　patrol　came　into　view。　It　was　a　small　group；　no　more　than　five　or　six；　but　their　leader　was　a　wizard；　and　he　had　a　wand　in　his　hand。　The　wizard　gestured　with　the　wand　and　a　crackling　bolt　of　electricity　shot　out　of　the　end　of　it；　catching　the　half…giant　square　in　the　chest。　The　creature　howled　in　pain　as　its　hair　burned　away。　It　nearly　dropped　its　war　axe；　and　even　after　the　attack　was　over；　Aliisza　saw　that　the　beast　couldn't　work　its　fingers　right　for　a　moment。　The　dark　elves　swarmed　toward　it；　crossbows　and　swords　out　and　ready。
　　　The　half…giant　wasn't　so　easily　felled。　Aliisza　watched；　fascinated；　as　the　towering　humanoid　fumbled　in　its　hip　pouch　and　pulled　out　a　handful　of　clay　jugs。　From　one　knee；　it　threw　them　in　the　direction　of　the　charging　drow。　Miraculously；　its　aim　was　very　good；　and　almost　all　of　the　containers　flew　toward　the　dark　elves；　who　shied　away　when　they　saw　what　was　ing。　The　jugs　shattered　on　the　street　and　burst　into　flame；　sending　a　wall　of　fire　and　smoke　skyward　in　a　blast　that　Aliisza　could　feel　on　her　face。
　　　By　the　Abyss；　Aliisza　breathed；　unable　to　tear　her　gaze　away　from　this　wonderful　display　of　destruction。
　　　Drow　leaped　clear　of　the　attack　and　scrambled　to　get　away　from　the　conflagration；　which　charred　the　street　in　seconds。　A　couple　of　the　dark　elves　managed　to　escape　to　the　half…giant's　side　of　the　fire。　Realizing　they　were　pinned　between　the　half…giant　and　the　blaze；　they　looked　for　some　avenue　of　escape；　eyeing　the　huge　beast　warily。
　　　Lumbering　to　its　feet　again；　the　half…giant　began　striding　purposefully　toward　them；　gripping　its　war　axe　with　both　hands。　Almost　as　one；　the　drow　turned　and　fled　to　the　side　of　the　street；　leaping　over　the　edge　and　drifting　downward　into　the　smoky　vastness　below。
　　　At　almost　the　same　moment；　the　street　shifted；　tilting　sideways；　and　the　half…giant　stumbled　toward　the　edge。　Aliisza　watched　as　the　massive　humanoid　looked　around　wildly；　trying　to　find　out　why　its　footing　had　grown　precarious　so　suddenly。　She　saw；　too；　that　the　fire　it　had　started　with　its　incendiary　pots　had　already　burned　through　a　significant　portion　of　the　calcified　webbing　that　was　the　street；　and　it　was　ing　apart。　The　other　end　had　already　been　weakened　by　the　impact　from　the　rubble；　and　a　whole　section　of　thoroughfare　shifted　and　groaned。　The　alu　knew　it　wouldn't　remain　together　for　much　longer。
　　　Amazingly；　the　half…giant　ran　toward　the　fire；　taking　great；　lumbering　strides　that　shook　the　crumbling　roadway　and　caused　chunks　of　it　to　fall　away　from　the　fiery　crack。　As　the　entire　path　shuddered　and　snapped　free；　tipping　downward；　hinged　where　the　pile　of　slag　had　dropped　on　it　earlier；　the　creature　leaped；　crossing　the　distance；　passing　through　the　roiling　flames。　Aliisza's　mouth　dropped　in　amazement。　The　half…giant　cleared　the　flames；　reaching　the　other　side；　landing　with　a　mammoth　thump　that　made　the　projecting　end　of　the　street　that　was　still　intact　quiver　and　bounce。
　　　Behind　the　half…giant；　the　falling　piece　of　street　went　tumbling　down　into　the　darkness　below；　eventually　landing　somewhere　with　a　thunderous　boom。　Ahead　of　the　towering　humanoid；　three　drow　stood　staring　at　the　hulking　creature；　mouths　agape。　Even　from　her　vantage　point；　Aliisza　could　see　that　the　half…giant　smiled　as　it　advanced。　It　raised　its　war　axe　and　plodded　forward。　The　wizard　panicked　and　turned　to　flee；　leaving　only　two　soldiers　to　face　the　creature。　Surprisingly；　they　turned　as　one　to　meet　the　advancing　half…giant。　One　of　the　two　took　a　tentative　step　forward；　measuring　where　and　how　he　would　attack；　when　he　was　shoved　hard　from　behind　by　his　panion；　who　turned　and　retreated。
　　　The　first　drow　stumbled；　off…balance；　right　into　the　path　of　the　half…giant。　Aliisza　smirked。　The　fleeing　dark　elf　was　sacrificing　his　partner　so　that　he　could　escape。
　　　Raising　its　war　axe；　the　half…giant　prepared　to　cleave　the　sprawled　male　in　half。　Desperately；　the　dark　elf　raised　his　long　sword　and　rammed　it　into　the　half…giant's　stomach。
　　　The　creature　roared；　arching　its　back；　and　its　downward　swing　went　awry；　biting　through　the　drow's　arm　instead　of　his　torso。　The　dark　elf　screamed　as　the　half…giant　fell　forward；　collapsing　on　him　and　driving　the　sword　deeper　into　itself。
　　　The　soldier　had　dealt　the　killing　blow；　Aliisza　realized；　as　the　half…giant　lay　on　top　of　him；　unmoving。　The　boy　cried　out　in　pain。　He　was　trapped；　pinned　beneath　the　half…giant's　weight　and　with　only　one　good　arm　to　try　to　free　himself。
　　　〃Ilphrim！　Ilphrim；　help　me！〃　the　drow　cried　out；　but　Ilphrim　was　long　gone；　and　the　fire　burned　closer。
　　　Aliisza　sighed。　The　battle　had　been　particularly　entertaining；　but　it　appeared　to　be　over；　though　the　wounded　drow　pinned　beneath　the　half…giant　still　squirmed　occasionally。　She　considered　his　panion's　treachery；　pushing　him　into　the　path　of　the　rampaging　half…giant；　to　be　very　clever。　She　laughed　quietly。
　　　The　trapped　and　dying　drow　moved　his　arm　again；　futilely　trying　to　shift　the　weight　of　the　half…giant　off　himself　so　he　could　wriggle　free；　but　Aliisza　knew　he　would　never　do　it；　not　with　only　one　arm。
　　　In　a　sudden　and　very　uncharacteristic　act　of　passion；　the　alu…fiend　leaped　off　her　perch　and　floated　down　to　where　the　dark　elf　lay　feebly　squirming。　The　drow　spotted　her　and　tensed；　eyeing　her　warily。　She　only　smiled　and　nudged　a　discarded　dagger　a　bit　closer　to　him；　so　that　it　was　within　reach　of　his　free　hand。　Stepping　back；　she　waited　and　watched　to　see　if　he　would　do　the　right　thing。
　　　The　drow　contemplated　her　for　a　moment；　then　he　seemed　to　nod　in　understanding。　He　took　hold　of　the　dagger　and　saluted　Aliisza　with　it　before　he　started　cutting　pieces　off　the　half…giants　corpse。　It　was　going　to　take　a　while；　and　it　was　already　messy；　but　he　might　just　cut　his　way　free　before　the　web　street　collapsed。
　　　Smiling　in　satisfaction；　Aliisza　turned　away　and　headed　back　up　to　her　original　vantage　point；　worrying　anew　over　Pharauns　fate。
　　　THIRTEEN
　　　The　five　drow　worked　their　way　into　the　bowels　of　House　Melarn　for　what　seemed　like　hours；　though　Pharaun　was　fairly　certain　they'd　only　been　at　it　for　abou