war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第59章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　two　large　blocks；　and　she　could　not　gain　a　sufficient　grip　anywhere　else　in　order　to　pull　her　limb　free。
　　　Pharaun　sank　quickly　down　to　where　the　battle　captive　struggled；　unfurling　his　wings　at　the　last　moment　to　slow　his　descent　and　e　to　hover　beside　the　drow　female。　Danifae　responded；　reaching　out　to　try　to　grab　hold　of　the　creature　before　her。　Whether　she　realized　it　was　Pharaun　or　not；　she　didn't　seem　to　care。　Pharaun　extended　his　taloned　feet　in　her　direction　and　worked　his　way　to　within　her　reach。　She　was　sinking　ever　deeper　into　the　debris　pit。　It　was　up　to　her　knee；　and　when　it　shifted；　she　arched　her　head　back　and　screamed　more　in　frustration　than　in　agony。
　　　The　instant　Danifae　had　a　solid　grip　on　him；　Pharaun　began　to　thrash　with　his　wings；　exerting　himself　to　rise　up　and　out；　hoping　it　would　be　enough　to　remove　her　from　her　predicament。　He　felt　the　resistance…not　just　of　her　weight；　but　also　of　her　trapped　leg…　but　he　tugged　and　flapped；　working　to　free　her。　Finally；　with　one　last　heave；　he　felt　the　resistance　give；　and　he　was　barreling　upward；　Danifae　clinging　tightly　to　his　legs。　He　soared　toward　the　opening　as　the　room　continued　to　drop；　and　there　was　a　massive　roaring　I　crash　and　a　blinding　cloud　of　dust　as　he　shot　out　through　the　widening　hole。
　　　Once　free　of　the　room；　Pharaun　realized　he　really　wasn't　flying　upward　at　all　but　was　hovering　in　place　as　the　entire　structure　of　House　Melarn　fell　away　beneath　them。　He　saw　it　smash　into　a　web　street　that　stretched　across　beneath　it；　and　when　it　struck　the　thoroughfare　a　glancing　blow；　the　rubble　tumbled　around　so　that　it　was　spinning　as　it　fell。　If　they'd　been　a　moment　longer　in　freeing　themselves；　the　wizard　realized　with　a　shudder；　he　never　would　have　been　able　to　navigate　his　way　out　of　the　hole。　The　room　would　have　spun　and　tumbled　with　him　and　Danifae　trapped　inside。
　　　Both　of　them　watched　for　a　moment；　awed；　as　the　massive　stone　structure　plummeted　downward　toward　the　bottom　of　the　city。　Finally；　with　a　sickening　boom；　it　struck　somewhere　far　below；　and　the　concussive　impact　reverberated　all　the　way　up　to　where　they　hovered。
　　　Pharaun　was　beginning　to　feel　the　strain　of　trying　to　fly　while　holding　so　much　weight。　Struggling　to　see　through　the　thick；　choking　dust　that　had　been　stirred　up；　he　eyed　what　was　left　of　the　web　street　where　House　Melarn　had　been；　portions　of　it　still　aflame；　and　saw　that　chunks　of　it；　too；　were　giving　out。　Instead　of　heading　straight　up　toward　that　spot；　he　veered　to　the　side；　away　from　the　worst　of　the　damage。　Where　the　calcified　webbing　broadened　into　a　plaza　it　was　still　solid　and　firm。　As　he　labored　in　that　direction；　another　major　section　of　the　street　fell　away；　following　House　Melarn　to　the　bottom。　What　was　left　was　just　a　ledge　jutting　out　into　space。
　　　The　mage　pumped　his　wings；　steering　the　two　of　them　toward　the　firmer　pavement；　past　the　ledge；　which　extended　perhaps　ten　feet　from　the　plaza　and　was　twice　as　wide。　When　he　was　over　the　plaza；　he　sank　down　quickly；　flapping　his　wings　to　force　himself　to　fall　off　to　one　side　rather　than　directly　on　top　of　Danifae。　The　drow　female　dropped　right　where　he'd　set　her　down　and　sprawled　there；　drawing　deep；　ragged　breaths。　He　settled　down　next　to　her；　none　too　gently　himself；　and　collapsed。　Little　points　of　light　swam　in　his　vision　as　he　gasped　for　breath　in　the　dust…choked　air。　His　limbs　were　leaden；　and　he　could　do　nothing　but　listen　to　Danifae's　and　his　own　panting。
　　　〃That　was　some　rescue　effort；〃　Ryld　said；　floating　down　next　to　the　wizard。　〃I　don't　know　what　sort　of　terror　you're　supposed　to　be；　but　please　don't　ever　try　to　save　me　looking　like　that。　I'm　liable　to　kill　you　before　I　know　it's　you。〃
　　　Pharaun　opened　one　eye　and　looked　at　the　warrior　as　he　mentally　ended　the　transformation　spell　and　returned　to　his　own　form。
　　　〃Certainly　not；〃　he　answered　between　gasps。　〃You；　my　friend；　would　just　have　to　extract　your　worthless　carcass　from　poor　Danifae's　predicament　yourself；　should　you　ever　find　it　thusly　trapped。　You　haven't　the　beauty　to　warrant　rescuing。〃
　　　The　other　members　of　the　group　were　all　settling　upon　the　plaza　now；　and　as　Halisstra　ascended　next　to　her　battle　captive　attendant；　she　seemed　to　crumple；　covering　her　face　in　her　hands；　Pharaun　supposed　he　could　understand　her　anguish。　After　all；　her　home　was　sitting　at　the　bottom　of　the　chasm。
　　　〃I　owe　you　a　very　large　debt；　wizard；〃　Danifae　said。　〃My　thanks。〃
　　　Pharaun；　propped　up　on　his　elbows；　inclined　his　head　in　acknowledgement；　still　wondering　what　had　possessed　him　to　try　the　stunt　in　the　first　place。　He　certainly　would　have　felt　no　regret　at　seeing　the　female　plunge　to　her　death；　but　in　the　end；　he　supposed；　it　would　have　been　an　awful　waste。
　　　〃I'm　sure　there　are　ways　you　and　I　can　find　for　you　to　repay　me；〃　he　deadpanned；　his　face　smooth。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Halisstra　said；　looking　up。　〃We　both　owe　you。　I　will　make　certain　we　find　a　suitable　reward　for　you。〃
　　　She　attempted　to　offer　a　genuinely　warm　smile　for　Pharaun。　The　wizard　nodded　again；　intrigued　by　the　suggestiveness　of　the　drow's　offer。　He　eyed　the　battle　captive　again；　wondering　just　how　willing　she　was　to　serve　as　repense　for　the　fact　that　she　was　still　breathing。　The　look　in　her　eyes　made　it　clear　she　was　not　pleased；　but　she　didn't　voice　her　displeasure　as　the　Melarn　daughter　then　leaned　in　to　inspect　her　counterpart　in　what　Pharaun　thought　was　a　decidedly　affectionate　manner。　Danifae's　leg　looked　badly　cut　and　bruised　but　not　too　much　the　worse　for　wear。
　　　Quenthel　clicked　her　tongue　in　exasperation　and　said；　〃Now　that　everyone　is　back　from　the　brink　of　death；　I　think　it's　time　to　leave　this　city。　First；　though；　we　must　see　if　we　can　salvage　our　other　supplies　back　at　the　inn。〃
　　　The　others　nodded　in　agreement。
　　　〃Let's　go　quickly；〃　Pharaun　suggested；　aware　of　the　noise　of　fighting；　invisible　through　the　haze　but　definitely　ing　closer。　〃We　don't　want　to　remain　here　for　any　longer　than　we　have　to；　I　think。〃
　　　Pharaun　stood；　dusting　himself　off　and　picking　up　and　replacing　his　piwafwi　from　where　Ryld　had　dropped　it　only　moments　before。　He　gazed　out　across　the　city；　for　the　first　time；　really；　and　the　scene　took　his　breath　away。
　　　〃We　may　already　be　too　late；〃　the　wizard　breathed；　overawed　by　the　devastation　he　could　only　partially　see；　as　so　much　was　obscured　by　a　hazy　glow；　or　cloaked　with　thick　smoke。　The　section　of　Ched　Nasad　where　House　Melarn　had　been　was　alive　with　flames。　Recalling　that　he　and　Danifae　had　just　escaped　perishing　in　the　monumental　occurrence；　he　glanced　down　to　where　Halisstra　and　the　other　dark　elf　sat　huddled　together。　Halisstra　looked　stricken；　staring　off　into　the　vastness　of　the　city　as　her　attendant　huddled　close　to　her　and　whispered　soothing　words。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Quenthel　concurred。　〃This　will　get　worse；　much　worse。　Everyone　stay　alert。　Master　Argith；　give　the　two　of　them　their　weapons；〃　she　said；　gesturing　toward　Halisstra　and　Danifae。　〃I　think　they've　earned　the　right　to　bear　them　after　getting　us　out　of　that　deathtrap。〃
　　　The　weapons　master　pulled　a　black　circle　of　cloth　from　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi；　unfolded　it；　and　threw　it　down　upon　the　stone　paving　of　the　plaza。　It　transformed　into　a　perfectly　round　hole；　large　enough　for　him　to　reach　Into。　He　began　rummaging　around　inside　it。
　　　〃I　think　our　return　to　the　inn　will　have　to　wait　for　later；〃　Valas　said；　pointing。　〃We're　not　in　the　clear　yet。〃
　　　When　Pharaun　turned　his　gaze　toward　where　the　scout　indicated；　he　groaned。　Scores　of　gray　dwarves　were　advancing　in　a　line　toward　them　from　out　of　the　smoke；　faces　grim；　crossbows　and　axes　brandished。　Their　front　rank　had　formed　a　shield　wall；　while　the　second　row　prepared　to　fire　missile　weapons。　They　were　mere　yards　away。
　　　〃Look　out！〃　Halisstra　cried；　pointing　in　the　opposite　direction　with　the　mace　Ryld　had　just　handed　to　her。
　　　A　host　of　drow　soldiers　and　priestesses　appeared　out　of　the　thick　smoke；　surging　forward　to　meet　the　duergar　head　on。
　　　***
　　　
　　　When　the　fiery；　smoke…choked　estate　finally　ripped　loose　from　the　web　street　and　tumbled　into　the　vast　depths　of　the　city　below；　Aliisza　looked　on　wi