war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第76章

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　　　Pharaun's　shoulders　sagged。
　　　We're　never　going　to　get　out　of　here；　he　thought；　swinging　his　magical　rapier　around。
　　　***
　　　
　　　Thick　black　smoke　from　the　burning　stone　was　blinding　Ryld；　making　it　hard　to　see　more　than　a　few　feet　in　any　direction。　The　battlefield　had　suddenly　grown　quiet。　There　were　no　more　explosions；　no　flashing　bursts　from　the　firepots。　Only　the　sound　of　steel　on　steel；　but　even　that　was　greatly　diminished。
　　　He　stepped　forward　to　meet　an　onrushing　contingent　of　gray　dwarves。　To　his　left；　Halisstra　also　entered　the　fray；　her　heavy　mace　and　an　impressive　mithral　shield　held　ready。　Quenthel　took　up　a　position　on　the　warrior's　other　side；　swinging　her　whip　back　and　forth　experimentally　as　she　advanced。
　　　The　duergar；　dozens　of　them；　fanned　out　to　meet　the　eclectic　group；　bloodlust　plain　in　their　eyes。　Two　came　directly　at　Ryld；　battle…axes　held　high。　The　weapons　master　parried　the　first　swing　at　his　shoulder　and　sidestepped　a　cut　to　the　knees　from　his　second　foe。　He　brought　the　greatsword　down　atop　the　axe；　snapping　the　haft　cleanly；　but　then　had　to　shift　his　weight　almost　off…balance　to　avoid　a　punching　dagger　to　the　ribs。　Spinning；　he　kicked　out　with　one　booted　foot；　catching　the　gray　dwarf　square　on　the　wrist　and　sending　the　dagger　flying。
　　　A　third　duergar　loomed　up　behind　Ryld；　holding　a　length　of　chain　that　he　spun　in　a　circle　over　his　head。　Ryld　saw　that　the　foe　was　eyeing　his　legs；　so　when　the　attack　came；　he　managed　to　leap　high　enough　that　the　metal　links　missed　him　and　went　skittering　across　the　pavement。　In　mid…leap；　Ryld　managed　to　turn　pletely　around；　flicking　his　blade　across　the　head　of　the　first　gray　dwarf's　axe；　unable　to　knock　it　pletely　loose；　but　nonetheless　managing　to　force　the　batant　off…balance。　As　he　landed；　Ryld　swung　Splitter　back　around　again；　swiping　at　the　chain…wielder's　throat。　The　duergar　jerked　back　from　the　attack；　reeling　in　his　chain　for　another　attempt　then　stiffened　in　pain　as　the　head　of　Danifae's　morning　star　came　down　squarely　on　his　skull　in　an　enchanted　shower　of　sparks。　The　creature　slumped　over　as　Danifae　spun　away　to　attack　another　foe。
　　　Ryld　maneuvered　back　around　to　face　his　original　foe；　who　had　regained　his　balance　and　had　bis　axe　level　again。　His　panion；　holding　his　injured　wrist　limply　at　his　side；　had　fumbled　a　smaller　hand　axe　free　and　was　circling　around　Ryld；　still　trying　to　maneuver　behind　the　weapons　master。　Ryld　stepped　back　as　though　he　were　trying　to　avoid　being　surrounded；　even　as　he　casually　blocked　a　couple　of　strokes　from　the　battle…axe。　Finally；　when　he　saw　the　gray　dwarf　rear　back　for　another；　even　more　powerful　cut；　he　planted　his　toe　inside　the　coils　of　chain　that　the　downed　duergar　had　been　swinging　and　flipped　it　up　with　his　leg。　As　the　chain　sprayed　out；　it　caught　the　humanoid　squarely　in　the　face。　The　duergar　flinched；　ruining　his　attack。
　　　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　saw　the　hand　axe　ing　toward　his　shoulder　and　twisted　himself　so　that　the　blade　just　missed　him　then　flicked　Splitter　back　and　up；　slicing　cleanly　through　the　gray　dwarf's　arm　at　the　elbow。　Howling　in　agony；　the　duergar　stumbled　away；　letting　the　momentum　of　the　blow　bear　him　out　of　harm's　way。　Ryld　let　the　sword　swing　spin　him　pletely　around　so　that　he　planted　his　feet　facing　once　more　in　the　direction　of　the　original　enemy；　who　had　disentangled　himself　from　the　chain　and　had　flung　it　away。
　　　Ryld　shifted　his　greatsword　a　couple　times；　circling　with　the　gray　dwarf；　the　two　of　them　warily　sizing　one　another　up。　The　weapons　master　stepped　into　a　handful　of　slices　and　thrusts；　flinging　halfhearted　attacks　toward　the　dwarf　that　never　really　threatened　it　but　allowed　Ryld　to　see　just　how　eager　his　opponent　was　to　engage　with　him。　The　gray　dwarf　shied　away　from　every　cut　and　parry；　and　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　knew　the　duergar　would　break　off　the　fight　soon；　assuming　its　panions　dwindled　to　sufficiently　small　numbers　around　it。
　　　Ryld　stepped　into　an　attack　again；　keeping　his　blade　low　and　squarely　in　front　of　him；　and　the　duergar　trod　backward　another　step。　Then；　as　if　out　of　nowhere；　Valas　appeared　from　the　shadows；　swinging　one　of　his　kukris　low　across　the　gray　dwarf's　hamstring。　The　duer…gar's　knee　buckled；　and　the　scout　came　over　the　top　with　his　other　blade；　stabbing　it　into　the　creature's　chest。　The　duergar　made　a　gurgling　sound　as　he　shivered　and　fell　over。
　　　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　shifted　his　attention　elsewhere　as　soon　as　he　saw　the　threat　eliminated。　He　spied　Jeggred　ripping　a　drow　to　shreds。　Only　two　others　were　visible；　looking　for　a　way　to　get　inside　the　draegloth's　reach；　but　Ryld　doubted　that　would　be　the　case　for　long。　Another　dark　elf　was　fighting　to　keep　Pharaun's　rapier　away　from　him；　but　Quenthel　was　closing　on　his　flank；　and　the　high　priestess　lashed　out　with　her　scourge；　allowing　the　snake　heads　to　sink　their　teeth　deeply　into　the　creature's　neck。　Jerking　from　the　sudden　sting　of　the　bites；　the　drow　was　unable　to　maintain　his　attention　on　the　rapier；　which　ran　through　his　eye。
　　　Another　foe　was　squared　off　with　Halisstra；　who　warded　off　a　pair　of　stout　blows　with　her　mithral　shield。　On　the　third　stroke　from　the　dark　elf　across　from　her；　she　used　the　shield　to　deflect　the　strike　and　throw　her　opponent　off…balance；　then　swung　the　heavy　mace　in　her　other　hand　upward　in　a　vicious　stroke；　right　into　his　chin。　There　was　a　loud；　drumlike　boom；　a　magical　concussion　that　was　obviously　much　louder　than　the　simple　impact　of　metal　on　bone；　and　the　drow　sank　to　the　ground；　his　jaw　shattered。
　　　Breathing　heavily；　Ryld　surveyed　the　battlefield。　In　addition　to　his　six　panions　and　Halisstra's　brother；　the　only　ones　still　standing　were　a　small　circle　of　perhaps　a　dozen　exhausted　drow　and　duergar　who　had　ceased　fighting　for　the　moment　and　were　watching　as　the　duergar　mander　squared　off　with　Ssipriina　Zauvirr。　The　gray　dwarf　and　the　matron　mother　circled　one　another　warily；　as　smoke　wafted　about；　obscuring　everything　beyond　the　circle　of　Menzober…ranyr　and　the　three　remaining　members　of　House　Melarn。
　　　〃Now　is　our　chance；〃　Pharaun　said　from　next　to　the　weapons　master。　〃Let's　go。〃
　　　〃No；〃　Quenthel　and　Halisstra　said　together。
　　　〃Not　until　she　goes　down；〃　the　daughter　of　Drisinil　Mclarn　added。
　　　The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　nodded　in　agreement　and　said；　〃If　she　kills　him；　we're　finishing　her。〃
　　　Pharaun　groaned。　〃This　is　hardly　the　time　for　revenge；　Mistresses。〃
　　　Ssipriina　feinted　with　her　mace；　and　as　the　gray　dwarf　twisted　out　of　the　way　of　the　attack；　the　drow　palmed　a　wand　and　aimed　it　at　her　enemy。　A　thin　ray　of　grayish　light　shot　forth　from　the　tip　of　the　magical　device；　striking　the　duergar　squarely　in　the　chest。　The　gray　dwarf　clutched　at　his　chest　and　cried　out。　He　dropped　to　one　knee　with　a　groan；　and　Ssipriina　loomed　over　him。
　　　The　duergar　disappeared。
　　　Snarling　in　rage　at　this　trickery；　the　matron　mother　slammed　her　mace　down　where　her　foe　had　been；　but　she　struck　nothing　but　the　pavement。　Spinning；　she　swung　back　and　forth　wildly；　trying　to　gain　a　lucky　hit；　but　she　found　nothing。
　　　The　gray　dwarf　mander　appeared　again；　leaping　forward　from　one　side　as　Ssipriina　had　turned　her　back　to　him。　His　axe　was　high；　but　his　war　cry　gave　the　drow　time　to　roll　away　from　the　worst　of　the　attack。　Instead　of　taking　the　blade　of　his　weapon　full　on　her　skull；　it　raked　across　the　back　of　her　shoulder　with　a　spurt　of　crimson。
　　　The　matron　mother　cried　out；　tumbling　prone。　She　rolled　to　one　side　as　Khorrl　lifted　his　axe　for　another　stroke。　As　she　came　around　to　face　him；　she　fired　off　another　beam　with　the　wand。
　　　〃With　a　grunt；　Khorrl　Xornbane　dropped　his　axe　and　clutched　his　stomach；　then　crumpled　to　the　ground；　letting　out　a　gurgling　death　sigh。
　　　Quenthel　and　Halisstra　both　came　at　Ssipriina；　who　was　trying　to　get　to　her　feet；　clutching　her　wounded　shoulder　with　her　good　hand。　Quenthel　stepped　to　one　side　of　the　matron　mother　and　struck　down　with　her　whip。　The　fangs　of　the　snakes　bit　into　the　drow's　flesh　and　she　screeched　in　pain；　then　tried　to　spin　around　and　aim　the　wand　at　the　high　priestess。　Halisstra　was　ready　for　that；　though；　and