war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第140章

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e　Pharaun　and　Ryld；　who　had　yet　to　find　an　exit。　
Perhaps；　the　wizard　thought；　the　renegades　will　have　trouble　navigating　as　well。
Though　they'd　squatted　in　the　castle；　they　might　not　know　it　as　well　as　the　original　occupants　had。　It　was　possible　they'd　simply　familiarized　themselves　with　a　few　key　areas　and　primary　passageways　and　left　the　rest　of　the　allegedly　cursed　and　haunted　keep　pretty　much　alone。
Still；　Pharaun　knew　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　until　the　hunters　stumnotbled　onto　their　prey；　and　he　was　correct。　He　and　Ryld　were　traversing　a　gallery　hung　with　musty　phosphorescent　tapestries　when　something　rustled　behind　them。　The　masters　pivoted。　Silent　in　their　drow　boots；　half　a　dozen　warriors　had　appeared　behind　them　and　were　leveling　their　crossbows。
Ryld　crouched　and　lifted　a　fold　of　his　cloak　in　front　of　his　face。　Pharaun　copied　the　move。　Two　arrowheads　plunged　through　his　makeshift　shield；　which　apparently　wasn't　as　powerfully　enchanted　as　thepiwafwi　Houndaer　had　taken　from　him。　One　quarrel　hung　up　in　the　weave。　The　other　hurtled　right　through　and　grazed　the　mage's　shoulder；　stinging　him　and　slicing　a　shallow　cut。　He　prayed　it　wasn't　poisoned。
Hearing　a　ragged　clatter；　Pharaun　uncovered　his　eyes。　The　rogues　had　dropped　their　crossbows　and　were　charging。　They'd　already　dashed　too　close　for　him　to　employ　the　incantation　he　would　have　preferred。　Instead　he　cast　darts　of　light　and　dropped　two　renegades。　He　discharged　his　crossnotbow　and　missed　a　third。
Ryld　bellowed　a　war　cry　and　sprang　forward　to　meet　the　foes　remainnoting。　The　broadsword　flashed　back　and　forth；　thrusting；　cutting；　and　parnotrying　with　the　small；　precise　movements　that　characterized　true　mastery。　Pharaun　edged　forward　with　his　dirk　in　hand　but　never　got　a　chance　to　use　it。　The　rogues　all　died　before　he　could　advance　into　range。
Pharaun　took　stock　of　himself　and　decided　he　didn't　have　any　venom　in　his　system；　but　Ryld　groaned；　made　a　face；　and　clutched　at　his　temple。
〃What　is　it？〃　the　wizard　asked。
It　seemed　likely　that　one　of　the　enemy　had　scored；　but　he　didn't　see　any　blood　slipping　between　his　friend's　fingers；　and　head　wounds　bled　copiously。
〃A　throbbing　headache；〃　said　the　swordsman。　〃Left　over　from　Houndaer　and　Syrzan；　I　suppose；　made　worse　when　my　heart　started　beatnoting　harder。　I'm　all　right　now。〃
〃I　rejoice　to　hear　it。〃　Pharaun　turned；　right　into　a　second　volley　of　quarrels。
He　had　no　time　to　raise　his　cloak；　dodge；　or　do　anything　else　but　gawk　at　the　second　band　of　renegades　who'd　crept　up　from　the　other　direction。　Miraculously；　every　shaft　missed。
One　of　the　newers　shouted；　〃They're　here！〃
The　guards　charged；　and　Pharaun　brandished　a　bit　of　spiderweb；　the　one　spell　focus　he'd　had　no　difficulty　replacing。　A　mesh　of　taut；　luminous　cables　appeared　around　the　onrushing　renegades。　Anchored　to　the　wall；　the　cables　were　as　strong　as　rope　and　as　sticky　as　glue。　They　snared　and　held　the　rogues。
All　but　the　two　in　front。　Either　they'd　been　nimble　enough　to　jump　clear　before　the　effect　fully　materialized；　or　their　innate　dark　elf　resistance　to　magic　had　protected　them。
Undeterred　by　the　loss　of　their　rades；　the　warriors　drove　onward　into　sword　range。　The　one　who　focused　on　Pharaun　had　a　birthmark　stainnoting　his　left　profile。
Pharaun　shot。　The　shaft　hit　the　male　square　in　the　chest　but　glanced　off　his　mail。　The　ugly　male　swung　his　sword　in　a　flank　cut。　Pharaun　twisted　aside　and　menced　an　incantation。
He　had　to　dodge　two　more　attacks　before　he　finished。　Shafts　of　light　sprang　from　his　fingertips。
Only　one　such　spell　left；　he　thought；　and　only　one　more　chance　to　connotjure　a　trap　of　webbing；　too。
The　missiles　passed　through　the　renegade's　mail　and　sent　him　reeling　backward。　Wounded　but　still　alive；　the　rogue　gave　his　head　a　shake。　Phanotraun　yanked　his　new　dirk　out　of　his　belt　and　flung　himself　at　the　guard。　The　wizard　rammed　his　point　up　under　the　ugly　male's　chin　before　the　latter　had　quite　recovered　his　wits。
Pharaun　turned。　Feinting　low　and　striking　high；　Ryld　whipped　his　broadsword　through　his　opponent's　neck。　The　renegade　fell；　his　severed　head　tumbling　away。　For　a　mom