war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第5章

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o　sounds；　no　signs　of　pursuit。　Thereafter　he　ignored　Ryld's　anxious　glances　behind　them。
　　　Since　Halisstra　had　been　sent　back　to　Menzoberranzan　there　were　only　six　of　them　left。　Personally；　Valas　thought　that　was　a　foolish　decision　on　Quenthel's　part。　He　doubted　that　Halisstra　would　make　it　without　Lolth's　magic　to　protect　her。　But　no　doubt　Quenthel　thought　the　same。　She　probably　hoped　to　eliminate　a　rival　priestess　who　might　claim　credit　for　discovering　what　had　happened　to　Lolth…assuming　that　a　return　to　the　Demonweb　Pits　was　even　possible。
　　　For　the　hundredth　time　since　Quenthel　had　announced　her　plan　to　have　Pharaun　summon　a　demon；　Valas　wondered　how　that　was　going　to　help。　In　all　likelihood；　the　demon　would　turn　on　them　and　swallow　them　whole　without　guiding　them　a　single　step　of　the　way。
　　　He　reminded　himself　that　the　lot　of　a　mercenary　was　not　to　question　how；　but　to　do…and　bow。　And　so　he　led　them　on。　As　he　moved　cautiously　ahead　into　the　unknown　darkness。　Pharaun　still　crowding　close　behind　him；　Valas　fingered　one　of　the　magical　amulets　pinned　to　his　shirt…his　lucky；　double…headed　coin…and　hoped　it　would　give　him　the　edge　he'd　need　when　the　demon　eventually　turned　on　them；　as　he　was　certain　it　would。
　　　
　　　Halisstra　stood　on　the　bluff　that　overlooked　the　ruined　temple；　staring　out　at　the　horizon。　The　others　had　descended　into　the　Underdark　some　time　before；　and　the　sun　was　slowly　sinking　below　the　horizon；　painting　the　clouds　shades　of　pink　and　gold。　Though　it　made　her　eyes　water　to　look　at　the　sunset；　Halisstra　stared　in　fascination；　watching　the　colors　shift　into　ever　darker　shades　of　orange；　then　red；　then　purple；　gazing　as　new　patterns　formed　each　time　the　sun's　slanting　rays　struck　the　clouds　at　a　different　angle。　She　was　beginning　to　understand　why　the　surface　dwellers　spoke　in　such　rapturous　tones　about　sunsets。
　　　As　the　forest　below　darkened；　her　sight　began　to　shift　toward　darkvision。　She　could　see　birds　flitting　through　the　branches　below　and　could　hear　the　thrumming　of　numerous　wings　as　a　flock　of　birds　moved　through　the　trees　toward　the　bluff。　She'd　heard　that　surface…dwelling　creatures　followed　the　cycles　of　day　and　night；　and　it　struck　her　that　Ched　Nasad's　magic…controlled　lighting　and　Menzoberranzan's　famous　pillar　Narbondel…used　for　marking　the　passage　of　〃day〃　and　〃night〃…must　have　been　holdovers　from　a　distant　time　when　drow　still　dwelt　upon　the　surface。　Had　House　Jaelre　simply　been　following　a　call　that　other　drow　had　not　yet　heard　when　they　returned　to　the　surface；　forsaking　the　worship　of　Lolth？
　　　The　flock　of　birds　had　e　closer；　filling　the　treetops　just　below　the　bluff　with　strange　whistling　cries。　One　of　them　rose　above　the　treetops；　its　wings　beating　so　quickly　they　were　a　blur。　Only　when　it　was　within　a　few　paces　of　her　did　Halisstra　recognize　the　〃bird〃　for　what　it　truly　was。　The　furry　body；　the　eight　legs；　the　long；　needle…shaped　proboscis…all　added　up　to　a　creature　she　hadn't　realized　was　also　a　danger　on　the　surface。　Especially　when　there　was　not　just　one　of　the　creatures　flying　toward　her　at　the　speed　of　an　arrow；　but　dozens：　an　entire　flock。
　　　〃Lolth　help　me；〃　Halisstra　whispered。　〃Stirges。〃
　　　They　were　too　close　for　a　crossbow　shot。　Whipping　out　Seyll's　long　sword；　Halisstra　braced　herself　to　meet　the　threat。　Grimly；　she　realized　her　chain　mail　wouldn't　be　any　help；　the　stirges'　needle…thin　noses　would　slip　between　its　links。
　　　As　the　first　surge　dived　in　to　attack；　Halisstra　swung　the　long　sword。　It　was　still　awkward　in　her　grip；　heavier　than　the　blade　she'd　been　used　to。　Even　so；　her　blow　connected；　slicing　the　stirge　cleanly
　　　Then　half　a　dozen　of　the　creatures　were　on　her。
　　　For　several　frantic　moments；　Halisstra　fended　them　off；　killing　two　more　with　the　sword　and　crumpling　the　proboscis　of　a　third　with　a　blow　from　the　small　steel　shield　she　wore　on　her　left　arm。
　　　She　felt　a　piercing　pain　in　her　right　shoulder　as　a　stirge　struck。　A　moment　later；　another　plunged　its　proboscis　into　the　back　of　her　left　leg；　just　behind　the　knee。　The　force　of　it　caused　her　to　stagger。　Only　by　ducking　frantically　was　she　able　to　avoid　the　stirge　lancing　in　at　her　neck。　Whirling；　she　struck　it　with　the　sword　as　it　flew　past。
　　　As　still　more　of　the　creatures　dived　at　her…nearly　two　dozen　of　them…Halisstra　reached　down　with　her　shield　hand　and　grabbed　the　stirge　that　had　plunged　into　the　back　of　her　knee。　She　squeezed…and　heard　a　satisfying　pop　as　the　creature's　bloated　midriff　burst。　Yanking　it　from　her；　she　threw　its　body　away；　dimly　noticing　the　spray　of　blood　that　had　soaked　her　gloved　hand。　Meanwhile；　the　stirge　in　her　shoulder　continued　draining　her　of　blood。
　　　The　flock　dived　en　masse；　and　four　more　stirges　plunged　into　her　flesh。　One　bit　deeply　into　her　left　arm；　two　into　her　right　leg；　and　the　fourth　into　her　shoulder；　beside　the　one　that　was　already　greedily　sucking　away。　Halisstra　killed　two　more　with　the　sword…which；　with　the　air　rushing　through　the　holes　in　its　hilt；　was　making　constant；　discordant　noises　like　a　badly　played　flute。　Halisstra；　rapidly　losing　strength　as　the　stirges　drained　her　of　blood；　suddenly　shivered　as　she　realized　she　might　very　well　die　there。　Lolth　was　no　longer　watching　over　her；　blessing　her　with　the　magic　she　needed　to　drive　the　foul　creatures　away。　The　only　darksong　spell　that　would　affect　so　many　creatures　at　once　required　a　musical　instrument　as　its　arcane　focus…and　she　could　hardly　pluck　out　a　tune　on　her　lyre　and　fight　at　the　same　time。
　　　Then　she　realized　something。　Perhaps　there　was　another　instrument　she　could　use；　closer　to　hand。　。　。　。
　　　Abandoning　her　attempts　to　strike　the　stirges…there　were　too　many　of　them…Halisstra　reversed　Seyll's　sword　and　brought　its　hilt　to　her　lips。　Closing　her　eyes；　she　blew　into　the　hilt；　fingering　the　holes　so　the　rush　of　air　escaped　through　a　single　hole。　Even　though　she　sagged　to　her　knees　as　blood　loss　weakened　her；　she　felt　magic　flow　from　her　lips　into　the　hilt　of　the　sword　and　out　through　the　hole　in　a　piercing　blast。　Her　own　ears　rang；　then　went　numb　as　a　single　note…sweet；　high；　and　impossibly　strong…shattered　the　air。　All　around　her；　stirges　tumbled　from　the　air　as　a　magic　blast　hit　them。　Those　on　her　body　wilted；　hung　for　a　moment；　then　slowly　slipped　free　of　her　flesh；　hitting　the　ground　around　her　with　soft　thuds。
　　　In　the　silence　that　followed；　Halisstra　could　hear　only　the　sound　of　her　own　breathing。　Opening　her　eyes；　she　saw　dozens　of　stirges　lying　on　the　ground；　some　of　them　still　twitching。　She　picked　up　the　closest　one　and　squeezed　it。　Its　blood…her　blood…soaked　her　gloves　as　its　body　burst。　Dropping　it；　she　continued　from　one　stirge　to　the　next；　killing　them　one　by　one。　Then　she　pulled　off　her　blood…soaked　gloves　and　cast　them　aside。
　　　Perhaps　the　surface　was　not　a　place　of　beauty；　after　all。
　　　Then　she　realized　that　something　had　disturbed　the　stirges…something　that　was　moving　through　the　forest　toward　the　bluff　where　she　stood。　Hunkering　down；　she　crept　back　toward　the　stairs；　looking　for　a　place　to　hide。
　　　
　　　Valas　signaled　for　the　party　to　stop　when　the　tunnel；　which　had　been　twisting　its　way　ever　deeper　toward　the　Underdark；　opened　into　a　jumble　of　broken　stone　that　led　down　to　a　medium…sized　cavern　whose　floor　was　hidden　by　a　deep　pool　of　water。　Pharaun　gave　a　low　chuckle；　breaking　the　silence。
　　　〃Perfect；〃　he　breathed。
　　　Keep　quiet；　Valas　chastised；　but　Pharaun　only　laughed。
　　　〃It's　going　to　be　loud　enough　in　here　in　just　a　moment；〃　the　mage　said　with　a　wink。　Then　he　called　back　to　the　others；　who　were　higher　in　the　tunnel；　up　beyond　where　Valas　could　see。　〃Mistress；　I've　found　a　spot　that　will　do　nicely。　Get　Jeggred　ready。〃
　　　Valas　heard　Quenthel　ordering　the　draegloth　to　kneel　and　the　sound　of　a　drawn　dagger。　Pharaun；　meanwhile；　laid　a　hand　on　Valas's　shoulder。
　　　〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said。　〃I　need　to　get　by。〃
　　　Valas　still　wasn't　certain　what　the　mage　was　doing；　but　he　flattened　obediently　against　the　cold　stone；　allowing　Pharaun　to　squeeze　past　him　into　the　cavern。　Pharaun　reached　into　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi　and　pulled　out　a　tiny　cone　of　glass。　Rolling　up　his　sleeve；　he　po