war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第13部分

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a　tube　and　along　the　bowl…shaped　edge　of　the　huge　space　to　the　yawning　black　cave　across。
　　　He　risked　the　occasional　glance　up　at　the　creature；　whose　outline　he　could　only　barely　discern　in　the　gloom　high　up　in　the　cavern…and　only　then　because　he　knew　it　was　there。　Valas　also　risked　a　glance　or　two　back　at　Danifae；　who　was　slowly；　and　with　surprising　grace；　making　her　way　down　into　the　bowl　of　the　cavern。　She　looked　all　around　but　not　up。　Her　eyes　never　rested　on　either　Valas　or　the　stone…gray　dragon。
　　　Danifae　walked　slowly　toward　the　edge　of　the　pool　as　Valas　drew　the　shortbow　from　his　back。　He　nocked　an　arrow　and　drew　back　the　string。
　　　The　female　was　all　but　offering　herself　on　a　silver　platter　to　the　beast；　and　though　Valas　ached　to　allow　her　to　see　her　folly　through；　he　worried　about　Quenthel。　The　high　priestess　seemed　to　have　taken　a　liking　to　the　Melarn　battle…captive；　stealing　her　away　without　a　thought　from　the　female　from　Ched　Nasad。　Valas　didn't　want　to　find　out　the　hard　way　that　he'd　let　the　battle…captive　die　when　Quenthel　had　plans　for　Danifae　beyond　their　occasional　loveplay。
　　　〃Valas？〃　the　female　called　into　the　dark；　still　cavern。
　　　Her　voice　echoed；　Valas　cringed；　and　the　dragon　took　wing。
　　　
　　　Nimor　Imphraezl　watched　from　above　as　the　duergar　engaged　the　spiders。　Drow　warriors…all　male…rode　the　enormous　arachnids　into　battle。　The　spiders　skittered　and　whirled　around　them　while　the　riders　sat　stiff　and　straight　in　their　saddles。　The　mounted　drow　carried　long　pikes…weapons　the　duergar　were　unaccustomed　to；　as　rare　as　the　long　weapons　were　in　the　confines　of　the　Underdark…and　they　skewered　one　after　another　before　the　gray　dwarves　drew　any　dark　elf　blood。
　　　The　spider　riders　were　hopelessly　outnumbered　by　the　horde　of　duergar　who　continued　to　lay　siege　to　the　slowly　crumbling　city　of　Menzoberranzan；　and　Nimor　was　content　to　lose　a　few　gray　dwarves　for　the　chance　to　watch　the　drow　fight。　They　were　good；　he　would　grant　them　that。　The　spiders　killed　as　many　duergar　as　the　pikes　did；　but　the　beasts　were　never　out　of　their　riders'　control。　All　in　all　it　was　a　beautiful；　bloody　dance。
　　　In　the　center　of　the　spider　riders　a　mounted　drow　male　wearing　armor　of　the　finest　mithral　positively　glowed　with　magic。　He　carried　a　pike　like　the　others　but　hadn't　brought　his　to　bear。　He　held　it　up；　and　from　it　a　long；　thin　banner　wafted　in　the　cool　Underdark　air。　It　took　Nimor　a　minute　or　so　to　recognize　the　sigil　emblazoned　on　the　banner。　The　riders　represented　House　Shobalar…a　lesser　House；　but　one　loyal　to　the　Baenres　and　known　throughout　the　drow…settled　Underdark　for　their　effective　and　impeccably　trained　cavalry。　The　dark　elf　with　the　banner　must　be　their　leader。
　　　One　of　the　riders　took　two　duergar　at　once；　pinning　them　together　then　using　their　weight　at　the　end　of　his　pike　to　topple　three　more　of　their　panions　onto　the　flowstone　floor。　Nimor　smiled。
　　　He　had　e　to　that　particular　tunnel　after　hearing　three　separate　times　of　unusual　activity　there。　The　duergar　had　managed　to　kill　a　Menzoberranyr　scout　only　a　day　before；　and　even　the　gruff　gray　dwarves　had　admitted　that　other　drow　had　been　there　and　gotten　away。　It　wasn't　the　most　well　defended　approach；　and　Nimor　had　been　keeping　an　eye　on　it；　certain　the　Menzoberranyr　would　be　testing　it。
　　　When　the　scout　was　killed；　Nimor　had　Crown　Prince　Horgar　send　reinforcements；　but　only　a　few。　Enough；　Nimor　hoped；　to　satisfy　the　drow　but　not　enough　to　close　the　approach。　Nimor　wanted　to　draw　them　out；　and　like　the　arrogant　aristocrats　they　were；　they'd　taken　the　bait。
　　　Nimor　hung　upside　down；　hidden　by　a　spell　of　invisibility；　his　piwafwi；　another　spell　that　prevented　anyone　using　similar　magic　from　finding　him；　and　another　that　would　draw　enemies'　attention　away　even　if　they　thought　to　look　up　at　him。　Those　things　and　the　immediate　threat　of　the　duergar　soldiers　were　enough　that　he　could　wait　and　watch　in　peace…wait　and　watch　for　the　spider　rider　captain　to　send　his　arachnid　mount　scurrying　into　the　fray；　scurrying　right　under　Nimor。
　　　With　a　touch　to　a　brooch　that　bore　the　sign　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin；　Nimor　dropped　slowly；　still　hidden　from　sight　by　magic。　As　he　descended；　Nimor　drew　his　dagger…a　very　special　dagger…and　when　he　came　to　rest　on　the　spider；　inches　behind　the　cavalry　leader；　he　flicked　the　blade　across　the　back　of　the　drow　warrior's　neck。　There　was　a　perfect　space　there　between　his　helm　and　his　pauldron。
　　　The　spider　rider　flinched　and　turned　in　his　saddle。　Nimor；　still　invisible；　grabbed　the　drow　around　his　neck　and　held　the　poisoned　blade　to　his　throat。
　　　The　spider　rider　couldn't　see　him；　but　he　could　hear　Nimor　whisper　in　his　ear；　〃What　is　your　name；　Shobalar？〃
　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　the　warrior　asked；　and　Nimor　cut　him　again…not　too　deeply…in　response。
　　　The　drow　grunted；　and　Nimor　could　feel　his　body　stiffen；　jerk；　and　quiver。
　　　〃Yes；〃　Nimor　hissed　into　the　slowly　dying　officer's　ear；　〃it　is　poison。　Very；　very　elegant　poison。　It　will　paralyze　you；　twist　your　throat　closed；　squeeze　the　last　gasp　of　air　from　your　lungs；　and　keep　you　from　screaming　while　you　suffocate。〃
　　　The　drow　growled　and　said；　his　voice　already　quiet　and　tight；　〃My　House　will　avenge　me。〃
　　　〃Your　House　will　burn；　Captain　。　。　。　？〃
　　　〃Vilto'sat　Shobalar；〃　the　drow　answered　even　as　his　throat　squeezed　shut；　〃of　the　Spider　Riders　of　House　Sh…〃
　　　Smiling　all　the　while；　Nimor　held　the　dying　drow　upright　in　his　saddle　as　he　suffocated。　The　Anointed　Blade　of　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　waited　until　Captain　Vilto'sat　Shobalar　quivered　through　his　last　attempt　at　a　breath　and　his　magenta　eyes　glazed　over。　Then　Nimor　levitated　up　and　away　from　the　suddenly　uncontrolled；　feral　war…spider。
　　　The　arachnid　went　berserk；　chewing　through　duergar　after　duergar　then　turning　on　another　of　its　kind。　The　rider　of　that　spider　turned　his　attention　to　protecting　his　mount　from　the　wild　arachnid…just　long　enough　for　a　particularly　enthusiastic　duergar　footman　to　take　his　head　with　a　poleaxe。
　　　Nimor　killed　eight　more　drow　himself　over　the　next　ten　minutes　or　so；　while　the　duergar　claimed　three。　The　rest　finally　turned　and　ran　back　through　the　tunnel；　past　the　outer　siege　line　and　back　into　Menzoberranzan。　They　had　taken　back　nothing；　and　Nimor　had　four　of　their　spiders　and　the　dead　drow。
　　　Nimor　ordered　up　more　duergar　to　resecure　the　position；　had　the　spiders　bound　and　made　ready　for　travel；　and　went　back　to　his　mand　post　with　the　corpse　of　Captain　Vilto'sat　Shobalar。
　　　Spoils　of　war。
　　　
Chapter　Five
　　　Valas　could　tell　that　Danifae　didn't　know　the　drake　was　behind　her　until　the　second　his　arrow　sliced　through　the　fine　membrane　of　its　wing；　surprising　it。　It　made　a　noise　deep　in　its　throat；　the　arrow　made　a　wet　ripping　sound　as　it　entered；　and　the　drake's　smooth　motion　ended　in　a　jerk。　All　that　was　enough　for　anyone　to　sense　some　disturbance　behind　her　and　turn…and　it　was　that　simple　reflex　that　saved　Danifae's　life。
　　　Though　the　drake　forgot　its　intended　target；　it　landed　hard　in　a　skidding　roll　and　would　have　bowled　her　over　if　she　hadn't　jumped　clear…and　she　barely　managed　that。