war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第3部分

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；　even　though　he　was　a　male…was　in　every　respect　a　warrior。　He　wore　a　greatsword　strapped　across　his　back；　a　cuirass　with　a　breastplate　wrought　of　dwarven　bronze；　and　vambraces；　articulated　at　the　elbows；　that　sheathed　his　lean；　muscled　arms　in　heavy　steel。　A　short　sword　for　fighting　at　close　quarters　hung　in　a　scabbard　at　his　hip。　His　hair　was　cut　close　to　his　scalp　so　that　enemies　could　not　grab　it　during　bat。　Only　a　fine　stubble　remained：　hair　as　white　as　Halisstra's　own　shoulder…length　locks。
　　　〃There　was　a　surface　dweller…a　human　mage…who　dwelt　for　a　short　time　in　Ched　Nasad；〃　Halisstra　said。　The　vastness　of　the　sky　above　them　made　her　speak　softly；　it　felt　as　if　the　gods　were　lurking　up　there　just　behind　the　clouds；　watching。　〃He　spoke　of　how　our　city　made　him　feel　like　he　was　living　in　a　room　with　too　low　a　ceiling…that　he　was　always　aware　of　the　roof　of　the　cavern　over　his　head。　I　laughed　at　him；　how　could　anyone　feel　enclosed　in　a　city　that　was　so　loosely　woven…a　city　balanced　on　the　thin　lines　of　a　calcified　web？　But　now　I　think　I　understand　what　he　meant。〃　She　gestured　up　at　the　sky。　〃This　all　feels　so　。。。　open。〃
　　　Ryld　grunted　and　asked；　〃Have　you　seen　enough？　We're　not　going　to　find　an　entrance　to　the　Underdark　up　here。　Let's　climb　back　down　and　get　out　of　the　wind。〃
　　　Halisstra　nodded。　The　wind　found　its　way　inside　the　armor　she　wore；　even　through　the　thickly　padded　chain　mail　tunic　that　covered　her　from　neck　to　knees；　and　from　shoulders　to　elbows。　A　silver　plate　attached　to　the　tunic's　chest　was　embossed　with　the　symbol　of　a　sword；　standing　point…up　across　a　full　moon　surrounded　by　a　nimbus　of　silvery　filaments。　It　was　the　holy　symbol　of　Eilistraee；　goddess　of　the　surface…dwelling　drow。　The　padding　of　the　chain　mail　still　smelled　of　blood…that　of　the　priestess　Halisstra　had　dispatched。　The　smell　haunted　the　armor　like　a　lingering　ghost；　even　though　the　blood　was　several　days　old。
　　　Halisstra　had　not　only　claimed　the　armor　from　Seyll　after　her　own　armor　was　stolen；　but　also　Seyll's　shield　and　weapons…including　a　slender　long　sword　with　a　hollow　hilt　that　had　holes　running　the　length　of　it…a　hilt　that　could　be　raised　to　the　lips　and　played　like　a　flute。　A　beautiful　weapon；　but　it　hadn't　helped　Seyll　any…she'd　died　before　getting　a　chance　to　draw　it。　Lulled　by　Halisstra's　feigned　interest　in　her　goddess；　Seyll　had　been　utterly　surprised　by　Halisstra's　sudden　attack。　And　despite　Halisstra's　treachery；　Seyll　had　told　her；　〃I　have　hope　for　you　still。〃　She'd　said　it　with　such　certainty；　as　if；　even　in　her　final；　dying　moments；　she　expected　Halisstra　to　save　her。
　　　She'd　been　a　fool。　Yet　Halisstra　could　no　more　get　the　priestess's　dying　words　out　of　her　mind　than　she　could　get　the　smell　of　blood　out　or　the　armor　she'd　claimed。
　　　Was　this　what　guilt　felt　like：　a　lingering　stench　that　wouldn't　go　away？
　　　Angered　by　her　own　weakness；　Halisstra　shook　the　thought　out　of　her　head。　Seyll　had　deserved　to　die。　The　priestess　was　stupid　to　have　trusted　a　person　who　was　not　of　her　faith…even　more　foolish　to　trust　a　fellow　drow。
　　　Still；　Halisstra　thought；　as　she　paused　to　let　Ryld　descend　the　stairs　first；　Seyll　had　been　right　about　one　thing。　It　would　be　nice　not　to　always　have　to　watch　your　back。
　　　
　　　Ryld　descended　the　stairs　in　silence；　listening　to　the　faint　clink　of　Halisstra's　chain　mail　and　trying　in　vain　to　pull　his　mind　away　from　the　shapely　legs　he　would　see　if　he　would　just　turn　around。　Where　was　his　concentration？　As　a　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　he　ought　to　have　more　control；　but　Halisstra　had　ensnared　him　in　a　web　of　desire　stronger　than　any　Lolth's　magic　could　spin。
　　　At　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　away　from　the　chilling　wind　of　the　open　bluff；　Halisstra　paused　to　finger　a　crescent　shape　that　had　been　carved　into　the　rock。
　　　〃This　was　a　holy　place；　once；〃　she　said；　looking　over　the　scatter　of　broken　columns　that　lay　among　the　snow…shrouded　trees。
　　　Ryld　scowled。　In　the　World　Above；　vegetation　covered　everything　like　an　enormous　mold。　He　missed　the　clean　rock　walls　of　the　caverns；　empty　of　the　smells　of　wet　loam　and　leaf　that　choked　his　nose。　He　scuffed　at　the　snow　with　his　boot；　uncovering　a　cracked　marble　floor。
　　　〃How　can　you　tell？〃　he　asked。
　　　〃The　crescent　moon…it's　the　symbol　of　Corellon　Larethian。　The　elves　who　once　lived　in　these　woods　must　have　worshiped　here。　Their　priests　probably　climbed　these　stairs　to　work　their　magic　under　the　moon。〃
　　　Ryld　squinted　up　at　the　ball　of　fire　that　hung　in　the　sky。
　　　〃The　moon's　not　as　bright　as　the　sun；〃　he　said；　〃at　least。〃
　　　〃It　casts　a　softer　light；〃　Halisstra　replied。　〃I've　heard　that　this　is　because　the　gods　who　claim　it　as　their　symbol　are　kinder　to　those　who　worship　them…but　I　don't　know　if　that's　true。〃
　　　Ryld　stared　for　a　while　at　the　ruined　masonry　then　said；　〃The　gods　of　the　surface　elves　can't　be　very　strong。　Corellon　let　this　temple　fall　into　disrepair；　and　Seyll's　goddess　was　powerless　to　save　her　from　you。〃
　　　Halisstra　nodded　and　replied；　〃That's　true。　Yet　when　Lolth　tried　to　overthrow　Corellon　and　establish　a　new　coronal　in　his　place　all　those　millennia　ago；　she　was　defeated　and　forced　to　flee　to　the　Abyss。〃
　　　〃The　Academy　teaches　that　the　goddess　left　Arvandor　willingly；〃　Ryld　said。　Then　he　shrugged。　〃More　of　a　strategic　retreat。〃
　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Halisstra　mused。　〃Still；　I　can't　help　but　think　that　what　we　saw　in　the　Demonweb　Pits…that　black　stone　in　the　frozen　image　of　Lolth's　face…was　a　lock；　a　seal　that　made　Lolth's　own　temple　a　prison。　A　prison　fashioned　by　some　other　god's　hand。　Will　Lolth　eventually　emerge　from　behind　it…or　will　she　remain　trapped　for　eternity；　her　magic　forever　stilled？〃
　　　〃That's　what　Quenthel　means　to　discover；〃　Ryld　said。
　　　〃As　do　I；〃　Halisstra　answered。　〃But　for　different　reasons。　If　Lolth　is　dead；　or　trapped　in　eternal　Reverie；　what　point　is　there　in　following　Quenthel's　orders？〃
　　　〃What　point？〃　Ryld　exclaimed。　He　was　beginning　to　see　the　dangerous　fork　in　the　road　down　which　Halisstra's　musings　had　taken　her。　〃Only　this：　spells　or　no　spells；　Quenthel　Baenre　is　both　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　and　First　Sister　to　the　Matron　Mother　of　House　Baenre。　Were　I　to　defy　Quenthel；　I'd　lose　my　position　as　Master　of　Melee…Magthere。　The　moment　Menzoberranzan　learned　of　my　treachery；　everyone　in　the　Academy　would　have　their　daggers　out　and　be　thirsting　for　my　blood。〃
　　　Halisstra　sighed　and　said；　〃That's　true。　But　perhaps　in　another　city…〃
　　　〃I　have　no　desire　to　beg　for　scraps　at　someone　else's　table；〃　Ryld　said　bluntly。　〃And　the　only　city　in　which　I　might　have　made　a　home　for　myself…with　the　sponsorship　of　your　House…has　been　destroyed。　With　Ched　Nasad　gone；　you　have　no　home　to　return　to。　All　the　more　reason　to　get　in　Quenthel's　good　favor；　so　that　when　we　return　to　the　Underdark　you　can　find　a　new　home　in　Menzoberranzan。〃
　　　After　a　long　moment　of　silence；　Halisstra　said；　〃What　if　I　don't？〃
　　　〃What？〃　Ryld　said。
　　　〃What　if　I　don't　return　to　the　Underdark？〃
　　　Ryld　glanced　at　the　forest　that　hemmed　them　in　on　every　side。　Unlike　the　solid；　silent　tunnels　he　was　used　to；　the　wall　of　trees　and　underbrush　w