war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第51部分

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d　obviously　seen　through；　since　she　managed　to　pick　the　right　Pharaun　to　spit　the　bead　of　power　at。　She'd　been　teasing　him　with　the　truth；　knowing　he'd　soon　be　as　helpless　as　a　flutter　lizard　in　a　web。
　　　Launching　herself　out　of　the　niche；　Oothoon　streaked　toward　the　spot　where　Pharaun　hung　helpless；　jaws　open　wide；　she　sucked　Pharaun　into　her　mouth。　Still　stunned　by　the　blast　of　the　bead；　Pharaun　didn't　even　have　the　strength　to　scream　as　the　jaws　snapped　shut。　Darkness　enveloped　him；　and　razor…sharp　teeth　sawed　into　his　body。
　　　
Chapter　Twenty…two
　　　Halisstra　stood　near　one　of　the　trophy　trees；　the　hilt　of　the　songsword　raised　to　her　lips。　After　she'd　killed　the　phase　spider　two　nights　before；　the　priestesses　had　let　her　keep　the　broken　sword；　as　well　as　Seyll's　shield　and　chain　mail。　They'd　also　given　her　back　her　House　insignia…which　Halisstra　had　tucked　into　a　pocket；　instead　of　pinning　to　her　piwafwi…and　her　other　enchanted　rings　and　devices。　She　also　still　had　her　magical　lyre；　though　she　felt　as　disinclined　to　use　it　as　the　other　things　from　the　Underdark　she　had　set　aside。　Instead　she　practiced　on　the　songsword；　fingers　dancing　as　she　tried　to　create　a　tune　to　suit　the　mood　of　the　snow…dappled　woods　and　the　clouds　drifting　lazily　overhead；　as　white　and　fine…spun　as　hair。
　　　Ryld　sat　cross…legged　on　a　log　a　short　distance　away；　sharpening　his　shortsword。　His　eyes　were　squinted　against　the　morning　sunlight　even　though　he'd　chosen　a　spot　in　deep　shade。　He　sat　with　his　back　against　a　large　boulder；　under　a　canopy　of　tree　branches　that　hung　no　more　than　a　handspan　above　him。　He　was　obviously　still　struggling　with　his　unease　of　open　spaces；　of　having　nothing　but　the　sky　over　his　head。
　　　After　a　while；　the　arrhythmic　rasp　。　。　。　rasp　rasp。　。　。　rasp　of　Ryld's　sharpening　stone　grated　on　Halisstra's　nerves；　forcing　her　to　lower　the　songsword。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　said　in　exasperation。　〃If　you　have　to　do　that　here；　could　you　at　least　work　in　time　with　my　music？〃
　　　Startled；　Ryld　looked　up。
　　　〃Fine；〃　he　said。　He　crawled　out　from　under　the　overhanging　branches；　stood；　and　shoved　the　shortsword　back　into　its　sheath。　Scowling　at　the　forest；　he　asked；　〃How　long　do　you　intend　for　us　to　stay　here？〃
　　　〃A　tenday；　a　month　。。。　a　year；　if　need　be；〃　Halisstra　answered。　〃Until　I　learn　everything　I　can　about　Eilistraee's　worship。〃
　　　〃A　lifetime；　you　mean；〃　Ryld　said　sourly。
　　　〃Perhaps；〃　Halisstra　said　with　a　shrug；　then　added；　〃There's　no　one　forcing　you　to　stay；　you　know。　You　could　go　back　to　Menzoberranzan　or　try　to　find　Quenthel　and　the　others…or　go　to　the　Abyss　itself；　if　you　like。〃
　　　Ryld　gave　her　a　stubborn　look　and　said；　〃I　want　to　stay　with　you。〃
　　　Seeing　the　look　in　his　eye…a　human　might　have　called　it　〃love〃…　Halisstra's　temper　cooled。
　　　〃I'm　glad；〃　she　said。　〃And　not　just　for　my　own　sake　but　for　yours；　as　well。　The　Dark　Maiden　will　embrace　you；　if　you　only　let　her。　Eilistraee　can　show　you　a　joy　you've　never　known。　We　drow　have　been　confined　to　the　Underdark　for　too　long；　and　it's　time　we　took　our　rightful　place　in　the　sunlight…and　held　it；　by　the　strength　of　our　swords　if　need　be。〃
　　　Ryld　didn't　answer　but　instead　stared　up　at　the　trophy　tree。　Following　his　gaze；　Halisstra　saw　that　he　was　looking　at　a　deep；　sword…shaped　niche　in　the　trunk　in　which　two　heads　rested；　one　on　top　of　the　other。　They　were　skeletal；　with　only　a　few　clumps　of　black　hair　clinging　to　them；　and　the　jawbone　of　the　top　skull　had　fallen　away。　They　were　human；　by　the　shape　of　them；　though　the　mouth　and　jaw　of　the　bottom　skull　protruded　slightly；　and　the　canine　teeth　were　overly　large。　The　sight　of　them　seemed　to　be　making　the　hardened　warrior　uneasy；　which　was　strange；　since　Ryld　had　undoubtedly　seen　far　more　gruesome　sights　in　his　career　as　a　weapons　master　of　Melee…Magthere。
　　　Ryld　wrenched　his　gaze　away。
　　　〃Why　Eilistraee？〃　he　asked。　〃Why　not　worship　。　。　。　Kiaransalee；　or　Selvetarm？　His　faith；　at　least；　I　could　have　had　some　part　in。　Or　do　you　think　Lolth's　champion　has　suffered　the　same　fate　as　his　mistress？〃
　　　〃Selvetarm　guards　Lolth　still；〃　Halisstra　answered。　〃Vhaeraun　did　not　defeat　him。〃
　　　Ryld's　eyebrows　raised　and　he　asked；　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　　　〃Last　night；　Uluyara　led　the　priestesses　in　a　spell…song。　The　scrying　they　performed　penetrated　deep　into　the　Abyss；　and　Uluyara　was　able　to　look　briefly　upon　the　stone　that　sealed　Lolth's　temple。　Selvetarm　was　squatting　in　front　of　it　in　his　spider　form；　wounded；　but　with　sword　and　mace　still　in　hand。　He　may　have　defeated　Vhaeraun…or　perhaps　just　temporarily　driven　the　other　god　off。　Uluyara　was　only　able　to　get　the　briefest　of　glimpses　before　the　water　in　her　font　boiled　away。〃
　　　Ryld　cursed　softly　under　his　breath。
　　　〃Last　night？〃　he　asked。　〃So　that　was　what　all　the　singing　was　about。　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　sooner？〃
　　　Halisstra　shrugged　and　said；　〃What　difference　would　it　have　made？　You're　not　thinking　of　reporting　back　to　Quenthel；　are　you？〃
　　　Ryld　gave　her　a　sour　smile。
　　　〃I　couldn't…even　if　I　wanted　to；〃　he　said。　〃She'd　brand　me　a　deserter　and　have　those　vipers　of　hers　sink　their　fangs　into　me。　I'd　be　dead　before　I　could　get　a　single　word　out　in　my　defense。　I　just　wish　you　would　keep　me　informed。〃　He　paused；　then　frowned。　〃How　did　Uluyara　know　that　Lolth's　temple　was　sealed？〃
　　　〃I　told　her；〃　Halisstra　said。　〃I　told　her　everything。　About　our　trip　to　the　Abyss　in　astral　form；　about　Lolth's　silence；　and　about　the　battle　between　Vhaeraun　and　Selvetarm…I　even　told　her　about　the　fall　of　Ched　Nasad。　Everything。〃
　　　Ryld　nodded　slowly　and　said；　〃I　shouldn't　be　surprised；　given　your　conversion；　but　I　am。　Revealing　so　much　to　priestesses　who；　until　a　short　time　ago；　you　would　have　counted　as　your　enemies；　seems　like　。　。　。〃
　　　Perhaps　realizing　he　was　speaking　to　a　priestess；　he　lowered　his　eyes。　As　he　hesitated；　either　uncertain　how　to　finish　his　sentence　or　else　unwilling　to　continue　it；　Halisstra　guessed　the　rest。
　　　〃Like　a　betrayal？〃　she　asked。　〃A　traitorous　act？　Well　so　be　it。　Lolth　is　dead…or　will　soon　be。〃
　　　〃And　you've　aligned　yourself　with　what　you　think　will　be　the　winning　side；〃　Ryld　said。　He　nodded。　〃I　suppose　that's　a　sensible　move　to　make。〃
　　　Halisstra　sighed；　wondering　why　Ryld　just　couldn't　understand。
　　　〃It's　more　than　mere　tactics；〃　she　said；　trying　to　explain。　〃Eilistraee　is　the　only　deity　to　offer　the　drow　any　hope。　With　Lolth　missing　and　her　priestesses　unable　to　mount　a　defense；　the　cities　of　the　Underdark　are　going　to　fall；　one　by　one。　Soon　hundreds…if　not　thousands；　or　even　tens　of　thousands…of　drow　will　e　streaming　up　out　of　the　Underdark；　looking　for　refuge。　Eilistraee's　priestesses　will　offer　it　to　them。　They'll　help　guide　our　people　up　into　the　light。　They'll　teach　the　drow　to　take　their　rightful　place　in　the　world…to　not　just　survive　up　here；　but　thrive。　We'll　be　able　to　reclaim　our　birthright。　Just　look　how　much　the　Dark　Ladies　of　Eilistraee　have　done　so　far；　in　terms　of　clearing　this　forest　of　monsters　and　making　it　fit　to　live　in　again。　We're　creating　a　new　home　on　the　World　Above；　one　in　which　the　drow　can　live　in　harmony　with　one　anothe