war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第52部分

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re　creating　a　new　home　on　the　World　Above；　one　in　which　the　drow　can　live　in　harmony　with　one　another。　A　home　we'll　defend　with　our　magic…and　our　swords。　What　more　noble　cause　can　there　possibly　be　than　that？〃
　　　Ryld；　staring　at　the　trophy　tree　again；　muttered　something　under　his　breath。　Halisstra　thought　she　heard　the　words　〃just　like　clearing　the　slums；〃　then　decided　she　must　have　been　wrong；　since　the　phrase　made　no　sense。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃are　you　sure　you…〃
　　　Quiet！　Ryld　warned；　switching　suddenly　to　silent　speech。　I　hear　voices　in　the　woods。　Human　voices。　They're　ing　this　way。
　　　Halisstra；　worried；　reached　for　the　horn　on　her　belt。　Should　she　sound　it　to　warn　the　priestesses？　That　was　what　she'd　been　sent　out　to　the　perimeter　of　the　temple　grounds　to　do；　after　all：　stand　guard。　Uluyara　had　warned　her　that　human　adventurers　sometimes　ventured　deep　into　the　Velarswood…adventurers　who　made　no　distinction　between　the　worshipers　of　Eilistraee　and　the　drow　of　the　Underdark。　Humans　slew　any　ebony…skinned　elf　they　met　on　sight。
　　　But　blowing　the　horn　would　also　alert　the　humans　to　Halisstra's　presence…and　they　were　close。　Better　to　assess　the　situation　from　hiding　and　deal　with　the　humans　herself；　if　possible。　Ryld　would　back　her　up…and　provide　an　additional　element　of　surprise。
　　　Take　cover；　she　signed　to　him。　I'll　challenge　them。　You　wait。
　　　Nodding；　Ryld　slid　his　greatsword　silently　out　of　its　sheath；　at　the　same　time　flipping　up　the　hood　of　his　piwafwi。　He　stepped　back　into　the　branches　and　stood　utterly　still；　being　no　more　than　another　shadow。　Halisstra；　meanwhile；　quickly　sang　under　her　breath；　casting　a　spell　that　rendered　her　invisible。　Then　she　waited；　songsword　in　hand。
　　　The　humans　were　either　bold…or　stupid。　They　came　through　the　woods　with　heavy；　snow…crunching　footsteps；　not　bothering　to　lower　their　voices；　which；　when　Halisstra　could　finally　hear　them　clearly；　sounded　strained。　Occasionally　they　grunted；　as　if　carrying　a　heavy　load。　As　they　passed　by　the　base　of　the　trophy　tree　and　came　into　sight　through　the　underbrush；　Halisstra　saw　two　of　them；　both　human　males　with　axes　in　sheaths　on　their　backs；　carrying　a　body　on　a　cloak　they　held　stretched　between　them。
　　　The　body　of　a　female　drow。
　　　And　not　just　any　drow；　but　one　who　wore　the　moon…and…sword　emblem　of　Eilistraee　on　a　chain　around　her　neck；　and　a　cluster　of　miniature　swords　that　hung　from　a　ring　on　her　belt　like　keys。
　　　〃Who　are　you？〃　Halisstra　called　out；　dropping　her　invisibility　spell。　〃What's　happened　to　this　priestess？〃
　　　She　held　her　songsword　at　the　ready…not　because　the　men　looked　threatening　but　because；　if　the　priestess　was　still　alive；　healing　magic　might　be　needed；　and　quickly。　Stepping　closer；　she　touched　the　woman's　throat；　but　saw　that　it　was　too　late　for　any　spells　she　might　have　offered。　The　priestess's　skin　was　cold；　and　the　rhythm　of　life　had　stilled。　Her　closed　eyes　would　see　no　more。
　　　Both　of　the　humans　were　thin　and　muscular；　with　pale　blond　hair　and　darker　skin　than　most　humans；　suggesting　there　had　been　a　drow　somewhere　among　their　ancestors。　The　older　of　the　two　men　inclined　his　head　to　Halisstra。　It　was　as　much　of　a　bow　as　he　could　manage　while　still　holding　on　to　the　cloak　that　sagged　with　the　priestess's　weight。　When　Halisstra　nodded　back　in　acknowledgement；　the　two　men　gently　eased　their　burden　to　the　snowy　ground。
　　　〃We　two　are　from　Velarsburg；〃　the　older　man　said。　〃I　am　the　lumberman　Rollim；　and　this　is　my　son　Baeford。　We　were　cutting　timber　near　the　Howling　Hills　when　we　heard　a　woman　calling　for　help。　We　followed　the　voice…some　ways　through　the　woods；　from　which　I　figure　it　must　have　been　a　magical　sending…and　found　this　Dark　Lady　outside　a　cave。　She　looked　near　death…she　was　breathing　shallow；　and　fast。　She　couldn't　speak；　but　she　could　still　sign。　She　said　she'd　been　attacked　in　the　Realms　Below　and　needed　to　get　back　to　the　temple。〃
　　　Halisstra　contemplated　the　dead　priestess。　She　was　a　stranger；　but　Halisstra　could　guess　her　mission　by　the　tiny　swords　that　hung　from　the　ring　on　her　belt。　She　was　one　of　the　priestesses　who　traveled　as　missionaries　into　the　Underdark；　carrying　the　faith　of　Eilistraee　to　the　drow　who　dwelled　below。　The　tiny　swords　would　have　been　handed　out　to　the　faithful；　to　serve　as　〃keys〃　that　would　ensure　them　safe　passage　to　the　temple。
　　　〃Did　she　tell　you　what　attacked　her？〃　Halisstra　asked。
　　　Rollim　frowned　and　replied；　〃Not　'what；'　Lady；　but　who。　When　she　was　telling　her　story；　she　used　the　sign　for　'she。'　The　sign　that　means　'drow　female。'　〃
　　　Halisstra　winced。
　　　〃Did　you　see　any　sign　of　this　other　drow？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃None；〃　Rollim　said。　〃There　was　only　the　Dark　Lady's　footprints…and　we　didn't　dare　go　into　the　cave。　The　other　must　still　be　below。〃
　　　〃Stabbed　in　the　back；〃　Halisstra　muttered；　staring　down　at　the　priestess。　〃How　typical。〃
　　　Behind　the　two　men…both　had　their　backs　to　the　spot　where　Ryld　was　hidden…she　saw　dark　hands　briefly　flash：　Or　else　abandoned　to　fight　alone。
　　　Even　though　Ryld's　face　was　no　more　than　a　shadow　under　the　hood　of　his　piwafwi；　Halisstra　could　see　he　was　scowling。
　　　〃Not　stabbed；〃　Baeford　interjected。　〃There　wasn't　a　mark　on　her。〃　He　glanced　apprehensively　down　at　the　body　of　the　priestess。　〃It　must　have　been　magic　that　killed　her。〃
　　　Rollim　ran　a　heavily　callused　hand　through　his　hair；　which　was　damp　with　sweat　and　dotted　with　sawdust。　〃A　normal　injury；　we　might　have　been　able　to　do　something　about…we　could　have　splinted　a　broken　bone　or　stanched　the　bleeding　of　an　axe　cut。　But　this…〃　he　shuddered…〃She　died　as　we　were　lifting　her　onto　the　cloak。〃
　　　Halisstra　nodded。　〃You　did　well　to　bring　her　here；〃　she　told　them。　〃I'm　sure　the　priestesses　will　reward…〃
　　　〃They　already　have；〃　Rollim　said。　He　raised　his　right　hand；　palm　up；　toward　the　sky　in　a　reverential　gesture；　then　let　it　drop　to　his　side。　〃If　it　wasn't　for　the　Dark　Ladies；　Baeford　wouldn't　be　alive　today。　He　had　the　pox　soon　after　his　birth　and　nearly　died；　but　Eilistraee　healed　him。〃　He　glanced　at　the　dead　priestess；　and　his　expression　grew　grim。　〃I　only　wish　we'd　been　able　to　repay　that　kindness。〃
　　　Baeford…whose　face　did　have　pock　marks…shuffled　his　feet　nervously。
　　　〃Lady；〃　Baeford　asked；　〃shall　we　carry　her　to　the　sacred　circle？〃
　　　He　looked　as　though　the　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do　was　pick　up　the　body　again。
　　　〃No；〃　she　answered。　〃I'll　take　her。　You　may　go。〃
　　　〃You'll　carry　her　alone？〃　Rollim　asked；　eyebrow　raised。
　　　He　bowed　hurriedly　when　he　saw　Halisstra's　frown。　She　still　didn't　appreciate　a　male　questioning　her　authority。
　　　〃As　you　wish；〃　Rollim　quickly　said。　Then；　to　his　son；　〃e；　Baeford。　We've　done　all　we　can。〃
　　　As　they　left；　Ryld　slid　silently　out　of　the　branches。
　　　Should　I　follow　them？　he　signed。
　　　Halisstra　shook　her　head。
　　　〃No。　There's　something　amiss　here；　but　though　the　younger　one　could　sense　it；　he　doesn't　know　what　it　is。　Whatever　it　is；　they　weren't　the　cause　of　it。〃
　　　She　knelt　beside　the　body　and　studied　it；　shifting　it　slightly　to　observe　the　woman's　back。　As　Baeford　had　said；　there