war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第61章

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　　　Jeggred　nodded　and　grabbed　Danifae。　Together；　they　began　to　levitate　upward；　reaching　a　spot　on　the　roof　that　overlooked　the　sea　of　clashing　bodies　below。　Pharaun　and　Quenthel　followed　quickly。　The　four　of　them　settled　down　atop　the　rounded　surface　and　dropped　low；　wanting　to　avoid　creating　too　large　a　profile　against　the　backdrop　of　the　city。　Pharaun　did　a　careful　inspection　of　the　city　streets　one　level　up；　trying　to　ascertain　whether　or　not　they'd　been　noticed　from　there。　It　appeared　that　they　had　not。
　　　〃Do　you　see　them？〃　Quenthel　asked　no　one　in　particular；　and　Pharaun　returned　his　attention　to　the　scene　below。
　　　The　tittle　still　raged；　but　it　was　beginning　to　thin　somewhat　as　the　body　count　grew。
　　　〃Nothing；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　replied；　and　Danifae　also　shook　her　head。
　　　〃The　warrior　went　running　that　way；〃　the　battle　captive　said；　pointing　toward　a　side　street　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　square。　〃I　think　Malistra　followed　him。〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　heard　him；〃　Pharaun　replied。　〃I　tried　to　get　there；　but　the　surge　was　too　much。　When　the　fighting　dies　down；　we　can　try　to　reach　them。〃
　　　〃What　about　Valas？〃　Quenthel　said。　〃What　happened　to　him？〃
　　　Pharaun　replied；　〃I　don't　know；　but　he　can　disappear　even　when　you're　looking　right　at　him；　so　I　don't　think　he's　in　much　danger。　He'll　show　upwhen　we　need　him　most。〃
　　　By　this　time；　the　duergar　were　beginning　to　overwhelm　the　force　of　dark　elves；　and　when　reinforcements　for　the　gray　dwarves　arrived；　what　was　left　of　the　drow　turned　and　fled。　Pharaun　watched；　hoping　the　throng　of　duergar　would　give　chase；　but　they　seemed　content　to　hold　up　and　regroup。
　　　That's　when　everything　went　wrong。
　　　Five　or　six　crossbow　bolts　snapped　against　the　roof　next　to　the　wizard；　and　a　couple　of　them　actually　struck　him　in　the　back。　Only　the　enchantments　of　his　piwafwi　protected　him；　but　he　was　getting　damned　tired　of　being　hit。　Danifae　was　not　so　lucky。　One　of　the　bolts　speared　her　through　the　calf；　and　she　growled　in　pain　as　Pharaun　leaped　up　to　shield　her　with　his　own　body。
　　　A　burst　of　flame　and　light　exploded　only　a　few　feet　to　the　wizard's　right。　Fire　swept　over　the　surface　of　the　roof　where　they　crouched　as　a　second　and　a　third　burst　landed　near　the　first。　The　wizard　flinched；　then　turned　to　see　where　the　new　attack　was　ing　from。　What　he　saw　made　his　heart　sink。　The　attackers；　whom　Pharaun　could　see　were　more　gray　dwarves；　were　perched　atop　a　web　street　one　level　above　them　and　near　the　back　line　of　the　roof。　They　hurled　more　firepots　in　the　drow's　direction；　and　Jeggred　roared　in　anger；　hit　by　one　of　the　incendiary　pots。
　　　〃Damn　it；　Pharaun；　you've　led　us　into　a　crossfire！〃　Quenthel　snarled　at　the　mage。　〃We've　got　to　get　off　this　roof。　Jeggred；　shield　me。〃
　　　Quenthel　turned　to　peer　over　the　side；　and　Jeggred　positioned　himself　to　shield　the　three　drow　with　his　body　as　best　he　could。　Part　of　his　fur　was　smoking；　but　the　draegloth　didn't　seem　to　notice。
　　　〃We　can　not　stand　here；〃　he　said。
　　　〃I　know；〃　Pharaun　responded；　examining　the　bolt　wound　in　Danifae's　leg　more　carefully。
　　　It　had　struck　the　same　leg　that　was　already　injured　but　didn't　appear　bad；　having　missed　the　bone　and　penetrated　only　the　fleshy　part　of　her　calf。　He　snapped　off　what　he　could；　and　the　battle　captive　gave　a　slight　jerk。
　　　Quenthel　made　a　disgusted　sound；　pulling　back　from　the　edge。
　　　〃All　of　this　motion　has　attracted　their　attention　below　us；〃　Quenthel　said　in　a　harsh　tone。　〃We　can't　go　that　way。〃
　　　〃Then　we'll　go　over　the　other　side；〃　the　wizard　replied。
　　　He　shoved　what　was　left　of　the　bolt　through　Danifae's　leg　and　out。　She　hissed　from　the　sudden　pain；　but　bit　her　lip　and　stifled　any　more　sounds。　More　crossbow　bolts　and　firepots　were　smacking　down　against　the　stone　around　them。
　　　〃Is　it　poisoned？〃　Pharaun　asked　the　high　priestess。
　　　In　answer；　one　of　the　viper　heads　on　Quenthel's　whip　rose　up　and　hissed；　〃No。〃
　　　More　of　the　firepots　slammed　down　nearby；　adding　to　the　roar　of　the　fire；　which　was　hot　and　spreading　across　the　rock　surface　of　the　building。
　　　〃We'll　be　roasted　rothé　meat　in　a　moment；〃　the　mage　said。　〃Heal　her　so　we　can　go！〃
　　　〃Forget　her；〃　Quenthel　replied。　〃e　on。〃
　　　The　Mistress　of　the　Academy　stood　and　moved　toward　the　back　of　the　building；　still　skulking　behind　the　draegloth。
　　　Pharaun　looked　back　down　at　Danifae；　shrugged；　and　began　to　stand。　The　female　reached　up　and　grabbed　him　by　the　piwafwi；　a　determined　look　on　her　face。
　　　〃Don't　leave　me　here；〃　she　said。　〃I　can　walk。　Just　help　me　up。〃
　　　Another　pair　of　explosions　erupted　near　her　head；　and　she　flinched　forward　as　Pharaun　took　hold　of　her　by　the　hand　and　hauled　her　to　her　feet。
　　　〃You　won't　regret　it；〃　she　said；　giving　the　wizard　a　brief　but　obvious　look。　'Til　be　worth　it。〃
　　　Limping；　blood　flowing　from　the　puncture；　Danifae　began　to　follow　Quenthel　and　the　draegloth。
　　　〃Jeggred！〃　she　called。　〃Carry　me！〃
　　　Pharaun　realized　his　mouth　was　hanging　open；　and　he　snapped　it　shut。　As　he　trotted　after　the　battle　captive；　he　saw　Quenthel　and　the　draegloth　freeze；　and　he　swept　his　gaze　to　where　they　were　looking；　at　the　back　side　of　the　building。　Rising　up　from　behind　the　roofline　was　an　immense；　chitinous　leg　of　something　all　too　familiar。　The　leg　sought　footing　upon　the　rooftop；　and　two　more　appeared；　followed；　by　the　head　of　a　spider　of　massive　size。
　　　〃Lolth　preserve　us；〃　Quenthel　breathed。　〃Where　did　that　e　from？〃
　　　The　immense　spider　pulled　itself　into　full　view；　scrambling　ponderously　over　the　back　edge　of　the　building；　each　step　making　the　entire　structure　shake　violently。
　　　〃Oh；　no；〃　Danifae　said。　〃They　didn't。　。　。〃
　　　〃They；　who？〃　Pharaun　asked；　involuntarily　backing　up　a　step。
　　　Even　Jeggred　seemed　anxious；　watching　the　enormous　arachnid；　black　and　shiny；　heave　itself　fully　atop　the　building。　Its　mandibles　clicked　as　it　peered　about；　its　multilensed　eyes　glistening　in　the　firelight。
　　　〃And　what　did　they　do？〃　the　wizard　added。
　　　〃The　matron　mothers；〃　Danifae　replied。　〃They　summoned　a　guardian　spider。　The　fools。〃
　　　Quenthel　sucked　in　her　breath。
　　　〃Indeed；〃　the　high　priestess　agreed。　〃We　must　flee。〃
　　　Pharaun　wanted　to　ask　the　two　females　what　in　the　Abyss　a　guardian　spider　was；　but　at　that　moment；　the　arachnid　spotted　them；　though　they　had　remained　quite　still。　It　leaned　forward　eagerly；　ing　after　them。
　　　As　one；　they　turned　and　fled　over　the　side。
　　　***
　　　
　　　As　she　reached　the　alley；　following　Ryld　Argith；　Halisstra　turned　to　see　who　had　caught　up　with　her　in　the　chaos　of　the　swarming；　fighting　drow　and　duergar。　Of　the　others；　there　was　no　sign。
　　　〃e　on！〃　Ryld　shouted　from　up　ahead；　motioning　frenetically　for　Halisstra　to　keep　up　with　him。
　　　Several　duergar　had　followed　them　into　the　alley　that　ran　alongside　the　temple　and　were　closing　in　on　her。　She　turned　back　for　a　moment；　thinking　to　make　a　stand　and　drive　them　away；　but　a　crossbow　bolt　snapped　against　the　stone　wall　near　the　priestess；　shattering　and　showering　her　with　splinters。　She　turned　again　and　ran；　the　gray　dwarves　pounding　along　after　her。
　　　As　Halisstra　caught　up　to　Ryld；　he　fired　his　own　crossbow　once；　to　slow　down　the　pursuit；　and　they　sprinted　along　the　alley　together；　weaving　through　the　turns　of　the　pathway；　trying　to　lose　their　foes。　The　two　of　them　turned　one　last　corner　and　skidded　to　a　stop。　The　alleyway　ended　at　a　solid　wall；　though　one　side　was　low；　protecting　some　sort　of　covered　porch。
　　　〃Damn；〃　Ryld　muttered；　slipping　his　greatsword　free。　He　turned　back　to　prepare　to　face　the　oning　gray　dwarves。　〃Get　ready；〃　he　told　her；　and　Halisstra　planted　herself　beside　the　warrior；　her　heavy　mace　feeling　good　in　her　hand。
　　　〃Why　don't　we　just　float　up　there？〃　she　asked；　pointing　to　the　roofline　as　the　first　two　duergar　appeared。
　　　The　first　of　the　gray　dwarves　wielded　a　wicked…looking；　double…bladed　axe；　while　the　second　had　a　heavy　hammer　that　was　easily　twice　the　size　of　Halisstra's　own　mace。　She　readjusted　the　grip　on　her　shield　as　the　hammer…wielding　dwarf　advanced；　hate　gleaming　in　his　eyes。
　　　Ryld　risked　a　quick　glance