war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第62章

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s　eyes。
　　　Ryld　risked　a　quick　glance　upward　before　he　stepped　gracefully　to　the　side；　avoiding　the　first　cut　of　the　double…bladed　axe　and　making　a　quick；　neat　cut　of　his　own　that　the　gray　dwarf　barely　managed　to　parry。
　　　〃Only　if　we　have　to；〃　the　warrior　replied。　〃No　sense　making　ourselves　a　target　for　their　crossbows。〃
　　　Halisstra　could　see　that　though　the　duergar's　weapon　was　larger；　the　creature　was　forced　to　put　a　lot　behind　each　swing；　while　Ryld　was　able　to　sidestep　and　redirect　his　own　weapon　far　more　easily。　Then　the　priestess　was　too　busy　thwarting　her　own　attacker's　strikes　to　watch　the　weapons　master。
　　　The　first　blow　came　low；　aimed　at　her　knees；　and　she　dipped　the　shield　down　enough　so　that　the　hammer　grazed　it；　scraping　across　as　she　spun　back　and　out　of　the　way　to　avoid　taking　the　full　brunt　of　the　strike。　The　dwarf　followed　this　with　an　uppercut　swing；　which　Halisstra　was　forced　to　block　with　her　weapon；　again　redirecting　the　hammer　rather　than　trying　to　pletely　stop　the　swing。　She　brought　her　mace　back　around　and　waited；　thinking　to　let　her　enemy　tire　himself　by　repeatedly　over…swinging。
　　　That　was　all　good　in　theory；　Halisstra　realized；　but　when　three　more　duergar　appeared；　she　knew　that　she　and　Ryld　had　been　cornered。　This　time；　when　the　dwarf　over…swung　and　she　deflected　the　blow　with　her　shield；　she　also　kicked　out；　catching　the　gray　dwarf　with　her　boot　in　the　side　of　his　knee。　The　humanoid　grunted　and　staggered　backward　a　couple　of　steps；　but　another　dwarf　was　there；　ready　to　step　into　the　fray。　Halisstra　moved　to　position　herself　next　to　Ryld　again；　working　so　that　each　of　them　could　protect　the　other's　flank；　preventing　the　gray　dwarves　from　getting　inside　their　position。
　　　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Ryld；　still　battling　with　the　gray　dwarves。　One　of　the　humanoids　lay　dead　at　his　feet；　while　another　had　a　bloody　gash　across　his　thigh。　Behind　them；　two　more　had　appeared；　and　these　had　crossbows；　which　they　brought　to　bear；　waiting　for　openings　to　shoot　at　the　two　drow。
　　　One　of　the　duergar　nudged　his　panion　and　pointed　to　the　priestess。　Together；　they　swung　their　crossbows　around　to　put　her　in　their　sights；　and　Halisstra　took　refuge　behind　her　shield。　She　felt　one　bolt　strike　her　shield；　but　the　other　embedded　itself　in　her　shoulder。　She　grunted　in　pain　and　staggered　backward；　unable　to　keep　her　shield　raised　high　enough　for　solid　protection。
　　　Another　gray　dwarf　circled　to　Halisstra's　shield　side；　seeing　that　her　defenses　were　down；　and　brought　his　axe　high　for　a　new　strike。　She　did　her　best　to　spin　and　face　the　duergar　without　exposing　Ryld's　flank；　and　she　managed　to　parry　the　blow　with　her　mace；　but　the　crushing　force　of　it　made　her　stumble　to　one　knee。
　　　〃Ryld！　Help　me！〃　she　cried　out；　and　as　though　sensing　she　was　in　trouble；　the　warrior　was　in　front　of　her；　battling　all　four　of　the　foes　at　once。
　　　The　priestess　risked　a　glance　over　at　the　gray　dwarves　who　were　reloading　their　crossbows。　They　were　also　pointing　at　her　and　grinning。　Or　rather；　they　were　pointing　over　her　head；　Halisstra　realized。
　　　The　priestess's　heart　sank　as　she　took　a　peek　above。　More　of　the　gray　dwarves　had　already　taken　the　roof；　and　these　had　thrown　nets　across　the　opening　while　she　and　Ryld　had　been　engaged　in　the　battle。　They　were　trapped　inside　the　alley；　unable　to　escape。　The　duergar　on　the　roofs　also　had　crossbows；　and　as　one　of　them　fired　at　her；　Halisstra　flinched。　The　crossbow　bolt　whisked　across　her　face；　grazing　her　cheek。　She　felt　wetness。
　　　〃Ryld！〃　she　cried　out　as　she　stumbled　to　her　feet　again。　〃They're　above　us；　too。　We're　trapped。〃
　　　The　warrior　never　acknowledged　Halisstra's　cry；　so　busy　was　he　fending　off　four　duergar。　Slowly；　he　was　being　forced　back；　bloody　gashes　across　his　body；　having　to　retreat　a　little　at　a　time　to　keep　the　gray　dwarves　from　surrounding　him。
　　　Gritting　her　teeth；　Halisstra　tested　the　end　of　the　crossbow　bolt　that　protruded　from　her　arm　and　almost　wretched　from　the　pain　that　doing　so　produced。　Her　shield　arm　useless；　the　priestess　rose　to　her　feet　anyway；　gripping　her　mace　and　moving　next　to　the　warrior　once　more。　She　tried　to　stay　beside　him；　to　guard　his　flank　and　enjoy　a　similar　protection。
　　　One　of　the　four　gray　dwarves　was　dead；　but　Ryld　was　breathing　heavily。　A　duergar　slipped　around　to　Halisstra's　side；　trying　to　get　inside　her　defenses。　She　swung　her　mace　hard　and　caught　the　duergar　closing　in　on　her　on　the　shoulder；　feeling　the　satisfying　crunch　of　metal　on　bone。　The　gray　dwarf　growled　in　anguish　as　he　dropped　his　axe　and　fell　back　out　of　Ryld's　reach。
　　　Two　more　stepped　in　to　take　the　wounded　one's　place；　and　Halisstra　had　to　press　in　too　closely　to　Ryld　to　avoid　being　struck　down。　Her　movement　hampered　the　weapons　master's　ability　to　fight；　and　he　took　a　cut　across　his　forearm　as　a　result。
　　　〃By　the　Dark　Mother；〃　Ryld　snarled；　whipping　Splitter　around　to　cleave　the　offending　gray　dwarf's　head　pletely　off。
　　　The　body　flopped　to　the　ground　as　the　head　rolled　away；　past　another　duergar；　who　watched　it　pass　him　with　a　look　of　horror　on　his　face。
　　　Another　crossbow　bolt　clacked　against　the　stone　of　the　street　near　Halisstra；　and　two　more　struck　her　armor；　bouncing　off。　Ryld　jerked　as　a　bolt　flew　close　to　him；　but　he　never　turned　his　attention　away　from　his　adversaries；　never　deviated　from　his　fluid　motion　and　quick；　precise　strikes。　Still；　he　and　Halisstra　were　being　backed　into　a　corner；　the　priestess　saw；　and　they　would　make　easy　prey　for　the　snipers　on　the　roof。
　　　The　first　firepot　exploded　right　behind　Halisstra；　making　her　jump　and　nearly　get　her　head　taken　off　by　an　axe。　She　scrambled　away　from　the　flames　as　she　warded　off　another　blow　from　the　axe…wielding　enemy　in　front　of　her　with　her　mace；　feeling　the　vibration　of　the　blow　all　the　way　up　her　arm。　Two　more　of　the　flaming　contraptions　smacked　against　the　end　of　the　street；　the　clay　pots　shattering　and　spilling　fire　everywhere。　She　risked　a　glance　up　and　saw　another　one　hurtling　toward　her。　Somehow；　her　wounded　shoulder　screaming　in　agony；　she　managed　to　bring　her　shield　up　with　both　hands　and　deflected　the　pot　so　that　it　skipped　off　and　hit　the　pavement　between　her　and　her　opponent。
　　　The　gray　dwarves　fighting　with　them　began　backing　up；　and　Halisstra　saw　that　the　duergar　on　the　roof　were　creating　a　fire　screen　to　seal　her　and　Ryld　off；　trap　them　between　the　flames　and　the　wall。　She　knew　that　they　intended　to　pin　the　two　drow　down；　and　pick　them　off　at　their　leisure。　There　was　nowhere　for　the　dark　elves　to　go。　They　were　going　to　die。
　　　SIXTEEN
　　　The　second　time　he　got　no　reply　from　the　distant　wizard；　Gromph　slammed　his　fists　down　atop　his　bone　desk　in　frustration。　Two　sendings；　and　nothing。　What　had　happened　to　Pharaun？　Why　wouldn't　he　answer？　The　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan　rose　up　and　began　to　pace。
　　　Two　different　spies　had　already　contacted　him　with　reports　of　heavy　fighting　in　Ched　Nasad。　The　matron　mothers　were　squabbling　over　something；　it　appeared；　and　like　it　or　not；　the　team　from　Menzoberranzan　appeared　to　be　in　the　thick　of　it；　but　Gromph　couldn't　get　any　confirmation　from　the　team　itself　He　considered　whether　or　not　he　should　try　one　last　time。
　　　Realizing　he　couldn't　force　the　wizard　to　answer…Pharaun　might　be　receiving　the　magical　whispers　and　was　simply　unable　to　reply…　Gromph　decided　against　any　further　waste　of　magic。　It　was　possible　that　Pharaun　was　unwilling　to　give　himself　away　in　the　pany　of　others　who　didn't　know　the　full　extent　of　what　he　was　up　to。
　　　Or　he's　dead；　Gromph　thought。
　　　It　was　a　possibility；　however　unlikely　that　seemed。　Pharaun　Miz…zrym　had　a　knack　for　keeping　himself　out　of　the　worst　sorts　of　trouble；　and　coupled　with　Quenthel　and　the　others；　the　archwizard　had　a　difficult　time　imagining　that　they'd　succumbed　to　whatever　violence　inundated　the　streets　of　the　City　of　Shimmering　Webs。　Still；　it　wasn't　impossible。
　　　If　the　team　was　dead　Gromph　felt　no　remorse。
　　　Gromph　sighed　and　reached　into　one　of　the　drawers　of　his　desk；　extracting　a　scroll　tube。　Pulling　the　bundle　of　rolled　parchment　free　of　the　tube；　he　found　the　page　he　was　looking　for