war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第29部分

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　the　northern　exit　from　Ablonshier's　Cave。
　　　Faintly；　from　the　connecting　tunnel；　Andzrel　could　hear　the　clash　of　steel　on　steel　as　drow　sword　met　tanarukk　battle…axe。　A　group　of　duergar　had　tried　to　force　their　way　through　a　tunnel　that　circled　past　that　exit；　only　to　bee　tangled　in　the　webs　cast　by　the　wizard　attached　to　Andzrel's　pany。　The　latest　report　indicated　that　the　webs　were　on　fire。　The　half…orc；　half…demon　tanarukks；　apparently；　were　trying　to　burn　their　way　through…at　the　expense　of　their　gray　dwarf　allies　caught　in　the　sticky　strands。　The　reek　of　burned　hair　and　flesh　drifted　down　the　tunnel。
　　　In　the　caves　to　the　west　of　where　Andzrel　stood；　Baenre　troops　had　forced　a　group　of　duergar　back　into　a　faerzress　and　hurled　light　pellets　in　after　them。　The　resulting　pyrotechnic　display　had　apparently　been　quite　spectacular；　according　to　the　slingers　who　had　triggered　it…slingers　who　had　been　struck　blind　as　a　result。　More　House　Baenre　fighters；　waiting　in　the　wings　around　a　bend　of　the　tunnel；　had　rushed　past　the　slingers　to　deliver　the　coup　de　grace　to　the　blinded　duergar。
　　　Andzrel　itched　to　be　a　part　of　it。　To　be　crawling　the　jagged　twists　and　turns　of　the　Dark　Dominion's　narrow　passageways；　sword　in　hand；　fighting　his　enemy　face…to…face　in　the　tight　confines　of　the　tunnels。　Instead　he　was　perched　on　a　column　of　broken　stalagmite；　directing　the　troops　that　flowed　past　him　into　battle　while　he　remained　behind。　He　tried　picturing　himself　as　a　spider　at　the　center　of　the　web…sensitive　to　the　vibrations　of　battle　ing　from　all　directions　and　responding　to　them…but　it　didn't　help。　He　wanted　an　excuse　to　draw　his　sword；　for　Lolth's　sake；　to　engage　the　enemy　in　glorious　battle　as　he　had　at　the　Pillars　of　Woe；　when　he'd　snatched　victory　from　the　fangs　of　deceit。
　　　But　the　defense　of　the　tunnels　was　going　too　well。　Alerted　by　Triel's　warning；　the　matron　mothers　had　poured　troops　into　the　Dark　Dominions　southeast　of　the　city；　forcing　the　enemy　advance　to　grind　to　a　halt。　The　duergar　seemed　to　have　withdrawn；　leaving　only　the　tanarukks　to　fight。　And　while　the　Scoured　Legion　might　have　thousands　of　troops；　forcing　an　army　through　those　narrow　tunnels　was　like　trying　to　shove　a　melon　through　the　neck　of　a　bottle。　Yet　they　continued　to　send　troops　forward。　It　was　almost　as　if　they'd　expected　the　tunnels　to　be　undefended。
　　　Sighing；　Andzrel　allowed　his　attention　to　wander。　His　eye　settled　on　one　of　the　wisps　of　smoke　that　had　had　been　drifting　in　for　some　time　from　the　tunnel　to　his　left。　It　rose　steadily　upward；　drawn　by　air　currents　that　were　surprisingly　swift；　toward　a　narrow　crack　that　ran　the　length　of　the　ceiling。　Then　it　slipped　inside　the　crack　and　was　gone。
　　　It　was　followed；　a　moment　later；　by　another　drift　of　smoke…one　that　was　curiously　shaped；　with　tendrils　that　looked　like　arms　and　legs。　It；　too；　vanished　into　the　crack。　Then　a　third　puff　of　smoke　appeared；　one　with　a　bulge　at　the　front　of　it　that　looked；　for　all　the　world；　like　a　shaggy…
　　　Suddenly　realizing　what　he　was　seeing；　Andzrel　barked　an　order　at　the　junior　officer　who　stood　beside　him。
　　　〃Lieutenant！　The　smoke　。　。　。　shoot　it！〃
　　　With　a　swiftness　born　of　strict　training　and　absolute　obedience；　the　lieutenant　whipped　up　his　arm　and　fired　his　wrist　crossbow　in　the　direction　indicated。　A　poisoned　bolt　whizzed　through　the　air　toward　its　target。
　　　Instead　of　passing　through　the　〃smoke〃　and　striking　the　stone　behind　it；　the　bolt　sank　into　something　soft；　with　a　dull　thud。　An　instant　later；　a　tanarukk　materialized　out　of　thin　air。　It　tumbled；　arms　and　legs　thrashing；　toward　the　floor　of　the　cavern；　the　battle…axe　it　had　been　carrying　landing　with　a　loud　clang　beside　it。　The　tanarukk　was　dead　even　before　it　slammed　into　the　stone　floor；　the　virulent　drow　poison　having　done　its　work。
　　　The　lieutenant　immediately　fitted　another　bolt　into　the　crossbow　at　his　wrist　and　scanned　the　ceiling。
　　　〃Master　Andzrel；〃　he　croaked；　〃where　did　it　e　from？〃
　　　Andzrel　peered　down　the　corridor　from　which　the　two…dimensional　tanarukk　had　e。　No　more　wisps　of　〃smoke〃　appeared。　The　dead　one　seemed　to　have　been　bringing　up　the　rear。
　　　Short　and　stocky；　with　a　prominent　lower　jaw　and　curving　tusks；　the　tanarukk　had　a　ridge　of　horn　across　its　forehead　that　gave　it　a　thick；　unintelligent　look。　The　trick　it　and　its　fellows　had　played　on　the　drow；　however；　was　anything　but　stupid。
　　　〃The　mote　important　question；　lieutenant；　is　where　the　tanarukks　were　headed；〃　Andzrel　said；　〃and　how　many　have　slipped　past　us　already。　If　I　remember　my　geography　correctly；　that　crack　leads　to　the　main　cavern。〃
　　　A　runner　emerged　from　a　side　tunnel。
　　　〃Good　news；　sir；〃　the　man　panted。　〃We're　not　only　holding　them　。　。　。　they　seem　to　be　falling　back。　The　enemy　has　all　but　disappeared。〃
　　　As　Andzrel　cursed…surprising　the　runner；　who'd　obviously　expected　elation　on　his　mander's　part…the　forefront　of　a　pany　from　House　Barrison　Del'Armgo　trotted　into　the　room。　They　were　reinforcements　sent　in　at　last　by　the　Second　House；　only　after　House　Baenre's　troops　had　secured　the　tunnels。
　　　Leaping　down　from　the　broken　stalagmite；　Andzrel　strode　toward　the　captain　who　manded　them；　a　slender　female　in　adamantine　armor　with　white　hair　drawn　up　in　a　topknot。
　　　〃Captain！〃　he　barked；　foregoing　the　usual　bow　that　was　a　ranking　officer's　due…and　the　Barrison　Del'Armgo　captain；　being　female；　certainly　did　outrank　him。　〃Turn　your　pany　around。　March　back　to　the　main　cavern　at　once。〃
　　　The　captain's　eyes　blazed　an　even　deeper　red　as　her　cheeks　flushed　with　anger。　She　jerked　to　a　halt；　and　the　soldiers　following　her　did　the　same。
　　　〃Who　in　the　Nine　Hells　do　you　think　you　are？〃　she　said；　glaring　down　at　him。　〃You　may　be　weapons　master　of　House　Baenre；　but　you're　only　a…〃
　　　〃This　isn't　the　time　for　arguments；〃　Andzrel　said　in　a　tense　voice；　his　intensity　making　up　for　his　lack　of　height。　〃The　enemy　has　slipped　past　us　and　are　about　to　enter　the　city。　House　Barrison　Del'Armgo　lies　directly　in　their　path。　Is　your　pride　really　worth　your　House；　captain？〃
　　　The　other　captain　hesitated；　sword　gripped　in　her　hand；　then　she　spun　on　her　heel。
　　　〃Turn　about！〃　she　barked。　〃Back　to　the　main　cavern。　Double　speed！〃
　　　The　look　she　gave　Andzrel　over　her　shoulder　as　she　sped　away　behind　her　pany；　however；　was　as　sharp　as　a　dagger　point。　When　the　fight　with　the　tanarukks　and　duergar　was　over；　win　or　lose；　Andzrel　knew　he　would　have　a　second　battle　to　face。
　　　He　spun　to　face　the　House　Baenre　lieutenant　and　said；　〃You're　in　charge。　Order　half　of　our　pany　to　fall　back　to　the　main　cavern；　while　the　other　half　continue　to　hold　the　tunnels。〃
　　　The　lieutenant's　white　eyebrows　lifted。　〃And　you；　sir？〃　he　asked。　〃Where　will　you　be？〃
　　　Then；　realizing　his　impertinence；　he　dropped　his　gaze　to　the　floor。
　　　〃I'll　be　making　sure　that　Barrison　Del'Armgo　captain　follows　her　orders；〃　he　said　with　a　grin。　He　drew　his　sword。　〃And　hopefully；　I'll　be　giving　the　tanarukks　a　taste　of　this。〃
　　　
　　　Triel；　flanked　by　her　House　wizard　and　the　priestess　currently　serving　as　her　personal　attendant；　stood　on　the　balcony　that　encircled　the　G