war of the spider queen 2 insurrection- 第44部分

　　　By　the　Abyss；　Aliisza　breathed；　unable　to　tear　her　gaze　away　from　this　wonderful　display　of　destruction。
　　　Drow　leaped　clear　of　the　attack　and　scrambled　to　get　away　from　the　conflagration；　which　charred　the　street　in　seconds。　A　couple　of　the　dark　elves　managed　to　escape　to　the　half…giant's　side　of　the　fire。　Realizing　they　were　pinned　between　the　half…giant　and　the　blaze；　they　looked　for　some　avenue　of　escape；　eyeing　the　huge　beast　warily。
　　　Lumbering　to　its　feet　again；　the　half…giant　began　striding　purposefully　toward　them；　gripping　its　war　axe　with　both　hands。　Almost　as　one；　the　drow　turned　and　fled　to　the　side　of　the　street；　leaping　over　the　edge　and　drifting　downward　into　the　smoky　vastness　below。
　　　At　almost　the　same　moment；　the　street　shifted；　tilting　sideways；　and　the　half…giant　stumbled　toward　the　edge。　Aliisza　watched　as　the　massive　humanoid　looked　around　wildly；　trying　to　find　out　why　its　footing　had　grown　precarious　so　suddenly。　She　saw；　too；　that　the　fire　it　had　started　with　its　incendiary　pots　had　already　burned　through　a　significant　portion　of　the　calcified　webbing　that　was　the　street；　and　it　was　ing　apart。　The　other　end　had　already　been　weakened　by　the　impact　from　the　rubble；　and　a　whole　section　of　thoroughfare　shifted　and　groaned。　The　alu　knew　it　wouldn't　remain　together　for　much　longer。
　　　Amazingly；　the　half…giant　ran　toward　the　fire；　taking　great；　lumbering　strides　that　shook　the　crumbling　roadway　and　caused　chunks　of　it　to　fall　away　from　the　fiery　crack。　As　the　entire　path　shuddered　and　snapped　free；　tipping　downward；　hinged　where　the　pile　of　slag　had　dropped　on　it　earlier；　the　creature　leaped；　crossing　the　distance；　passing　through　the　roiling　flames。　Aliisza's　mouth　dropped　in　amazement。　The　half…giant　cleared　the　flames；　reaching　the　other　side；　landing　with　a　mammoth　thump　that　made　the　projecting　end　of　the　street　that　was　still　intact　quiver　and　bounce。
　　　Behind　the　half…giant；　the　falling　piece　of　street　went　tumbling　down　into　the　darkness　below；　eventually　landing　somewhere　with　a　thunderous　boom。　Ahead　of　the　towering　humanoid；　three　drow　stood　staring　at　the　hulking　creature；　mouths　agape。　Even　from　her　vantage　point；　Aliisza　could　see　that　the　half…giant　smiled　as　it　advanced。　It　raised　its　war　axe　and　plodded　forward。　The　wizard　panicked　and　turned　to　flee；　leaving　only　two　soldiers　to　face　the　creature。　Surprisingly；　they　turned　as　one　to　meet　the　advancing　half…giant。　One　of　the　two　took　a　tentative　step　forward；　measuring　where　and　how　he　would　attack；　when　he　was　shoved　hard　from　behind　by　his　panion；　who　turned　and　retreated。
　　　The　first　drow　stumbled；　off…balance；　right　into　the　path　of　the　half…giant。　Aliisza　smirked。　The　fleeing　dark　elf　was　sacrificing　his　partner　so　that　he　could　escape。
　　　Raising　its　war　axe；　the　half…giant　prepared　to　cleave　the　sprawled　male　in　half。　Desperately；　the　dark　elf　raised　his　long　sword　and　rammed　it　into　the　half…giant's　stomach。
　　　The　creature　roared；　arching　its　back；　and　its　downward　swing　went　awry；　biting　through　the　drow's　arm　instead　of　his　torso。　The　dark　elf　screamed　as　the　half…giant　fell　forward；　collapsing　on　him　and　driving　the　sword　deeper　into　itself。
　　　The　soldier　had　dealt　the　killing　blow；　Aliisza　realized；　as　the　half…giant　lay　on　top　of　him；　unmoving。　The　boy　cried　out　in　pain。　He　was　trapped；　pinned　beneath　the　half…giant's　weight　and　with　only　one　good　arm　to　try　to　free　himself。
　　　〃Ilphrim！　Ilphrim；　help　me！〃　the　drow　cried　out；　but　Ilphrim　was　long　gone；　and　the　fire　burned　closer。
　　　Aliisza　sighed。　The　battle　had　been　particularly　entertaining；　but　it　appeared　to　be　over；　though　the　wounded　drow　pinned　beneath　the　half…giant　still　squirmed　occasionally。　She　considered　his　panion's　treachery；　pushing　him　into　the　path　of　the　rampaging　half…giant；　to　be　very　clever。　She　laughed　quietly。
　　　The　trapped　and　dying　drow　moved　his　arm　again；　futilely　trying　to　shift　the　weight　of　the　half…giant　off　himself　so　he　could　wriggle　free；　but　Aliisza　knew　he　would　never　do　it；　not　with　only　one　arm。
　　　In　a　sudden　and　very　uncharacteristic　act　of　passion；　the　alu…fiend　leaped　off　her　perch　and　floated　down　to　where　the　dark　elf　lay　feebly　squirming。　The　drow　spotted　her　and　tensed；　eyeing　her　warily。　She　only　smiled　and　nudged　a　discarded　dagger　a　bit　closer　to　him；　so　that　it　was　within　reach　of　his　free　hand。　Stepping　back；　she　waited　and　watched　to　see　if　he　would　do　the　right　thing。
　　　The　drow　contemplated　her　for　a　moment；　then　he　seemed　to　nod　in　understanding。　He　took　hold　of　the　dagger　and　saluted　Aliisza　with　it　before　he　started　cutting　pieces　off　the　half…giants　corpse。　It　was　going　to　take　a　while；　and　it　was　already　messy；　but　he　might　just　cut　his　way　free　before　the　web　street　collapsed。
　　　Smiling　in　satisfaction；　Aliisza　turned　away　and　headed　back　up　to　her　original　vantage　point；　worrying　anew　over　Pharauns　fate。
　　　THIRTEEN
　　　The　five　drow　worked　their　way　into　the　bowels　of　House　Melarn　for　what　seemed　like　hours；　though　Pharaun　was　fairly　certain　they'd　only　been　at　it　for　about　fifteen　minutes。　On　several　occasions；　the　group　was　forced　to　stop　while　a　member　of　the　House　guard　crossed　paths　with　them；　and　once；　Halisstra　actually　posed　as　a　member　of　House　Zauvirr；　issuing　orders　to　a　group　of　sentries　to　head　to　the　surface　to　help　in　the　defense　of　the　House。
　　　〃The　lower　levels　are　not　usually　very　heavily　occupied；〃　Halisstra　said　at　one　point。　〃I　suspect　most　of　Ssipriina's　servants　and　troops　are　above；　aiding　in　the　defense　of　the　House。　It's　not　much　farther；　now。〃
　　　　　　　The　mage　nodded　as　the　five　of　them　continued　on　their　way。　More　than　once；　Pharaun　caught　himself　gazing　in　infatuation　at　the　gorgeous　creature　beside　him。　She　seemed　to　be　considerably　unhappy　at　the　state　of　things；　especially　the　fact　that　she　was　helpless　to　defend　herself　with　her　arms　bound　as　they　were；　but　she　kept　her　gaze　cast　demurely　down；　and　the　wizard　only　found　this　to　be　even　more　endearing。
　　　The　group　took　one　last　stairwell　down　and　found　themselves　in　a　dismal　cell　block。　The　hall　was　undecorated；　unlike　the　posh　elegance　of　the　levels　above；　and　the　stale　stench　of　unwashed　bodies；　faint　though　it　was；　gave　a　certain　hint　of　what　was　to　be　found　there。　Halisstra　led　the　five　of　them　to　a　doorway　at　the　end　of　a　short　hall。　It　was　stout　and　obviously　designed　to　withstand　considerable　force。
　　　The　drow　priestess　stepped　up　to　the　portal　and　waved　her　House　Melarn　brooch　before　it。　There　was　an　audible　click　as　the　magic　of　the　insignia　operated　the　locks　set　into　the　door。　Halisstra　pushed　the　door　aside　and　moved　through　into　the　chamber　beyond；　which　appeared　to　be　a　guard　room；　currently　empty。　At　the　far　side　of　the　chamber；　a　hallway　stretched　off　into　darkness。
　　　Pharaun；　spotting　movement　in　the　corridor　there；　put　a　finger　to　his　lips　and　motioned　for　quiet。
　　　Someone　is　there。　Be　alert…and　no　noise；　he　signed；　pointing　to　both　Halisstra　and　Danifae。
　　　The　two　drow　females　nodded；　and　Pharaun　gestured　for　Halisstra　to　proceed。　As　she　entered　the　hallway；　the　others　followed　her　in。　The　majority　of　the　cells　were　empty；　their　doors　standing　open　and　the　chambers　within　dark　and　silent。　However；　about　halfway　down；　Pharaun　could　detect　the　low　voice　of　someone　speaking。　It　emanated　from　one　of　the　cells　on　his　right；　and　he　could　just　see　the　door　being　swung　shut　from　inside。
　　　Moving　as　quietly　as　they　could；　the　five　of　them　closed　the　gap　to　the　doorway。　The　portal　was　not　pletely　sealed；　and　Pharaun　was　able　to　peer　inside　the　cell。　Quenthel　was　there；　naked　and　crouched　against　the　far　wall。　A　heavy　steel　collar　was　around　her　neck；　with　a　thick　chain　running　from　it　to　a　bolt　set　into　the　stone　of　the　wall。　The　high　priestess　was　gagged　with　some　sort　of　thick　bit　that　was　wedged　tightly　in　her　mouth；　and　her　arms　were　obviously　incapacitated；　stuck　together　in　some　sort　of　thick；　viscous　black　blob　in　front　of　her。　She　had　been　very　effectively　immobilized；　and　Pharaun　understood　all　too　well；　pletely　prohibited　from　casting；　should　she　still　have　a　divine　enchantment　locked　away　after　all　this　time　without　contact　with　Lolth。
　　　To　one　side；　against　another　wall　of　the　cell；　Jeggred　stood　glowering。　He　too　was　chained　to　the　wall；　thick　bands　of　adamantine　encasing　his　neck；　arms；　and　legs。　Pharaun　could　see　that　the　restraints　were　magically　strengthened；　but　even　so；　the　draegloth　strained　against　them；　refusing　to　admit　even　for　a　moment　that　he　was　not　going　to　break　free。　Again　and　again；　Jeggred　jerked　on　the　chains；　causing　them　to　rattle　against　the　wall　as　he　tried　to　lunge　at　the　object　of　his　wrath。
　　　Faeryl　Zauvirr　stood　just　a　little　way　out　of　the　draegloths　reach；　her　back　to　Pharaun　and　Halisstra。　She　was　standing　over　Quenthel　in　the　middle　of　a　scathing　taunt。
　　　〃。　。　。　know　you　would　have　loved　to　tell　the　matron　mothers　the　truth；　but　it's　too　late　for　that　now。　I　only　regret　that　we　didn't　have　more　time　spend　together；　Quenthel。〃
　　　Her　voice　dripped　with　acid。
　　　〃e　a　little　closer；　Faeryl；〃　Jeggred　said；　his　deep　voice　flat　with　malice。　〃Let　me　caress　yo