war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第15章

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　the　draegloth；　and　the　rest　of　the　group　pressed　in　close　behind　the　scout；　fearful　of　getting　cut　off　in　the　madness　and　winding　up　lost；　Valas　noted　that　time　and　again　sullen…looking　faces　glowered　at　Jeggred　while　he　growled　and　rumbled　at　everyone　to　stand　aside。　They　all　did；　intimidated　by　the　formidable　creature。
　　　There　were　few　drow　low　in　the　city；　but　just　about　every　other　race　was　present。　Many　of　the　slave　races；　as　well　as　representatives　of　the　other　major　Underdark　nations；　clamored　with　one　another；　shouting；　pushing；　bartering；　or　just　milling　about。　The　Menzober…ranyr　stood　out；　and　it　was　plain　that　they　were　being　sized　up　by　the　populace。　Sooner　or　later；　there　was　going　to　be　a　problem。
　　　More　than　once；　Valas　felt　the　brush　of　a　hand　or　finger　as　someone　in　the　milling　crowd　deftly　attempted　to　pilfer　a　trinket　from　one　of　his　pockets。　He　had　already　snatched　two　hands　away　from　the　charms　pinned　to　the　front　of　his　shirt；　leaving　each　with　a　nasty　gash　across　the　palm　from　one　of　his　kukris。
　　　Valas　turned　and　glanced　over　his　shoulder。　Faeryl　and　Quenthel　were　both　right　behind　him；　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　threatening　bystanders　with　her　horrid　whip。　Behind　the　two　priestesses；　Pharaun　held　his　piwafwi　closed　and　kept　his　head　bowed；　protecting　himself　from　the　press　of　the　crowd。　Ryld　brought　up　the　rear；　using　his　bulk　to　shield　the　wizard　in　front　of　him。
　　　This　is　ridiculous；　the　scout　thought；　shaking　his　head。　We've　got　to　get　out　of　this　part　of　town。
　　　He　started　to　lean　over　and　tell　Quenthel　when　a　disturbance　in　front　of　Jeggred　interrupted　him。　Valas　turned　back　in　time　to　see　the　draegloth　pounce　on　an　ogre　armed　with　a　greatsword　that　was　blocking　the　path。　A　second　ogre　stood　beside　him；　hefting　a　spiked　club　and　glaring。
　　　Jeggred　leaped　forward　like　a　coiled　spring；　raking　one　of　his　razor…sharp　claws　across　the　front　of　the　first　ogre。　The　attack　was　so　sudden；　the　creature　didn't　even　have　time　to　react。　It　stared　down　at　its　stomach　as　blood　sprayed。　Several　screams　erupted　from　the　crowd　as　some　struggled　to　get　out　of　the　way　and　others　pushed　and　shoved　to　get　a　better　view…or　a　chance　to　scavenge　the　bodies。　The　first　ogre　opened　its　mouth　to　scream；　sinking　down　to　one　knee　and　holding　its　hands　across　its　midsection；　as　Jeggred　slashed　again；　ripping　the　humanoid's　throat　out。　The　ogre　gurgled　and　flailed；　wide…eyed　with　fear。
　　　The　second　ogre　snarled　and　swung　its　club　at　Jeggred；　slamming　the　spiked　weapon　into　the　draegloth's　shoulder。　The　fiend　spun　with　the　blow；　his　mane　of　white　hair　flowing　behind　him。　The　twist　avoided　the　worst　of　the　damage　and　brought　Jeggred　back　to　face　his　enemy　from　a　crouched　position。
　　　　　　　At　that　moment；　Valas　was　knocked　sideways　by　a　lunging　goblin；　teeth　bared　and　daggers　drawn。　Before　the　scout　could　kick　the　wretch　away　from　him；　Quenthel　lashed　out　with　her　whip。　Several　pairs　of　fangs　sank　into　the　goblins　flesh；　and　it　fell　to　the　ground；　writhing　and　frothing　at　the　mouth。　Valas　lurched　back　to　his　feet　before　more　of　the　throng　could　surge　over　him。　He　put　his　back　to　Quenthel　and　openly　brandished　his　kukris；　holding　back　several　shouting；　cursing　gray　dwarves。
　　　The　entourage　had　formed　a　defensive　circle；　Valas　realized。　Ryld　had　Splitter　out；　and　the　wizard's　magical　rapier　danced　in　the　air　before　him；　while　Pharaun　himself　held　a　small　wand　of　some　sort；　eyeing　the　increasingly　angry　crowd。　Even　Faeryl　held　her　hammer　in　her　hands；　swinging　it　back　and　forth　experimentally。　Only　Jeggred　wasn't　a　part　of　the　defensive　formation；　having　moved　a　few　feet　off；　finishing　his　bloody　work　with　the　two　ogres。　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　Valas　could　see　the　fiend　biting　his　foe；　ripping　chunks　of　the　ogre's　face　off。
　　　〃We've　got　to　get　higher！〃　Valas　yelled　at　Quenthel　over　his　shoulder。　When　the　high　priestess　didn't　seem　to　hear　him；　he　repeated　himself。　〃Mistress　Quenthel；　we　need　to　get　to　a　higher　section　of　the　city。　This　is　not　working！〃
　　　Next　to　him；　Pharaun　jerked　as　a　crossbow　bolt　snapped　against　his　piwafwi；　Someone　was　taking　potshots　from　the　crowd。
　　　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃　Quenthel　called　back；　extending　her　whip　and　flailing　at　an　unfortunate　kobold　that　had　squeezed　to　the　front　of　the　gathering　and　was　shoved　forward　from　behind。
　　　〃Follow　me！〃　Faeryl　cried；　and　she　began　to　lift　from　the　ground；　rising　up　into　the　air。　〃We　must　get　to　the　mercantile　district；　and　this　is　the　fastest　way。〃
　　　No；〃　Valas　groaned；　eyes　widening。　〃I　can't…！　I　have　no　way　to　stay　with　you！〃
　　　But　it　was　too　late。　The　other　drow　had　began　to　follow　the　ambassador's　example　and　were　lifting　from　the　ground。　Valas　backed　into　the　center　of　what　had　once　been　their　circle；　warily　eyeing　the　crowd　around　him。
　　　〃Ryld！〃　he　shouted。　〃Wait！〃
　　　Valas　saw　the　warrior　look　down　at　him；　but　before　the　other　〃row　could　take　action；　Valas　was　grabbed　from　behind。　He　tried　to　spin　around　and　slash　out　with　his　kukri；　but　the　grip　on　him　was　powerful；　and　he　couldn't　get　a　clean　swing　in。　A　split…second　later；　he　was　glad；　for　Jeggred　was　the　one　who　had　a　hold　of　him。　Coated　in　blood　that　matted　the　fiend's　fur；　the　draegloth　held　tightly　to　the　scout　as　he　left　the　ground。　A　couple　of　bold　gray　dwarves　stormed　forward；　intent　on　getting　in　a　parting　swipe　with　their　war　axes　at　Valas's　feet；　but　Jeggred　still　had　a　large；　clawed　hand　free　and　slashed　out　at　them；　forcing　the　pair　of　duergar　to　leap　back　to　safety。
　　　Several　more　crossbow　bolts　whizzed　by；　and　one　sank　into　the　draegloth's　flank　next　to　Valas；　but　Jeggred　only　grunted　and　spun　away；　levitating　upward　to　where　the　other　drow　had　gone。　Valas　looked　back　down　where　they　had　been　standing　only　moments　before。　Even　as　the　webbed　street　receded；　the　scout　saw　the　mob　swarm　over　the　dead　ogres；　ripping　items　of　value　from　the　bodies。
　　　Savages；　he　thought。
　　　Above；　Faeryl　had　stopped　on　a　smaller　side　street　several　levels　higher　than　where　the　drow　had　been　previously；　in　a　quiet　space　between　rows　of　vendors。　In　the　main　thoroughfare；　the　crowds　were　less　dense　than　below；　but　only　slightly。　Valas　knew　they　were　still　relatively　low　in　the　city；　for　the　glimmering　glow　of　spectral　light　that　emanated　from　the　mesh　of　stone　webs　still　dazzled　his　sight　when　he　looked　up；　twinkling　far　into　the　distance　overhead。　He　knew　that　the　higher　they　got；　the　better　the　neighborhoods　would　be。　Near　the　top　of　the　cavern；　where　the　trench…shaped　chamber　was　at　its　widest；　the　nobles　had　constructed　their　sprawling　Houses　sufficiently　beyond　the　stench　and　noise　of　the　mon　folk　far　below。　The　Menzoberranyr　had　quite　a　ways　to　go　before　they　would　be　in　that　vicinity。
　　　〃Is　it　always　that　。　。　。　revolting　down　there？〃　Quenthel　asked　as　the　group　settled　to　the　stone　avenue；　huddling　together　and　keeping　their　voices　low。　〃Why　do　the　matron　mothers　tolerate　that　rabble？〃
　　　Jeggred　released　Valas；　who　straightened　and　turned　to　look　at　the　draegloth；　wondering　how　much　of　the　blood　on　the　fiend　was　his　enemies'　and　how　much　was　his　own。　Much　of　Jeggred's　fur　was　matted　with　the　hot；　sticky　fluid；　but　other　than　the　crossbow　bolt　in　his　hip；　the　beast　didn't　seem　to　bear　any　wounds。　The　scout　examined　his　own　clothing　and　noted　sullenly　that　he　was　sticky　with　ogre　blood；　too。
　　　〃The　lesser　races　are　not　permitted　to　wander　so　freely　in　the　higher　sections　of　the　city　without　special　permission；〃　Faeryl　explained。　〃It'll　get　better　once　we　get　a　little　higher。〃
　　　〃I　doubt　it；〃　the　high　priestess　said；　sniffing。　〃I　doubt　the　matron　mothers　would　suffer　such　an　embarrassment　lightly。　Likely　they're　dealing　with　more　urgent　problems；　and　I　think　we　all　know　what　those　urgent　problems　are。〃
　　　Over　Quenthel's　shoulder；　Valas　could　see　a　trio　of　female　drow　who　had　stopped　and　were　staring　at　Jeggred　as　the　fiend　yanked　the　crossbow　bolt　free　with　a　grunt　of　pain。　One　of　the　dark　elves　whispered　something　to　her　panions；　and　the　three　of　them　scurried　away。
　　　Pharaun　was　making　a　point　of　dusting　his　piwafwi　clean　and　straightening　the　garment　so　that　he　was　looking　stylish　and　well　groomed　again。
　　　〃You　are　most　likely　correct；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said；　nodding　in　acquiescence。　〃Still；　it　would　not　hurt　for　us　to　find　a　place　to　stay　for　the　night；　gathering　our　wits　and　perhaps　some　more　information；　too。　I'm　sure　that　between　the　six　of　us；　we　can　find　out　a　little　more　about　why　the　city　is　in　this　condition。〃
　　　〃Finding　a　place　to　stay　may　prove　difficult；〃　Ryld　mented。　〃I　wonder　if　there's　a　vacant　room　to　be　had　in　all　of　Ched　Nasad。〃
　　　Valas　frowned；　imagining　the　looks　they　would　receive　as　they　inquired　after　acmodations。
　　　If　we　can；〃　the　scout　said；　〃your　bodyguard　will　attract　substantial　attention。　Even　now；　we　are　drawing　looks。　We　should　not　stay　out　in　the　open　for　much　longer。〃
　　　Quenthel　dug　in　her　pack　of　supplies　and　produced　a　wand。　Moving　closer　to　Jeggred；　she　aimed　the　magical　device　at　the　drae…gloths　bleeding　puncture　wound　and　uttered　a　few　words。　The　bleed…ing　stopped；　and　the　hole　began　to　close。
　　　Be　more　careful；〃　the　hig