war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第43章

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　　　Halisstra　looked　sharply　at　the　wizard　and　asked；　〃What　gives　you　that　impression？〃
　　　〃The　blasts　we're　feeling　are　due　to　incendiary　alchemy。　We　encountered　similar　destruction　back　home　recently。　Whoever　is　supplying　the　duergar　with　them　may　be　associated　with　the　forces　we　dealt　with　in　Menzoberranzan；　and　I　will　warn　you　now；　the　stone　does　indeed　burn。　We　will　be　at　risk　as　long　as　we　remain　inside　your　House。〃
　　　Halisstra　looked　fearful；　but　she　nodded　in　thanks。
　　　〃Then　the　sooner　I　can　get　you　what　you　want；　the　sooner　we　can　get　outside　and　find　out　for　sure。　Danifae；　I　want　you　to　ply　with　their　instructions。　Do　you　understand　me？〃
　　　With　a　small　sigh；　the　other　drow　female　nodded。
　　　〃Yes；　Mistress；〃　she　answered　then　moved　over　so　that　Valas　could　use　a　length　of　cord　to　bind　her　hands　securely　behind　her　back。
　　　〃Wonderful。　It's　nice　to　see　how　we're　all　getting　along　so　well　together；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃Now；　Halisstra　Melarn；　why　don't　you　lead　the　way？〃
　　　〃Before　I　do；　allow　me　to　help　you　in　a　more　immediate　way。　Let　me　heal　your　injuries。〃
　　　Pharaun　glanced　over　at　Ryld；　who　subtly　shook　his　head；　frown…ing。　Shrugging；　the　wizard　decided　to　ignore　his　panion's　con…cerns。　His　face　hurt　where　the　acid　had　burned　him。
　　　〃All　right；〃　he　answered；　〃you　can　tend　to　me。　But　if　this　is　a　trick；　my　two　patriots　here　will　see　to　it　that　it　never　happens　again。〃
　　　〃I　understand；〃　Halisstra　said。　〃I'm　just　going　to　pull　a　wand　out；　so　please　don't　get　jumpy；　all　right？〃
　　　Pharaun　nodded　and　waited　as　the　daughter　of　Drisinil　Melarn　produced　the　wand　and　utilized　it。　The　mage　immediately　felt　the　effects　of　the　divine　magic　and　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief。
　　　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said。
　　　Quickly　enough；　Halisstra　similarly　healed　both　Ryld　and　Valas。
　　　〃There　。　。　。　you　see？〃　she　said；　tucking　the　wand　away　again。　〃We　really　are　on　your　side。〃
　　　〃Indeed；〃　Pharaun　replied　nonmittally。　〃We'll　just　develop　the　trust　slowly；　I　think。　If　you　please？〃　he　said；　gesturing　down　the　hallway。
　　　Halisstra　eyed　the　wizard　for　a　moment；　as　if　assessing　whether　or　not　she　was　making　a　mistake；　then　turned　and　set　off　down　the　corridor。　Ryld　walked　close　by　her　side；　Splitter　hovering　protectively　close　to　her。
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　　　Aliisza　was　not　certain　exactly　when　the　battle　outside　the　noble　House　had　gotten　so　out　of　hand；　but　it　was　clearly　being　a　major　engagement；　drawing　the　attention　of　the　entire　city。
　　　Sitting　on　the　edge　of　a　building　that　hung　off　the　side　of　a　web　street　several　street　levels　above　the　raging　bat；　her　feet　dangling　off　into　space；　she　watched　anxiously　as　yet　another　wave　of　goblins　and　kobolds　crashed　into　the　ranks　of　duergar　positioned　around　the　spacious　structure。
　　　The　alu　wasn't　sure　why　she　felt　worry　over　the　oute　of　the　clash。　Oh；　she　understood　well　enough　that　she　actually　felt　concern　for　Pharaun's　well…being。　She　just　didn't　understand　why　she　did。　She　wouldn't　have　imagined　that　she　would　care　at　all　for　the　drow；　and　indeed　her　feelings　were　nothing　close　to　true　affection。　Still；　she　found　him　clever　and　amusing；　and　she　had　enjoyed　her　time　with　him　earlier　in　the　day。
　　　I　guess　I'm　just　not　through　with　him；　she　decided。
　　　So　she　waited　and　watched；　wondering　if　he　was　going　to　get　out　alive。　She　knew　he　might　have　managed　to　transport　himself　and　his　two　panions　someplace　else　by　means　of　an　extradimensional　doorway　or　similar　magic。　That　was　the　most　likely　possibility；　actually；　and　she　doubted　he　was　still　inside。　For　some　reason；　though；　she　felt　pelled　to　stay　and　watch。　Something　in　the　back　of　her　mind　told　her　that　the　wizard　was　still　there。
　　　At　least　the　battle　is　interesting；　Aliisza　mused。
　　　The　gray　dwarves　had　soundly　defeated　the　initial　force　of　drow；　pinning　the　dark　elves　between　the　two　lines　of　attackers　like　steel　caught　between　hammer　and　anvil。　The　dark　elves　were　flattened　and　slaughtered　in　a　matter　of　moments。　Some　lucky　few　had　managed　to　get　inside　the　front　door　of　the　manse；　but　the　duergar　were　in　the　process　of　battering　that　down。　Aliisza　doubted　the　portal　would　hold　much　longer。
　　　Beyond　the　walls　of　the　estate；　more　drow　marched　to　relieve　the　siege　or　perhaps　to　gain　their　fair　share　of　the　spoils。　Arriving　quickly；　driving　slave　troops　before　them；　the　new　force　was　larger　than　the　duergar's；　and　the　gray　dwarves　found　their　position　reversed；　defending　the　house　rather　than　attacking　it。　Though　the　goblins　and　kobolds　outnumbered　the　duergar　by　a　substantial　ratio；　they　were　no　match　for　the　gray　dwarves'　battle　tactics　and　incendiary　pots。　Three　times；　the　drow　had　forced　their　army　of　lesser　beings　to　assault　the　walls；　and　three　times　they　had　been　repulsed；　suffering　heavy　casualties。
　　　Aliisza　understood　the　tactic　all　too　well；　though。　The　duergar　were　forced　to　expend　magic　to　defend　themselves；　and　the　drow　were　happy　to　sacrifice　their　shock　troops　in　exchange　for　draining　the　gray　dwarves'　reserves　of　magic。　They　were　only　slaves；　after　all。　A　few　more　waves；　and　perhaps　the　duergar　would　begin　to　break。
　　　The　only　problem；　Aliisza　realized；　was　that　the　duergar　had　utilized　such　a　large　quantity　of　the　incendiary　clay　pots　that　most　of　the　plaza　was　burning。　The　air　was　getting　thick　with　smoke；　and　the　drow　were　forced　to　stay　back　from　the　spreading　conflagration。　In　several　places；　the　palatial　house　was　burning　too；　and　Aliisza　wondered　how　much　damage　the　building　could　sustain　before　it　began　to　break　apart。　Though　she　knew　the　stone…shaping　forces　used　to　build　the　city　had　made　the　web　streets　and　their　attached　structures　as　strong　as　steel；　the　abode　was　still　precariously　perched。　If　enough　of　the　stone　burned；　the　whole　house　might　break　away。
　　　That　would　be　a　sight　to　see。
　　　Aliisza　spotted　a　motion　down　a　side　street；　not　far　from　the　plaza　where　the　bulk　of　the　fighting　had　been　taking　place。　There　were　a　handful　of　drow　there；　but　little　else。　The　alu　supposed　they　might　have　been　a　scouting　or　screening　force。
　　　The　fiend　decided　to　move　in　for　a　closer　look。　She　stepped　over　the　side　of　the　roof　and　dropped　down　to　another；　two　levels　below；　magically　slowing　her　descent。　She　crouched　low　as　a　half…giant　passed；　not　wanting　to　distract　the　creature。
　　　The　half…giant　strode　along　the　wide　street；　its　war　axe　held　loosely　in　its　hand。　The　blade　of　the　weapon　was　slick　with　blood；　dripping　a　trail　behind　it　as　it　moved。　The　air　was　thick　with　smoke。
　　　A　gang　of　dark　elves；　soldiers　led　by　priestesses　and　wizards；　poured　into　the　street　in　the　distance；　organized　and　grim；　seeking　to　stop　the　half…giant。　Before　they　could　take　three　steps　in　the　direction　of　their　quarry；　a　huge　chunk　of　something　crashed　to　the　street　between　them。　The　weight　of　it　shook　the　street；　and　the　sound　it　made　was　like　a　thousand　blades　striking　a　thousand　shields。　It　made　the　half…giant　nearly　fall；　and　it　had　to　drop　to　one　knee　before　it　pletely　lost　its　balance。
　　　Aliisza　peered　through　the　smoke　to　see　what　had　landed　atop　the　web　street。　It　was　nothing　but　a　smoking　pile　of　rock；　but　the　fiend　could　tell　that　it　had　been　a　part　of　the　street　overhead。　Actually；　it　looked　like　part　of　the　street　and　a　couple　of　buildings。　The　whole　pile　of　rubble　was　ablaze；　thick　plumes　of　smoke　pouring　off　it。　She　looked　up；　wondering　where　the　chunk　of　the　city　had　e　from。
　　　Even　through　the　smoky　haze；　Aliisza　could　see　a　thoroughfare　above　them；　crossing　at　an　angle；　connecting　to　the　besieged　House。　A　large　chunk　of　the　road　was　missing；　as　if　a　huge　bite　had　been　taken　out　of　the　immense　spiderweb　strand。　Flames　still　licked　the　stone　of　the　causeway　where　it　had　broken　off；　bringing　a　small　part　of　the　House　with　it。　The　rest　of　the　immense　structure　still　sat　where　it　had；　but　Aliisza　realized　that　more　of　it　could　go　at　any　moment。　The　alu　saw　how　dangerous　it　was　to　be　down　there；　below　the　burning　stone。
　　　The　half…giant　must　have　sensed　this　too；　for　it　turned　to　move　back　along　the　street；　retracing　its　steps。　That's　when　a　second　drow　patrol　came　into　view。　It　was　a　small　group；　no　more　than　five　or　six；　but　their　leader　was　a　wizard；　and　he　had　a　wand　in　his　hand。　The　wizard　gestured　with　the　wand　and　a　crackling　bolt　of　electricity　shot　out　of　the　end　of　it；　catching　the　half…giant　square　in　the　chest。　The　creature　howled　in　pain　as　its　hair　burned　away。　It　nearly　dropped　its　war　axe；　and　even　after　the　attack　was　over；　Aliisza　saw　that　the　beast　couldn't　work　its　fingers　right　for　a　moment。　The　dark　elves　swarmed　toward　it；　crossbows　and　swords　out　and　ready。
　　　The　half…giant　wasn't　so　easily　felled。　Aliisza　watched；　fascinated；　as　the　towering　humanoid　fumbled　in　its　hip　pouch　and　pulled　out　a　handful　of　clay　jugs。　From　one　knee；　it　threw　them　in　the　direction　of　the　charging　drow。　Miraculously；　its　aim　was　very　good；　and　almost　all　of　the　containers　flew　toward　the　dark　elves；　who　shied　away　when　they　saw　what　was　ing。　The　jugs　shattered　on　the　street　and　burst　into　flame；　sending　a　wall　of　fire　and　smoke　skyward　in　a　blast　that　Aliisza　could　feel　on　her　face。
　　　By　the　Abyss；