war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第59章

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　　　〃I　don't　know；〃　Halisstra　said　from　somewhere　behind　the　wizard。
　　　〃Once　is　too　many；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃We've　got　to　get　out　of　here。〃
　　　He　spun　away　from　the　massive　arachnids；　ready　to　sprint　in　the　opposite　direction。
　　　〃Wait！〃　Halisstra　cried；　pointing。
　　　The　mage　glanced　back　once　more。
　　　Danifae　was　still　limping　badly　and　had　not　been　able　to　keep　up。　As　the　second　spider　passed　through　the　portal；　it　appeared　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　battle　captive。　She　was　trapped　between　the　two　creatures；　and　was　sprawled　in　the　middle　of　the　street　as　well。
　　　〃She's　hurt！〃　Halisstra　cried。
　　　She　took　a　tentative　step　forward　to　go　to　the　aid　of　her　attendant。
　　　〃Don't　be　a　fool；〃　Ryld　said；　grabbing　the　priestess　by　the　arm　as　Jeggred　and　Quenthel　joined　them。　〃You'll　only　get　yourself　killed；　too。〃
　　　Halisstra　jerked　herself　free　and　took　another　step　out　into　the　open。
　　　〃I　don't　care；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　going　to　help　her。〃
　　　With　that；　the　First　Daughter　of　House　Melarn　dashed　across　the　open　area　to　where　her　servant　was　struggling　to　regain　her　feet。
　　　The　spiders　sensed　the　movement；　and　both　of　them　began　to　close　in。
　　　
　　　SEVENTEEN
　　　Pharaun　cursed　and　took　a　step　after　Halisstra；　thinking　he　might　have　to　magically　cloak　the　two　of　them　In　order　to　save　them。
　　　〃Don't；〃　Quenthel　ordered。　〃Danifae　was　unlucky　enough　to　be　wounded。　I　will　not　exhaust　either　resources　or　time　saving　her。　Let's　go　while　the　spiders　are　distracted。〃
　　　〃But…〃　Pharaun　began；　but　when　he　saw　the　look　in　the　high　priestess's　eyes；　he　shook　his　head　and　stepped　back　into　the　alley。　He　regretted　the　idea　of　losing　them…or　at　least；　losing　the　beautiful　Danifae。　〃Very　well；〃　he　said。
　　　〃I'm　not　leaving；〃　Ryld　said；　and　he　turned　to　sprint　out　into　the　street；　following　Halisstra。
　　　〃No！〃　Quenthel　shouted　at　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　but　it　was　too　late。　Ryld　was　already　ten　steps　away；　removing　Splitter　from　its　sheath　on　his　back　as　he　charged　toward　the　closest　of　the　two　spiders。　〃Damn　you　all　to　the　Abyss！〃　Quenthel　raged。
　　　Shrugging；　Pharaun　turned　and　followed　the　weapons　master。
　　　〃Go　after　them！〃　Quenthel　growled　from　behind　the　wizard。
　　　Pharaun　could　only　assume　she　was　talking　to　him；　though　why　she　was　ordering　him　to　do　something　he　had　already　made　up　his　mind　to　acplish；　he　couldn't　fathom。　Soon　enough；　though；　the　draegloth　flashed　past　him；　sprinting　down　the　street　in　the　direction　he　also　traveled。
　　　The　mage　pulled　up　a　few　yards　from　the　closest　spider；　watching　as　Halisstra　reached　her　servant　and　knelt　down。　Somehow；　along　the　way；　she　had　fumbled　a　wand　free　from　her　cloak；　and　she　quickly　utilized　it；　causing　both　drow　to　disappear。　The　spider；　looming　over　the　spot　where　the　pair　had　just　been　visible；　snapped　down　once；　clacking　its　mandibles　together　in　obvious　frustration。　The　beast　began　moving　its　head　back　and　forth；　trying　to　find　its　prey。　In　the　distance；　the　second　spider　had　turned　its　attention　to　something　else。　Fortunately；　it　was　not　ing　their　way…at　least　for　the　moment。
　　　Pharaun；　of　course；　could　still　see　the　two　females；　for　he　was　aware　of　the　magic　they　radiated。　It　appeared　to　him　that　Halisstra　was　dragging　Danifae　to　the　side；　out　of　harm's　way；　but　the　spider　somehow　sensed　where　the　two　females　were；　and　it　dipped　its　head　again；　missing　a　direct　bite　but　ing　close　enough　with　its　attack　that　it　grazed　Halisstra；　knocking　her　down。　Shivering　in　delight　at　having　felt　its　prey；　the　spider　raised　up　for　another　attack。
　　　Ryld　had　almost　reached　the　creature；　and　his　long　legs　covered　the　remaining　distance　quickly。　He　leaped　through　the　air；　Splitter　raised　high　overhead。　As　the　warrior　sailed　past　the　hindmost　leg　of　the　giant　spider；　he　swung　the　greatsword　around　with　all　his　might；　cutting　cleanly　through　the　appendage。　Black　blood　spurted　everywhere；　and　the　spider　reared　up；　kicking　with　its　ruined　leg　and　barely　missing　the　weapons　master。
　　　At　nearly　the　same　time；　Jeggred　launched　himself　into　the　air　toward　another　leg；　grabbing　a　hold　of　the　spider　and　climbing　upward。　Pharaun　could　see　the　draegloth's　claws　extended；　and　the　fiend　used　them　to　great　effect　as　he　quickly　ascended　the　creatures　limb。　Fearlessly；　Jeggred　slashed　and　clawed　his　way　to　the　spiders　body　and　began　to　climb　the　slick　black　abdomen；　working　his　way　higher　and　higher。
　　　The　effect　of　the　two　attacks　was　instantaneous。　The　spider　jerked　away　from　its　intended　meal　and　spun　around；　looking　to　bite　whatever　tormented　it。　Its　one　ruined　leg　twitched　erratically；　but　otherwise　the　arachnid　lost　none　of　its　stability。　Ryld　had　rolled　into　a　crouch　after　his　sweeping　sword　strike；　and　he　had　Splitter　up；　ready　to　fend　off　the　spider　as　it　maneuvered　to　face　him。
　　　Pharaun　shook　his　head　and　considered　what　he　could　do　to　aid　in　the　fight。　There　was　really　only　one　choice。　Most　of　his　spells　were　gone；　and　the　few　remaining　to　him　were　not　offensive　in　nature。　He　reached　inside　his　piwafwi　and　produced　a　wand；　a　single　segment　of　iron　that　was　about　as　long　as　his　forearm。　Extending　it　outward；　he　uttered　a　trigger　phrase　and　activated　the　magic　in　the　wand。　Instantly；　a　sizzling　bolt　of　electrical　energy　leaped　forward　from　the　end　of　the　wand；　arcing　through　the　air　and　crackling　across　the　surface　of　the　spider's　head。　The　discharge　caused　the　spider　to　recoil；　chattering　and　quivering；　from　Ryld's　position。　As　the　last　remnants　of　the　bolt　dissipated；　Pharaun　could　see　that　the　spider's　leathery　hide　and　multifaceted　eyes　were　smoldering。
　　　Pharaun　started　when　he　heard　the　twang　of　a　bowstring　strumming；　and　he　glanced　down　to　his　right。　Valas　was　there；　kneeling；　firing　off　a　short　bow。　The　wizard　had　seen　the　diminutive　scout　carrying　the　weapon　all　along；　but　up　until　then；　Valas　had　apparently　had　little　cause　to　use　it。　The　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout　lined　up　and　released　four　shots　in　the　time　it　took　Pharaun　to　assess　the　situation；　and　his　aim　was　true。　The　arrows　embedded　themselves　in　the　nearest　eye　of　the　spider；　one　after　another；　puncturing　the　many…sided　orb　like　a　massive　pin　cushion。　The　spider　thrashed　about　in　response。
　　　At　the　same　time；　Ryld　was　on　his　feet　again；　running　with　the　spider；　looking　to　get　in　another　strike。　This　time；　however；　the　warrior　was　not　so　lucky。　As　the　jerking；　pain…crazed　creature　spasmed　along　the　street；　one　of　its　legs　swept　the　warrior　off　his　feet；　sending　the　burly　drow　tumbling。　Ryld　landed　hard；　losing　his　great…sword　in　the　process。
　　　The　massive　arachnid　was　skittering　straight　toward　Pharaun　and　Valas；　and　the　wizard　could　see　Jeggred　on　top　of　it；　sitting　astride　the　thing's　huge　neck；　slashing　madly　with　his　claws　and　flinging　gobbets　of　flesh　and　black　blood　everywhere　as　the　fiend　sawed　into　the　spider's　head。　The　spider　reared　and　jerked；　trying　to　shake　Jeggred　from　its　body；　but　the　draegloth　clung　tenaciously　to　it；　sinking　his　claws　deeply　into　the　beast's　flesh　to　maintain　his　hold。
　　　The　wizard　took　an　involuntary　step　backward　as　the　onrushing　spider　closed　the　distance　quickly；　its　rapid　steps　making　the　web　street　buck　and　bounce。　Raising　his　wand；　the　mage　fired　off　a　second　lightning　bolt；　letting　it　crackle　over　the　spider's　head；　knowing　Jeggred　would　be　resistant　to　its　destructive　power。
　　　The　electrical　discharge　obviously　hurt　the　massive　beast…　Pharaun　could　clearly　see　scorch　marks　on　its　shiny　black　skin…but　it　didn't　slow　a　whit。　It　ambled　drunkenly　toward　the　mage　and　the　scout　even　as　Valas　pumped　a　dozen　arrows　into　it。
　　　Goddess！　thought　Pharaun；　backing　up　another　step。
　　　He　wanted　to　turn　and　run；　but　he　couldn't　make　himself　stop　watching　the　charging　creature。　Valas　was　back…stepping　too；　still　firing　arrows；　but　they　were　both　in　the　spider's　sight　and　it　was　clearly　targeting　them　as　the　cause　of　its　woes。
　　　Just　as　the　spider　reached　the　pair　of　drow　and　snapped　downward；　Ryld　leaped　into　view；　swinging　Splitter　in　a　huge　arc　and　smashing　the　blade　savagely　across　the　creature's　face。　The　lightning　bolt　had　obviously　bought　the　weapons　master　enough　time　to　retrieve　his　greatsword。
　　　The　arachnid　jerked　backward；　more　blood　dripping　freely　from　the　fresh　wound；　but　it　was　not　to　be　so　easily　deterred。　It　snapped　at　Ryld　once；　twice；　and　the　warrior　fended　the　attacks　off　with　his　greatsword；　laboring　to　keep　the　twitching　mandibles　away　from　him。
　　　Pharaun　scrambled　backward　again；　happy　enough　to　let　the　broad…shouldered　weapons　master　bear　the　brunt　of　the　bat。　Pharaun　raised　his　wand　for　a　third　lightning　strike；　hoping　that　would　fell　the　beast；　but　before　he　could　activate　the　wand　the　spider　snapped　down　at　Ryld　a　third　time；　and　the　warrior's　luck　ran　out。
　　　The　spider's　mandibles　closed　tightly　around　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere；　who　grunted　in　pain　and　nearly　lost　his　grip　on　Splitter。　The　creature　hoisted　him　into　the　air；　squeezing　its　captured　prey　tightly；　trying　to　crush　the　life　out　him。　Ryld　arched　his　back　in　agony　and　began　desperately　hacking　at　the　mandibles　with　his　sword。
　　　Pharaun　hesitated　to　expend　his　magical