war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第57章

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unnel。　Halisstra　had　indeed　gone　that　way…and　she'd　left　a　marker　to　guide　herself　back　out。
　　　Ryld　walked　briskly　for　some　time；　following　a　more　or　less　horizontal　course　for　some　distance　but　not　in　a　straight　line。　Instead　the　tube　snaked　back　and　forth　in　a　series　of　wide；　gentle　turns；　often　doubling　back　over　itself　again。　At　each　of　those　junctions　Ryld　paused　and　searched　carefully　and　found　a　triangle　of　pebbles。　Thanks　to　Halisstra's　marks　he　was　able　to　make　good　time。
　　　Eventually　the　cave　veered　off　in　a　fairly　straight　line　for　nearly　a　thousand　paces；　only　to　abruptly　bend　downward　at　a　steep　angle。　There；　Ryld　paused。　He'd　been　trying　to　decide　what　would　have　created　such　a　sinuously　curved　tunnel。　He'd　once　seen　Pharaun　use　a　spell　to　bore　a　path　through　stone；　but　the　end　result　had　been　lance…straight　and　oval；　with　walls　whose　stone　looked　highly　polished。　The　tunnel　he'd　followed　Halisstra　into　was　round；　and　rougher；　with　occasional　jagged…edged　niches　that　looked　like　something　had　taken　a　bite　out　of　the　wall；　and　its　floor　was　littered　with　patches　of　loose　stone。　Bending　to　examine　one　of　those；　Ryld　saw　that　the　stones　were　rounded；　like　river　stones；　but　pitted。　Mixed　in　with　them　were　fragments　of　metal…scraps　of　armor　from　the　battlefield　above…that　looked　as　if　they　had　been　tumbled　in　a　stone…polishing　drum　filled　with　acid　instead　of　water。　The　edges　of　the　metal　were　smooth；　yet　the　metal　itself　was　deeply　pitted　and　crumbled　when　Ryld　stepped　on　it。
　　　Ryld　stood　again　and　tightened　his　grip　on　Splitter。　The　cave　hadn't　been　created　by　magic；　it　had　been　bored　through　the　rock　by　a　living　creature。
　　　He'd　been　praying　that　it　was　an　ancient　pathway；　and　not　freshly　made；　but　the　lingering　smell　of　acid　in　the　air　told　him　otherwise。　The　fact　that　the　odor　was　getting　stronger　the　farther　along　he　went　didn't　bode　well。　And　if　he　was　right　in　his　guess　about　what　kind　of　creature　had　made　the　tunnel；　Halisstra　shouldn't　have　been　facing　it　alone。
　　　Cautiously；　Ryld　picked　his　way　down　the　slope　ahead。　He　moved　slowly　at　first；　aware　that　any　tiny　avalanche　of　stone　caused　by　a　misstep　could　alert　the　creature　below　to　his　presence；　but　halfway　down　his　ears　caught　a　faint　noise：　the　sound　of　a　woman　singing。　His　heartbeat　quickened　as　he　recognized　the　voice　as　Halisstra's。　She　was　casting　one　of　her　bardic　spells…but　why？　Was　it　merely　in　preparation　for　what　was　to　e；　or　was　she　already　under　attack？　Grimly；　he　hurried　forward；　not　caring　that　his　feet　were　skidding　on　the　ever…steepening　slope。
　　　Ahead；　the　bottom　of　the　tunnel　opened　into　a　larger　space；　a　cavern　that　looked　as　though　it　had　been　formed　by　the　tunnel　coiling　back　upon　itself　several　times　in　succession　as　the　creature　created　a　nest　for　itself。　The　patch　of　floor　that　Ryld　could　see　was　dotted　with　puddles；　and　the　acid　smell　was　strong。
　　　Moments　later；　he　neared　the　bottom　of　the　slope　and　saw　that　his　guess　had　been　correct。　At　the　far　end　of　the　cavern　was　an　enormous　purple　worm；　larger　even　than　Ryld　had　expected…perhaps　thirty　paces　long。　It　was　coiled　like　a　snake；　its　head　lifted　and　mouth　gaping　wide；　acid　dripping　between　teeth　the　size　of　daggers。　Halisstra　stood　just　in　front　of　it　with　her　back　to　Ryld；　songsword　in　hand；　staring　the　monster　down。　The　charm　spell　she　was　singing　seemed　to　be　working。　The　worm　swayed　in　time　with　the　tune；　its　tiny　eyes　fixed　and　staring。　Ryld　felt　a　fierce　admiration。　Halisstra　was　the　epitome　of　a　drow　female：　strong　and　fearless；　capable　of　handling　any　threat。
　　　Wary　of　disturbing　her　magic；　Ryld　halted　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope。　He　managed　to　do　so　without　making　any　noise；　but　when　he　stepped　forward　into　the　room　his　ankle　twisted　as　an　acid…weakened　stone　crumbled　underfoot。　His　foot　slipped　into　a　puddle　of　fresh　acid…fortunately；　his　boot　leather　protected　him…but　the　slight　splash　alerted　Halisstra　to　the　fact　that　she　was　no　longer　alone　in　the　cavern。　Her　head　jerked　quickly　around…just　long　enough　to　see　who　it　was…and　a　startled　look　passed　across　her　face。　All　the　while　she　continued　to　sing　without　pause；　but　the　momentary　loss　of　eye　contact　with　the　purple　worm　broke　the　spell。　Whipping　its　head　from　side　to　side；　sending　acidic　spittle　flying　in　all　directions；　it　shook　off　the　effects　of　the　charm　spell。　Then　it　struck。
　　　Lunging　downward；　mouth　gaping　wide；　the　worm　descended　on　Halisstra。　She　barely　had　time　to　lift　her　sword　and　thrust　upward　with　it　as　her　head　and　shoulders　disappeared　into　the　worm's　mouth。
　　　Ryld　leaped　forward；　shouting　to　draw　the　creature's　attention。　He　saw　the　broken　point　of　the　songsword　thrust　jaggedly　out　at　an　angle　through　the　worms　cheek；　just　below　one　eye；　but　the　creature　seemed　unaffected　by　the　wound。　Even　though　Ryld　ran　forward　with　all　the　speed　his　magical　boots　were　capable　of；　the　worm　was　quicker。　Like　a　curtain　falling　the　mouth　continued　to　descend　upon　Halisstra；　engulfing　her　to　the　chest；　waist；　and　knees。　Then　the　terrible　purple…black　jaws　struck　the　ground　on　either　side　of　Halisstra's　boots…and　clamped　shut。
　　　Ryld　closed　with　the　creature　a　heartbeat　later。　He　swung　Splitter　with　all　of　the　strength　his　sinewy　arms　could　muster；　intending　to　cut　off　the　monsters　head；　but　in　that　instant　he　heard　Halisstra's　muffled　scream　from　inside　the　worm's　gullet　and　saw　a　bulge　moving　down　its　throat。　Worried　that　he　would　slice　Halisstra　in　two　as　well；　he　twisted　the　sword　aside　in　mid…swing。　The　blade　struck　a　coil　of　the　worm；　cutting　deeply　into　its　purple　hide　and　exposing　the　pinker　flesh　beneath。
　　　The　worm　writhed　in　agony；　uncoiling　with　such　swiftness　that　it　crashed　into　Ryld；　hurling　him　backward。　Anyone　other　than　a　master　of　Melee…Magthere　would　have　been　knocked　flat；　but　Ryld　had　been　trained　to　keep　his　footing。　One　of　the　first　things　he'd　learned　as　a　novice　was　how　to　roll　his　body　with　a　blow　and　use　feet；　knees；　and　elbows　to　spring　upright　again。
　　　As　the　worm　continued　to　thrash　he　rolled　nimbly　back；　then　leaped　forward　again　to　strike　a　second　blow　in　another　portion　of　the　worm's　body。　As　the　monster's　head　whipped　around　in　an　attempt　to　bite　him；　Ryld　did　the　unexpected。　He　leaped　backward；　and　levitated。
　　　The　worm's　mouth　crashed　down　into　the　spot　where　Ryld　had　been　standing；　teeth　splintering　on　the　stone　floor。　An　instant　later　the　head　reared　up　again；　mouth　gaping　as　it　lunged　upward。　Instantly　negating　his　levitation　magic；　Ryld　plummeted　to　the　ground；　landing　lightly　on　bent　legs　and　bounding　aside。　That　brief　glimpse　into　the　worm's　mouth　and　throat…which　were　empty…told　him　that　his　fears　had　been　realized。
　　　The　monster　had　swallowed　Halisstra　whole。
　　　Rage　seized　him　then；　stronger　and　fiercer　than　any　battle　had　ever　provoked　before。　He　found　himself　howling　in　an　anguished　voice；　eyes　hot　with　tears。
　　　〃Halisstra！〃　he　cried。
　　　Rushing　forward；　he　slashed　at　the　worm's　throat。　If　only　he　could　kill　it　quickly；　there　might　still　be　time　to　cut　Halisstra　free　before　the　worm's　digestive　acids　killed　her…she　would　be　disfigured；　but　she　would　live。　And　that　was　all　that　mattered。
　　　Howling　with　each　sword　stroke；　Ryld　slashed　deep　rents　in　the　worm's　body。　The　creature　had　enough　intelligence…instinct　at　least…to　jerk　its　head　and　neck　back；　keeping　them　out　of　range　of　the　sword；　but　with　each　fresh　wound　to　its　side　it　slowed。　Encouraged；　Ryld　pressed　his　attack　home；　aware　that　each　passing　moment　was　lessening　Halisstra's　chances。　Stupidly；　the　worm　lowered　its　head；　giving　Ryld　a　clear　swing　at　its　throat。　Moving　forward；　he　obliged　it…then　realized　a　heartbeat　later　that　it　had　been　a　clever　feint。
　　　Even　as　Ryld　leaped　in　to　attack；　the　worm　whipped　its　tail　forward；　revealing　a　stinger　in　its　tail　that　Ryld　hadn't　seen　before。　The　stinger　glanced　off　the　bottom　of　Ryld's　breastplate　and　plunged　into　his　stomach　with　the　force　of　a　knife　blow；　burying　itself　in　his　gut。　Nearly　blinded　by　the　sudden　rush　of　pain；　he　flailed　backward；　pulling　himself　free　of　the　deadly　barb。　For　two　or　three　staggering　steps　he　managed　to　hang　onto　Splitter；　but　with　the　pain　of　the　wound　came　a　rush　of　agony　that　felt　like　fire；　sweeping　in　an　instant　from　his　wounded　gut　to　the　tips　of　his　fingers　and　toes。　In　that　terrible　moment；　Ryld　knew　that　he　had　been　poisoned。　Suddenly　too　weak　to　hold　his　greatsword；　he　let　it　fall。
　　　He　heard　the　clank　of　metal　striking　stone　dimly；　through　ears　filled　with　the　sound　of　a　labored；　pounding　heart。　The　pain　was　as　intense　as　if　someone　had　filled　his　gut　with　boiling　water。　He　crashed　to　the　ground；　barely　managing　to　break　his　fall　with　one　outstretched　arm。　Clenching　his　stomach　with　his　other　hand　he　slowly　forced　his　head　up；　intending　to　look　the　worm　in　the　eye　before　it　swallowed　him　whole。
　　　At　least；　he　thought　as　the　poison　pounded　in　his　temples；　he　would　pay　with　his　own　life　for　having　caused　Halisstra　to　lose　hers。　He　would　die　beside　her…a　slow；　painful　death　was　exactly　what　he　deserved。
　　　To　his　surprise；　he　saw　that　the　worm　was　not　pressing　its　attack　but　had　drawn　back　against　the　far　wall。　He　must　have　wounded　i