war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第76部分

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mendable　accuracy　to　avoid　snagging　the　missile　in　the　adhesive　mesh。
Pharaun　glanced　back　and　said；　〃Nice　shot；　but　you　might　want　to　save　your　quarrels　for　the　renegades。〃
He　skulked　on；　and　quickened　his　pace　when　someone　shouted　behind　him；　and　metal　clashed　on　metal。
Ryld　quickly　learned　that　one　of　the　rogues　was　a　wizard；　and　a　deft　one　at　that。　He　had　no　difficulty　lobbing　spells　through　the　line　his　rades　had　formed　across　the　hall；　leaving　them　unscathed　but　battering　the　weapons　master　with　one　attack　after　another。
So　far　the　flares　of　power　had　seared　and　chilled　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　but　done　no　serious　harm。　He　doubted　that　would　last。　He　needed　to　put　a　stop　to　the　magic　before　the　mage　slipped　an　attack　through　his　natural　resistance；　and　that　meant　breaking　through　the　line
He　faked　a　sidestep　to　the　left；　then　dodged　right。　His　wounded　leg　throbbed；　and　a　soreness；　the　residue　of　Syrzan's　attack；　twisted　through　his　mind。　The　pain　slowed　him　just　enough　to　render　the　deception　inefnotfective。　Urlryn；　the　long…armed；　gap…toothed　renegade　on　the　right；　annotother　of　Ryld's　former　students　and　a　good　one；　met　him　with　a　wicked　thrust　to　the　belly。
As　every　warrior　knows；　you　can't　retreat　at　the　same　instant　you're　adnotvancing。　Ryld　had　no　choice　but　to　defend　with　the　blade。　He　swept　his　broadsword　across　his　body　in　a　lateral　parry。　Urlryn　tried　to　dip　his　point　beneath　the　block；　but　moved　just　a　hair　too　slowly。　Ryld　smashed　his　adnotversary's　blade　aside；　loosening　his　grip　in　the　bargain。
The　weapons　master　started　to　riposte　with　a　chest　cut；　then　sensed　movement　on　his　flank。　He　pivoted。　Hoping　to　take　him　unawares；　the　rogue　next　to　Urlryn　was　swinging　an　axe　at　his　knee。　It　was　how　warriors　fought　in　a　line。　You　killed　the　male　who　was　focused　on　your　neighbor。
Ryld　leaped　over　the　attack。　When　he　landed；　his　leg　screamed　with　pain　and　threatened　to　buckle　beneath　him。　Shouting；　he　made　it　hold　and　cut　at　the　axeman's　belly。　The　broadsword　crunched　through　mail；　and　the　rogue　toppled。
Ryld's　blade　was　still　buried　in　the　axeman's　guts　when　Urlryn　and　the　other　surviving　warrior　rushed　him。　The　master　floundered　backward；　dragging　the　broadsword　free。　Swords　flashed　at　him；　and　somehow；　even　off…balance；　he　dodged　them；　but　in　so　doing；　fell　on　his　rump。
The　rogues　scrambled　forward　to　finish　him。　He　surprised　the　other　stranger　with　a　bone…shattering　kick　to　the　ankle；　knocking　him　reeling　backward；　then　reared　up　on　one　knee；　his　sword　raised　in　a　high　guard　for　what　he　knew　was　ing。
Urlryn's　blade　crashed　down　on　his　own；　and　he　felt　the　jolt　all　the　way　to　his　shoulder。　With　both　feet　planted　beneath　him；　the　renegade　could　bring　all　his　strength　to　bear。　Ryld　couldn't。
But　he　was　bigger　and　more　powerful　than　his　adversary　and　was　nicely　positioned　to　hamstring　other　drow。　Teeth　gritted；　he　maintained　his　denotfense　until　his　enemy　faltered；　then　whipped　the　broadsword　behind　the　rogue's　leg　for　a　drawing　cut。
Urlryn　let　out　a　shrill　cry　and　staggered　sideways。　Ryld　heaved　himself　up　and　turned　toward　the　wizard；　only　to　discover　he　could　no　longer　see　him。　Deprived　of　his　wall　of　warriors；　the　spellcaster　had　conjured　another　defender；　a　vaguely　bearish　thing　with　folded　bat　wings　and　luminous　crimson　eyes；　so　huge　it　nearly　filled　the　corridor。
Ryld　had　watched　Pharaun　exercise　the　famous　Mizzrym　talent　for　illunotsion　on　numerous　occasions；　and　his　experiences　stood　him　in　good　stead。　He　sensed；　though　he　couldn't　say　how；　that　the　demon　bear　was　just　a　phantasm。　He　limped　forward；　flicked　the　broadsword　at　it；　and　it　popped　like　a　fungus　discharging　a　cloud　of　spores。　It　was　strange　to　think　that；　had　he　believed　in　it；　it　could　have　torn　him　to　shreds。
The　rogue　mage　turned　tail。　Ryld　didn't　want　the　bastard　to　reappear　and　try　to　kill　him　again　later；　so　he　gave　chase。　His　head　and　wounded　leg　seemed　to　scream　in　unison；　and　he　had　to　stop。　The　sorcerer　scuttled　round　a　corner　and　disappeared。　
As　Ryld　waited　for　the　pain　to　subside；　he　realized　he　couldn't　survive　many　more　fights　in　his　present　condition。　He　either　had　to　escape　his　foes　posthaste　or　shed　his　disabilities。
Sadly；　he　had　just　about　e　to　the　conclusion　that　he　was　fated　to　wander　through　the　castle；　ducking　his　enemies　the　while；　until　pure　luck　led　him　to　an　exit。　That　could　take　hours。
He　had　reason　to　hope　he　wouldn't　need　nearly　as　long　to　revitalize　himnotself；　but　he'd　leave　himself　vulnerable　during　the　process。　He　wouldn't　be　able　to　sneak　in　the　opposite　direction　whenever　he　detected　a　party　of　hunters。　He'd　have　to　stay　in　one　place。　Still；　it　seemed　the　better　option。
He　skulked　along　the　corridor；　peering　into　doorways。　One　led　to　a　desnotolate　training　hall。　The　target　mannequins　looked　like　ghosts　in　their　shrouds　of　spiderweb。
Near　the　right…hand　wall　were　tiers　of　seats；　from　which　spectators　could　watch　the　warriors　train。　If　Ryld　crouched　down　behind　the　structure；　no　one　would　see　him　without　making　a　careful　search　of　the　entire　room。
Besides；　the　master　thought；　going　to　ground　in　a　salle　might　bring　him　luck。　The　dark　powers　knew；　he　needed　it。
He　limped　behind　the　sculpted　seats　and　sat　down　on　the　floor　with　his　legs　crossed。　He　rested　his　hands　on　his　thighs；　closed　his　eyes；　and　notmenced　a　breathing　exercise。
Spellcasters　smugly　imagined　they　were　the　only　folk　who　truly　knew　how　to　meditate。　They　were　mistaken。　The　brothers　of　Melee…Magthere　had　mastered　the　practice　as　well。　It　helped　them　reach　the　highest　level　of　martial　proficiency。
Spellcasters。　The　thought　reminded　him　of　Pharaun。　It　brought　the　shock　and　anger　flooding　back。
But　at　the　moment；　those　feelings　were　an　impediment。　He　had　to　relax　and　empty　his　mind。
He　could　heal　the　wound　Syrzan　had　left　inside　his　head。　He　could　stop　his　leg　bleeding。　He　could　banish　pain　and　fatigue　and　tap　his　body's　deepnotest　reservoirs　of　strength。
If　only　the　enemy　gave　him　time。

Pharaun　groped　his　way　onward　for　just　a　few　more　minutes；　then　found　another　staircase；　this　one　a　narrow　spiral　leading　downward。　It　was　almost　as　if　the　mysteriously　silent　Lolth　had　returned　long　enough　to　reward　him　for　his　treachery。
If　so；　he　soon　had　cause　to　recall　that　she　was　a　fickle　and　treacherous　entity　herself。　He　reached　the　bottom　of　the　steps；　headed　down　a　hallway　with　a　high；　arched　ceiling；　and　heard　another　band　of　hunters。　It　sounded　as　if　they　were　just　about　to　round　the　corner　dead　ahead。　Pharaun　looked　around　at　the　blank　walls。　The　corridor　lacked　any　doorways　into　which　a　fugitive　might　duck。
The　wizard　could　run；　but　he　didn't　want　to　retreat　back　the　way　he'd　e。　He　could　evoke　a　curtain　of　darkness；　but　that　would　alert　the　rogues　that　someone　was　hiding　behind　it。　He　could　throw　darts　of　force；　but　it　would　exhaust　his　offensive　magic。　He　decided　to　take　a　chance。
Concentrating　on　the　stolen　House　insignia；　he　shed　his　weight　and　floated　upward　to　stretch　out　horizontally；　his　spine　pressed　against　the　crest　of　the　rounded　ceiling。
The　hunters　passed　below　him；　oblivious　to　his　presence。　He　stared　down；　looking　for　a　fellow　mage。　If　there　was　a　chance　he　could　obtain　new　spell　foci；　he　might　attack　and　the　odds　be　damned；　but　the　males　were　all　warriors。
Once　they'd　gone　by；　he　drifted　back　down　to　the　ground　and　skulked　onward。　He　got　turned　around　once　more；　then　unexpectedly　found　himnotself　before　a　small　service　entrance　to　a　stable　much　like　the　one　in　his　family's　castle。　Moldy　stone　troughs；　casks；　mounting　blocks；　and　rusty　iron…ring　hitches　defined　regular　patterns　across　the　floor；　while　musty；　rotting　tack　hung　along　the　walls。　The　aerial　steeds