war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第83部分

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　to　aim　his　magic。
The　scholars　only　had　to　fight　for　a　few　more　minutes　then；　hammered　on　three　sides；　the　mass　of　goblins　collapsed　in　on　itself；　the　implosion　laying　a　carpet　of　corpses　in　its　wake。
Quenthel　allowed　her　troops　only　a　few　minutes　to　collect　themselves；　then　she　formed　them　up　and　marched　them　on　toward　the　next　of　the　goddess　only　knew　how　many　battles。
〃Out！〃　Greyanna　shouted。　〃Now？
The　canoe　maker　gawked　at　her　and　sputtered；　〃Wh…what　about　my　stock？〃
The　items　in　question　sat　about　the　floor　of　the　workroom　or　hung　cradled　in　straps　hooked　to　the　ceiling。
〃The　goblins　will　destroy　them；〃　the　scar…faced　princess　said。　〃Like　this。〃　She　smashed　a　half…finished　kayak；　a　fragile…looking　construction　of　curved　bone　ribs　and　hide；　with　a　sweep　of　her　mace。　〃Afterward；　you'll　make　more；　but　only　if　you　live。　Now　get　moving；　or　I'll　kill　you　myself。〃
The　craftsman　scrambled　off　his　stool；　and　she　chivvied　him　out　the　door。　Up　and　down　the　street；　her　half　dozen　minions　were　rousting　out　the　occupants　of　other　manufactories　and　shops。
A　mob　of　hairy　hobgoblins；　all　well…armed　and　many　a　head　taller　than　the　average　dark　elf；　slouched　around　a　corner　onto　the　thoroughfare。　They　spotted　the　drow；　bellowed　their　uncouth　battle　cries；　and　charged。
After　the　disastrous　encounter　with　Ryld　Argith；　one　of　the　twins　was　dead。　The　other；　and　Relonor；　lay　grievously　wounded；　as　they　still　did　in　House　Mizzrym。　There　they　would　live　or　die　without　recourse　to　furnotther　doses　of　healing　magic；　since　Miz'ri　declined　to　squander　the　House's　limited　resources　on　such　inpetents。　Greyanna　had　entirely　agreed。
After　taking　the　wounded　home；　Greyanna；　with　the　questionable　aid　of　Aunrae；　had　selected　five　new　males　to　join　her　in　the　hunt。　This　time；　they'd　stalk　Pharaun　on　foot；　Greyanna　having　belatedly　realized　that　foul…wings　weren't　lucky　for　her。
She　and　her　band　had　been　wandering　the　streets　seeking　word　of　their　quarry　when　the　rebellion　erupted。　Once　she'd　grasped　the　magnitude　of　the　disturbance；　she　wondered　if　it　was　the　raid　on　the　Braeryn　that　she　had　engineered；　that　brutal　attempt　to　flush　her　brother　out　of　hiding；　that　had　inspired　the　thralls　to　revolt。　In　a　mad；　dark　way；　the　possibility　pleased　her；　but　she　decided　not　to　share　her　hypothesis。　Few　would　see　the　humor。
Most　of　her　thinking；　however；　was　given　over　to　practical　consideranottions。　She　thought　her　hunting　party　could　help　put　down　the　under…creatures；　but　only　if　it　could　bine　forces　with　a　bona　fide　army。　Otherwise；　the　larger　mobs　would　overwhelm　it。
In　those　first　minutes　of　slaughter　and　destruction；　she　watched　for　some　noble　clan　to　ride　forth　from　their　castle　and　drive　the　goblins　before　them。　To　her　consternation；　none　did；　at　least　not　in　her　immediate　vicinnotity。　Her　little　troop　was　on　its　own。
Life　then　became　an　infuriating　business　of　running　and　hiding　from　ores　of　all　things；　of　watching　beasts　no　better　than　rothe　destroy　beauty　and　sophistication　they　couldn't　even　perceive。　Occasionally；　she　and　her　panions　slew　a　small　group　of　goblinoids　wandering　on　their　own；　but　it　meant　nothing；　would　do　nothing　to　arrest　the　dissolution　of　all　that　was　finest　in　the　world。
Where　was　the　Spider　Queen？　Perhaps　she　was　bored　with　her　toy　Men…zoberranzan；　magnificent　though　it　was。　Perhaps　she　intended　to　break　it　to　make　space　for　a　new　one。
In　time；　Greyanna's　dodging　and　backtracking　brought　her　to　a　street　she　recognized；　a　double　row　of　prosperous　shops…to　be　precise；　establishments　owned　by　tradesmen　under　the　patronage　of　House　Mizzrym。　She　herself　had　called　hereabouts；　collecting　rents　and　fees；　occasionally　chastising　a　fool　who　was　late　paying　on　a　loan　or　had　othnoterwise　displeased　Matron　Mother　Miz'ri。
It　occurred　to　Greyanna　that　if　the　merchants　perished；　they'd　connottribute　no　more　gold　to　Mizzrym　coffers。　Whereas　if　she　conducted　them　to　safety；　she　might　curry　some　favor　with　her　mother。　Miz'ri　had　grown　impatient　with　her　continuing　failure　to　kill　Pharaun　and　had　even　hinted　that　another　might　carry　the　mantle　of　First　Daughter　with　more　grace。
At　the　very　least；　preserving　Mizzrym　assets　would　feel　more　construcnottive　and　less　frustrating　than　simply　skulking　about；　and　so　Greyanna　innotstructed　her　followers　to　extract　the　frightened　traders　and　artisans　from　their　homes。
She　loosed　a　crossbow　bolt　at　the　hobgoblins；　and　her　soldiers　did　the　same。　Her　wizard　conjured　a　cold；　towering　shadow　like　the　silhouette　of　a　mantis；　which　mangled　several　thralls　in　its　oversized　pincers　before　melting　out　of　existence。　In　all；　at　least　a　dozen　brutes　fell；　but　others　shambled　forth　from　the　smoke　and　fiery　glare　to　take　their　place。
Voices　of　torment；　she　thought；　how　many　undercreatures　were　there　in　Menzoberranzan？
Until　that　day；　Greyanna　had　never　really　noticed。　She　guessed　no　one　else　had；　either。
The　hobgoblins　charged。
The　Mizzrym　princess　shouted；　〃Dark　wall！〃
Three　of　her　retainers；　those　closest　to　the　onrushing　thralls；　stooped　and　touched　the　ground；　conjuring　a　curtain　of　shadow　between　themnotselves　and　the　undercreatures；　then　fell　back。
One　of　the　Mizzrym　warriors　herded　the　shopkeepers　farther　from　the　threat。　The　rest；　Greyanna　included；　scrambled　to　form　a　line　at　a　narrow　place　three　yards　behind　the　intangible　barrier。　The　princess　pulled　a　little　silver　vial　from　her　belt　pouch　and　guzzled　the　bitter；　lukewarm　contents　down。　She　shuddered　and　doubled　over　as　her　muscles　cramped；　and　the　disfort　gave　way　to　a　tingling　warmth。
Hobgoblins　strode　from　the　darkness。　They'd　dwelled　among　dark　elves　too　long　for　the　trick　to　deter　them　more　than　a　few　seconds。
At　least　the　blinding　veil　precluded　their　advancing　in　anything　resemnotbling　a　coherent　formation。　They　screamed　and　charged　in　a　gapped　and　formless　wave；　which　looked　murderous　even　so。
The　first　hobgoblin　to　lunge　at　Greyanna　was　particularly　large　and；　in　marked　contrast　to　his　fellows；　hairless　from　the　shoulders　up。　A　mistress　or　master　had　depilated　the　slave　to　prepare　the　canvas　for　a　work　of　art；　hundreds　of　tiny　round　burn　scars　arranged　in　a　plex　swirling　pattern。
The　thrall　cut　at　Greyanna's　head。　Under　other　circumstances；　she　would　have　retreated　out　of　range；　but　that　would　break　the　line。　Wishing　she'd　brought　a　shield　to　the　revel；　she　lifted　her　mace　in　a　high　parry。　The　hobgoblin's　broadsword　rang　against　the　stone　haft　of　the　war　club　and　skipped　off。
At　once　she　riposted　with　a　strike　to　the　flank；　and　the　undercreature　whipped　his　targe　around　to　block。　The　blow　bashed　a　dent　in　the　round　steel　shield　and　knocked　the　hobgoblin　reeling　back；　his　slanted　eyes　wide　with　surprise。　He　didn't　know　about　the　potion　that　had　lent　her　an　ogre's　strength。
Greyanna　struck　to　the　side；　slaying　the　slave　who　was　menacing　her　neighbor；　then　her　own　bald　adversary　came　edging　back。　He　hovered　a　second；　then　feinted　to　the　flank　and　finished　with　a　cut　to　the　chest。　Disnotcerning　the　true　threat；　she　half…stepped　inside　the　arc　of　the　attack　and　swung　at　his　jaw。　The　blow　crunched　home；　and　he　toppled　backward　with　a　shattered；　bloody　chin　and　a　broken　neck。
She　killed　two　more　hobgoblins；　then　something　prodded　her　shin；　a　thrust　that　failed　to　penetrate　her　boot。　She　looked　down；　and　it　was　a　kobold；　armed　with　a　fireplace　poker；　who　had　apparently　been　scurrying　about　the　feet　of　the　larger　slaves。　Greyanna　killed　the　reptilian　imp　with　a　roundhouse　kick。
She　cast　about　for　her　next　adversary。　She　didn't　seem　to　have　one。　The　fight　was　over；　and　the　few　surviving　hobgoblins　were　running　away。
〃Form　up！〃　she　shouted。　〃I　want　a　column　with　the　traders　in　the　middle。　Fa