war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第46部分

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ng　as　she　rolled　along　the　floor。　The　movement　stopped；　but　all　through　the　House　she　could　hear　the　horrendous　sound　of　fracturing　rock；　loud　popping　noises　that　sounded　as　if　the　whole　world　was　snapping　apart。
　　　〃We've　no　time！　We've　got　to　get　out　now！〃　Halisstra　heard　one　of　the　males　yell。
　　　〃Not　without　my　possessions；〃　Quenthel　insisted；　sitting　up　and　trying　to　stand　on　the　yawing　floor。　〃Get　that　door　open…now？*
　　　Pharaun；　who　had　actually　begun　to　levitate　to　avoid　falling　down；　nodded　as　the　others　left　their　feet…all　except　Valas；　who　seemed　perfectly　capable　of　maintaining　his　balance　despite　the　tilt　of　the　floor。
　　　The　wizard　removed　a　soft　glove　from　inside　his　piwafwi。　He　donned　it　and　began　casting　again　as　the　floor　made　several　popping　sounds　and　began　to　tilt　even　more。　A　massive；　glowing　fist　appeared；　twice　as　tall　as　Pharaun；　floating　in　the　air　in　front　of　the　mage。　Pharaun　guided　the　magical　conjuration　with　his　own　gloved　hand；　turning　it　so　that　the　knuckles　were　aimed　at　the　point　on　the　wall。
　　　〃Get　back！〃　Pharaun　yelled。　〃I　don't　know　what　kind　of　backlash　this　will　create。〃
　　　There　was　more　popping　from　the　structure　of　the　House…　closer；　the　sounds　deafening…and　Halisstra　found　she　had　her　hands　over　her　ears。　Her　heart　was　pounding　in　her　chest。
　　　We're　going　to　die　in　here；　she　thought。　The　whole　house　is　falling　apart；　and　we're　going　to　be　crushed。
　　　The　magical　fist　lurched　forward　and　slammed　into　the　wall　between　the　armoires；　smacking　against　the　stone　with　a　powerful　crunch。　The　wall　cracked　in　several　places。　Pharaun　directed　the　fist　to　back　up　and　go　again。
　　　Quenthel　was　beside　Halisstra；　grabbing　her　by　the　arm。
　　　〃When　he　gets　that　wall　down；〃　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　said；　〃we　will　need　to　hurry。　What's　the　fastest　way　out　of　here？〃
　　　Halisstra　looked　at　the　other　drow　helplessly。
　　　〃We're　in　the　very　heart　of　the　House；〃　she　answered。　〃The　most　protected　point。　It'll　take　us　forever　to　get　out；　no　matter　which　way　we　go。〃
　　　Quenthel　scowled；　but　then　she　nodded　and　moved　away。　
　　　The　giant　fist　had　slammed　into　the　wall　two　or　three　more　times；　and　the　wall　was　about　to　collapse。
　　　One　more　blow　should　do　it；　Halisstra　thought　as　she　felt　the　concussions　of　more　cracking　and　breaking　beyond　the　room。　If　it's　not　too　late　already；　she　added　to　herself。
　　　Around　Halisstra；　the　others　were　wide…eyed；　trying　to　maintain　their　balance　and　eyeing　the　walls；　ceiling；　and　floor　warily。
　　　The　next　slam　of　the　fist　finally　did　the　section　of　wall　in；　and　it　collapsed　in　a　pile　of　rubble。　Behind　it；　a　small　chamber　sat　dark　and　dusty；　filled　with　shelves　containing　a　number　of　items　Halisstra　had　never　seen　before。　Quenthel　pushed　ahead　of　everyone　else　and　strode…or　rather　hiked；　for　it　was　like　walking　up　a　hillside…into　the　chamber；　snatching　up　a　five…headed　snake　whip　with　a　gleam　in　her　eye。
　　　〃Yes！〃　was　all　she　said　as　she　held　the　weapon　aloft；　the　five　vipers　hissing　and　writhing　joyously。
　　　Quickly；　Quenthel　gathered　up　several　other　items　that　obviously　belonged　to　her　then　eyed　the　other　things　displayed　on　the　shelves。
　　　〃No　time；〃　Pharaun　insisted。　〃We　leave　now！〃　Turning　to　Halisstra；　the　wizard　demanded；　〃Which　way　is　out？　Get　us　there；　before　the　whole　place　falls！〃
　　　Halisstra　shook　her　head　miserably。
　　　〃We're　as　far　away　from　the　exits　as　we　can　be！〃　she　shouted　over　the　cacophony　of　popping；　shattering　stone。　The　room　lurched　again。　〃There's　no　close　way　out！〃
　　　〃Then　I'll　make　one；〃　Pharaun　shouted。　〃Which　direction　is　closest　to　the　outside？〃
　　　Part　of　the　ceiling　on　the　far　side　of　the　room　collapsed；　sending　a　shower　of　stone　fragments　and　dust　into　Halisstra's　face。　She　covered　her　nose　and　mouth　with　one　hand　as　she　flung　her　arm　up　to　shield　her　eyes　from　the　stinging　shards　of　rock　that　pelted　her。　She　couldn't　think。　She　was　going　to　die。　There　was　no　way　out；　no　escape…and　no　Lolth。
　　　Halisstra　felt　the　wizard's　hands　grasp　her　arms。
　　　〃Tell　me；〃　he　shouted；　〃which　way　is　the　closest　way　to　the　outside；　regardless　of　walls？〃
　　　Halisstra　shook　her　head；　trying　to　focus　despite　the　panic　rising　in　her　chest。　She　spied　Danifae　clinging　to　Quenthel　as　both　of　them　held　on　to　the　edge　of　the　broken　wall　leading　into　the　secret　room。　Jeggred　had　his　claws　embedded　in　the　rock　of　the　floor　and　was　clambering　along　it　toward　his　mistress。
　　　The　closest　outside　wall　。　。　。　which　way？
　　　An　image　appeared　in　her　head；　a　mental　map；　and　she　knew　that　her　mother's　chambers　backed　up　nearly　to　an　outside　wall；　which　meant　that　the　secret　room　Pharaun　and　Quenthel　had　discovered　was　very　close　to　the　outside。
　　　Frantically；　Halisstra　pointed　to　the　hidden　room。
　　　〃That　way！〃　she　yelled。
　　　Pharaun　nodded。　Scrambling　on　his　hands　and　knees；　the　wizard　headed　in　that　direction；　almost　slipping　and　sliding　back　the　other　way　as　the　room　tilted　again。　Halisstra　began　to　slide　along　the　floor；　herself　and　decided　against　trying　to　stop；　instead　bracing　her　feet　against　the　far；　lowest　wall。　She　craned　her　neck　around　to　watch　the　mage　as　he　began　yet　another　spell。　He　seemed　to　have　an　endless　supply　of　them。　He　dug　in　his　piwafwi　and　pulled　out　something　too　small　for　Halisstra　to　see；　then　he　began　to　gesticulate　wildly　in　the　direction　of　the　wall　at　the　back　of　the　secret　closet。　Before　her　eyes；　a　tunnel　formed　right　into　the　rock　itself；　and　after　about　fifteen　feet；　it　broke　through　into　space　beyond。
　　　〃e　on！〃　Pharaun　shouted　to　everyone　as　the　whole　House　seemed　to　be　one　solid　rumble。
　　　The　noise　of　the　cracking　stone　was　deafening；　and　Halisstra　had　barely　been　able　to　hear　the　wizard。　The　room　tilted　over　even　more　sharply；　and　Halisstra　realized　that　it　was　nearly　sideways；　with　the　new　opening　to　the　outside　almost　over　her　head。　She　began　to　float；　lifting　herself　magically　toward　the　impromptu　exit；　as　the　other　members　of　the　group　did　the　same。　As　she　reached　the　top　and　was　about　to　pass　through　into　the　open　air　of　the　city　beyond；　she　saw　that　Jeggred　had　a　hold　of　Valas。　The　draegloth　lifted　effortlessly　toward　the　hole；　and　it　was　at　that　moment　that　Halisstra　remembered　that　Danifae　could　not　levitate　either。
　　　The　House　Melarn　daughter　looked　down　desperately　and　saw　her　attendant；　crouched　in　the　low　corner　of　the　room；　near　the　collapsed　ceiling；　scrambling　to　stay　atop　the　shifting　pile　of　rock　as　the　room　continued　to　tip　over。　Danifae's　eyes　were　blazing　with　fury　as　she　gazed　angrily　up　toward　where　everyone　else　was　escaping　the　collapsing　dwelling。　There　was　another　excruciatingly　loud　snapping　sound　as　more　stone　buckled　and　popped；　and　Danifae；　still　inside　the　destroyed　remains　of　House　Melarn；　was　falling　away。
　　　***
　　　
　　　Khorrl　Xornbane　was　bloody　and　exhausted。　His　clan；　gathered　all　around　him；　looked　that　way　too。　He　had　no　idea　how　long　they'd　been　fighting；　but　it　was　too　long。　They　needed　rest　and　water。　They　couldn't　keep　this　up　for　much　longer。　Unfortunately；　the　captain　of　Clan　Xornbane　feared　that　the　day　would　grow　much　worse　before　it　got　better。　He　hoped　he　was　wrong。
　　　Khorrl　had　already　passed　the　word　that　his　troops　were　to　abandon　their　positions　defending　House　Melarn。　They　had　been　besieged　there　for　so　long　and　had　used　up　so　many　of　their　firepots　that　he　feared　the　place　was　growing　unstable。
　　　I'm　not　going　to　lose　my　boys　that　way；　he　told　himself。
　　　The　remains　of　his　forces　were　reforming　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　plaza　from　the　House；　and　for　the　moment　they　were　being　left　alone。　It　was　hard　to　be　sure　how　long　that　peace　would；　last；　though；　because　none　of　them　could　see　very　far　in　the　thick　smoke　of　the　burning　stone。
　　　What　Khorrl　and　his　duergar　could　see　told　the　tale　clearly　enough；　though。　The　plaza　was　covered　with　the　bodies　of　goblins　and　kobolds。　Littered　in　between　them　were　slightly　fewer　drow；　though　the　number　of　dead　dark　elves　surprised；　him。　More　dead　gray　dwarves　than　Khorrl　would　have　liked　were　scattered　here　and　there；　too。　It　had　been　a　hellish　day；　and　it　was　far　from　over；　the　captain　feared。
　　　〃Sir；〃　one　of　his　aides　said；　running　up　to　Khorrl；　〃we've　pletely　abandoned　the　estate。　The　last　of　the　troops　have　formed　a　line　from　that　corner…〃　the　young　gray　dwarf　pointed　through　the　smoke　toward　the　edge　of　a　dwelling　behind　them…〃across　to　the　flank　of　our　main　position；　there。〃　He　swung　his　arm　across　to　the　far　right　side　of　the　plaza。
　　　〃Good；〃　Khorrl　replied；　visualizing　the　battlefield　in　his　mind；　since　he　could　no　longer　clearly　see　it　with　his　eyes。
　　　〃Also；〃　the　aide　continued；　〃there's　another　force　of　drow　ing　toward　us；　from　that　direction。〃
　　　He　pointed　off　to　the　left；　where　the　plaza　was　joined　by　a　large　web　street。　It　was；　regrettably；　the　weakest　point　of　Clan　Xornbane's　defenses。
　　　〃Friend　or　foe？　Did　you　get　a　look　at　their　House　insignias？〃
　　　The　aide　shrugged　and　said；　〃Not　in　this　smoke。〃
　　　Khorrl　sighed。　He　would　have　to　send　scouts　out　to　reconnoiter　the　new　troops。　He　said　as　much　to　the　aide；　who　saluted　him　and　started　to　turn　away。
　　　〃Wait；〃　the　captain　said；　and　the　aide　stopped　attentively。　'Get　some　boys　up　there…〃　Khorrl　pointed　toward　the　street　one　level　above　where　they　were　currently　positioned…〃I　don't　want　another　swarm　of　those　damned　dark　elves　dropping　in　on　us　like　they　did　earlier。〃
　　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　aide　replied；　and　hurried　off　to　execute　his　captain's　mands。
　　　Khorrl　sighed　again　and　turned　to　call　for　water。　From　behind　him　there　was　a　loud　popping　sound；　a　sound　he　knew　too　well…　splintering　stone。　He　spun　back　around　and　peered　through　the　gloom　of　smoke　in　the　direction　from　which　it　had　e。　All　up　and　down　the　lines　that　protected　the　clan's　position；　the　word　was　spreading；　and　it　reached　Khorrl　quickly　enough。　House　Melarn　was　burning　to　oblivion；　and　it　was　about　to　go　over。
　　　Khorrl　shook　his　head；　knowing　what　was　about　to　happen。　He　hoped　his　aide　was　right　and　hoped　that　all　his　boys　had　gotten　out　of　there。　He　lamented　the　ones　who　couldn't；　for　whatever　reason。
　　　The　po