按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Kyorli scurried to the tunnel mouth and peered in。 Seeing through her eyes； Gromph saw what he'd expected： a duergar wearing a gray； hooded mantle and carrying a staff set with an egg…sized gem with a deep crack running down its center； symbol of the god Laduguer。 The cleric stood in front of a dozen bodies that had been heaped on the floor of the tunnel； waving his staff over them as he cast a spell。 A moment later the bodies began to stir。 As one； the dead soldiers…animated with a gruesome semblance of life…rose to their feet and filed out of the tunnel。
Follow them； Gromph ordered； Watch where they go。
Kyorli did； from a safe distance。 The undead duergar marched in a jerking line toward the mouth of the main tunnel。 Reaching it； they cook up positions behind the siege wail； oblivious to yet another cloud of acidic vapor that boiled down from the cavern above； blistering their undead skin。
Gromph had to admit the duergar were clever。 With Lolth's priestesses bereft of their magic there was no one to turn an undead army back…or seize control of it。 Once the magical fire had done its work they would march； unmolested； on Sorcere； Melee…Magthere； and Arach…Tinilith…then Menzoberranzan proper。 And the only mage powerful enough to stop them was imprisoned far beneath the city…or so their manders thought。
The view through Kyorli's eyes shifted suddenly as the rat was forced to scurry out of the path of a running soldier。
That will do； Gromph told his familiar。 Find yourself a place to hide。 You'll be able to join me in Sorcere soon enough。
Returning his awareness to his own body； Gromph strode with confidence to the balcony。 He pulled from his pocket a small piece of engraved bone； and held out his palm to the two students who turned toward him。
〃I need a small piece of raw meat；〃 he told them。
Norulle glanced around。 〃But Master； there is none here；〃 he said。
Prath met Gromph's eye and slowly nodded。 Drawing a dagger that had been hidden up a sleeve of his piwafwi； he placed his left hand on the rail of the balcony and sliced off the fleshy tip of his little finger。 Picking up the bloody piece…and ignoring the grimace of his fellow student…he offered it to Gromph with his good hand。
Gromph smiled。
〃Well done； apprentice；〃 he told the boy。 〃You'll go far。 What House are you； by the way？〃
Prath smiled through his pain； clenching the stub of his severed finger against his palm to staunch the blood； and answered； 〃House Baenre； Master。〃
〃Ah。〃 Gromph had never met the lad before…he must have been a child of the lowest of the noble ranks。
Prath wasn't quick…witted…any other student might have used a spell to summon a minor creature into his hand； killed it； and offered Gromph its flesh； instead…but he was loyal。 Gromph could use that。
Smearing the blood on the bit of bone； Gromph cast his spell。 With a flick of his hand； he hurled it in the direction of the wall that hid the duergar positions。
Then he shouted his mand： 〃Break off your attack。 Turn and fight the duergar； instead！〃
Spells continued to rain down upon the fungus…stem wall。 It took the other mages several moments to realize that the catapults had stopped firing。 Then the undead duergar soldiers turned their backs on the wall。 With unsteady； mindless motions they trotted into the tunnel that led to the Dark Dominion； weapons in hand。 A moment later； the clash of battle echoed out of the tunnel； as they engaged their still…living panions in mortal bat。
Seeing that； the remaining warriors of Melee…Magthere burst out of their pyramid。 Rushing forward with swords raised； they clambered over the siege wall and immediately began tearing both it and the catapults apart。 Others picked up the stonefire bombs the undead duergar had left behind and heaved them into the tunnel。
Gromph smiled grimly as he watched。 Eventually he turned and looked out beyond Tier Breche； at the city below。 Despite the toehold the enemy had gained…and lost…in Tier Breche； Menzoberranzan seemed untouched by war。 The stalactites and stalagmites of the noble manors still sparkled； and a ring of magical fire was creeping up the great spire of Narbondel。 Gromph frowned； wondering which of the wizards of House Baenre had been keeping it going in his absence。 It seemed that he was not quite as irreplaceable as he would have liked。 He'd have to speak to Triel about that。
Then； after making his report to his matron mother； he would see what he could do to put an end to the siege。
Chapter Nineteen
As a dozen priestesses raised horns to their lips to signal the start of the night's hunt； Halisstra felt a thrill rush through her body。 Part of it was a shiver。 The wind was picking up； and a few flakes of snow had started to fall。 Like the others； she wore nothing save for a heavy silver chain around her waist； hung with the silver disk that bore the symbol of Eilistraee。
Tipping her head back； she raised the hunting horn they'd given her to her lips； staring past it at the moon。 She drew a deep breath and blew； adding her horn's strident voice to the others。 There was an urgent rush of raw sound as each of the horns found its own note； then held it in perfect harmony with the others。 The very air shivered and for several heartbeats was still。 Then the wind resumed； stirring the tree branches overhead。
As if the goddess had given her a signal； Halisstra suddenly cut short her note at precisely the same moment that the other women did。 She lowered her horn and stared expectantly as the leader of the hunt…Uluyara； the drow who had killed the troll the previous night…drew from the ground the sword they had been dancing around a moment before。 Holding it straight out in front of her； the high priestess slowly turned in place。
Like Uluyara； Halisstra's only weapon was a sword； Seyll's long sword。 Her hand gripped its hilt tightly； covering all but one of the holes。 Through that single hole the wind blew； producing a faint； insistent note。
Feliane； who had stayed close to Halisstra throughout the dance； caught her eye。
〃Use it well；〃 she said； nodding at the songsword。 The moon elf had dyed her skin black； once again； in preparation for the night's hunt。 Too small and innocent looking to ever be taken for a drow at close range…especially with her brown hair…Feliane nonetheless gripped her own sword like someone who knew how to wield it。
〃What do we hunt？〃 Halisstra whispered。
〃Whatever monster Eilistraee causes to cross our path；〃 Feliane answered； an enigmatic smile on her lips。
Uluyara began to spin faster。 Her sword flashed in the moonlight as she whirled in tight circles： once； twice； three times 。 。 。 then she jerked to a halt； her blade quivering。
〃This way！〃 she shouted。
Like a hunting lizard suddenly unleashed； she sprinted into the woods。
A rush of excitement swept through Halisstra as she leaped to follow the high priestess。 All of the other priestesses did the same； and just behind her； Halisstra could see Feliane running swiftly； her eyes eager and bright。 Urged on by an emotion that was part elation； part lust for the hunt； Halisstra wove through the trees； leaping over snow…dappled logs and clumps of fern； and shouldering her way through branches whose pine needles slapped her skin。 She ran； following the others； and plunged after them down a gully。 She splashed through a wide stream at the bottom of it； slipping on the ice that crusted the river stones under her feet。 Then she was scrambling up the far bank； fighting to keep her balance as she climbed the steep slope with a sword in one hand and a horn in the other。
At the top she paused； uncertain which way to go。 She could no longer hear the other priestesses in the forest ahead。 The only sound was the noise of Feliane scrambling up the slope behind her。 Then she heard a horn； ing from a distance and to her right。
〃That's Uluyara；〃 Feliane gasped。 〃She's found it。〃
Halisstra didn't stop to ask what the high priestess had found。 Panting； sweating even though the air was cold； she plunged on into the forest； running in the direction from which the sound had e。 As she ran； she noted to her disgust that； unlike her； Feliane wasn't even breathing hard。 Like the other priestesses； Feliane was swift and sure of her footing on the snowy ground。 Halisstra； accustomed to a noble's life in a city where one strolled along smooth streets and levitated from one avenue to the next； had never had cause to run and climb so hard or for so long。
This must be the 〃trial〃 Feliane had spoken of when I was lifted from the cave； Halisstra thought。 That's why she's holding herself back； watching my every move。
Determined not to show herself to be wanting； aware that Eilistraee herself might be watching； Halisstra ran on； ignoring the pain that was pinching her side like a centipede's jaws。
At least the moon provided ample light to run by…to Halisstra； accustomed to the Underdark； the forest appeared brilliantly lit。 But the trees were thick； the spaces between them filled with low bushes and ferns。 Halisstra had long sin