war of the spider queen 4 extinction-及46何蛍
梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈梓囚徒貧圭鮗 ● 辛指欺云匈競何
!!!!隆堋響頼紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響
Both of the humans were thin and muscular察with pale blond hair and darker skin than most humans察suggesting there had been a drow somewhere among their ancestors。 The older of the two men inclined his head to Halisstra。 It was as much of a bow as he could manage while still holding on to the cloak that sagged with the priestess's weight。 When Halisstra nodded back in acknowledgement察the two men gently eased their burden to the snowy ground。
;We two are from Velarsburg察─the older man said。 ;I am the lumberman Rollim察and this is my son Baeford。 We were cutting timber near the Howling Hills when we heard a woman calling for help。 We followed the voice´some ways through the woods察from which I figure it must have been a magical sending´and found this Dark Lady outside a cave。 She looked near death´she was breathing shallow察and fast。 She couldn't speak察but she could still sign。 She said she'd been attacked in the Realms Below and needed to get back to the temple。;
Halisstra contemplated the dead priestess。 She was a stranger察but Halisstra could guess her mission by the tiny swords that hung from the ring on her belt。 She was one of the priestesses who traveled as missionaries into the Underdark察carrying the faith of Eilistraee to the drow who dwelled below。 The tiny swords would have been handed out to the faithful察to serve as ;keys; that would ensure them safe passage to the temple。
;Did she tell you what attacked her拭─Halisstra asked。
Rollim frowned and replied察 Not 'what' Lady察but who。 When she was telling her story察she used the sign for 'she。' The sign that means 'drow female。' ;
Halisstra winced。
;Did you see any sign of this other drow拭─she asked。
;None察─Rollim said。 ;There was only the Dark Lady's footprints´and we didn't dare go into the cave。 The other must still be below。;
;Stabbed in the back察─Halisstra muttered察staring down at the priestess。 ;How typical。;
Behind the two men´both had their backs to the spot where Ryld was hidden´she saw dark hands briefly flash此Or else abandoned to fight alone。
Even though Ryld's face was no more than a shadow under the hood of his piwafwi察Halisstra could see he was scowling。
;Not stabbed察─Baeford interjected。 ;There wasn't a mark on her。; He glanced apprehensively down at the body of the priestess。 ;It must have been magic that killed her。;
Rollim ran a heavily callused hand through his hair察which was damp with sweat and dotted with sawdust。 ;A normal injury察we might have been able to do something about´we could have splinted a broken bone or stanched the bleeding of an axe cut。 But this´; he shuddered´;She died as we were lifting her onto the cloak。;
Halisstra nodded。 ;You did well to bring her here察─she told them。 ;I'm sure the priestesses will reward´;
;They already have察─Rollim said。 He raised his right hand察palm up察toward the sky in a reverential gesture察then let it drop to his side。 ;If it wasn't for the Dark Ladies察Baeford wouldn't be alive today。 He had the pox soon after his birth and nearly died察but Eilistraee healed him。; He glanced at the dead priestess察and his expression grew grim。 ;I only wish we'd been able to repay that kindness。;
Baeford´whose face did have pock marks´shuffled his feet nervously。
;Lady察─Baeford asked察 shall we carry her to the sacred circle拭
He looked as though the last thing he wanted to do was pick up the body again。
;No察─she answered。 ;I'll take her。 You may go。;
;You'll carry her alone拭─Rollim asked察eyebrow raised。
He bowed hurriedly when he saw Halisstra's frown。 She still didn't appreciate a male questioning her authority。
;As you wish察─Rollim quickly said。 Then察to his son察 e察Baeford。 We've done all we can。;
As they left察Ryld slid silently out of the branches。
Should I follow them拭he signed。
Halisstra shook her head。
;No。 There's something amiss here察but though the younger one could sense it察he doesn't know what it is。 Whatever it is察they weren't the cause of it。;
She knelt beside the body and studied it察shifting it slightly to observe the woman's back。 As Baeford had said察there were no obvious signs of injury。 The priestess's skin was unbroken察and her tunic and boots showed only normal travel wear。 Just as all of Eilistraee's priestesses did´especially when venturing into the Underdark´she wore a chain mail shirt。 Its links were undamaged察and her sword was still in its scabbard。
On an impulse察Halisstra grasped the hilt and tugged。 The sword slid out of its scabbard easily察its blade keen and bright´had it been used察it might have been sticky with blood。 As Halisstra reached once again over the dead woman to resheath the weapon察her face came close to that of the priestess。 Detecting a faint but acrid odor察she bent closer and sniffed。 The smell was a distinctive blend of the sulfuric fires of the Abyss bined with rotten spiderweb。
Halisstra swore softly察 Eilistraee protect us。;
;What is it拭─Ryld asked察tense。
;She was killed by a yochlol察─Halisstra said。 ;I can smell its stink on her skin and hair。;
Silver flashed as Ryld drew his greatsword。 He assumed a ready position察eyes darting around the forest。
;Do you think it followed her拭─he asked through gritted teeth。
;I doubt it。;
As she spoke察Halisstra pried open the dead woman's mouth。 The priestess's jaw opened easily。 She had not been dead long。 As Halisstra had suspected察the smell was stronger when the woman's mouth was open。 The yochlol must have assumed gaseous form and flowed into the priestess's lungs察choking her and rendering her unable to retaliate with either sword or spell。 Which meant that the yochlol had gotten close to her´close enough to take her pletely by surprise。 It had done so either by using a spell to dominate her察or by the simple subterfuge of assuming one of its most innocent´looking forms察that of a female drow。
A ;drow; who had察Halisstra guessed察pretended to be a petitioner seeking to join in Eilistraee's worship。 The yochlol must have toyed with the priestess察secretly gloating at what was to e while acpanying her to the cavern that led out onto the World Above。 Then it struck。
;This was no random attack察─Halisstra concluded。 ;The yochlol chose its victim deliberately。;
;Do you think the demon was summoned拭─Ryld asked察his brow creased in a worried frown。 ;If it was。 。 。 。;
The warrior didn't finish his question察but he didn't have to。 Halisstra knew full well what was on his mind。 The yochlol were demonic creatures that served the Queen of the Demonweb Pits。 The handmaidens of Lolth could only appear on the prime material plane if summoned by her priestesses。 It was possible察however察that one had already been on the prime when Lolth fell silent and had subsequently broken free of its mistresses。
It was also possible that Lolth had returned from wherever she'd gone to察and that her priestesses were once again able to use their spells。
;Uluyara will want to know about this察─Halisstra said。 She moved to one end of the cloak on which the priestess lay察and grasped its two corners。 ;Let's get the body to the temple´at once。;
Chapter Twenty´three
Sculling to keep herself just beneath the surface of the lake察Quenthel waited until the spell that allowed her to breathe water ended。 When her lungs began to feel tight and hot察she exhaled the last of the lake water from them and let her head break the surface。 Then察treading water and coughing slightly察she touched the brooch on her chest。 She rose smoothly into the spray´filled air beside the waterfall察at last drawing level with the tunnel。
Jeggred was sitting just inside it brooding察staring out across the lake。 When he saw her his eyes widened。 Letting out a howl of delight察he leaped to his feet察cracking his head against the low ceiling and splitting his scalp。 Oblivious to the blood that flowed freely through his thick white hair察he broke into gulping laughter。
;Mistress ─he barked。
Quenthel landed lightly on the ledge beside him。 Crouching low察s