war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第119部分

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d　him；　but　with　an　agility　astonishing　in　so　massive　a　fighter；　Ryld　changed　dinotrection。　In　the　blink　of　an　eye；　he　was　driving　forward　instead　of　back；　plunging　at　the　half…spider　on　his　left。
Startled；　Houndaer　faltered；　then　scrambled　toward　Ryld　and　the　drider。　It　would　take　him　a　few　heartbeats　to　close　the　distance。
In　that　time；　Ryld　charged　in　on　Tsabrak's　right；　the　side　opposite　the　creature's　sword　arm。　A　drider's　spidery　lower　half　was　sufficiently　massive　that；　like　a　mounted　warrior；　he　had　difficulty　striking　or　parrying　across　his　torso。
Tsabrak　slashed　at　the　weapons　master's　head。　The　stroke　was　poorly　aimed；　and　Ryld　didn't　bother　to　duck　or　parry；　simply　concentrated　on　his　own　attack。
Tsabrak　made　a　desperate　effort　to　heave　himself　aside。　Still；　Ryld's　broadsword　crunched　through　the　top　of　one　of　the　drider's　chitinous　legs。　Tsabrak　cried　out　and　lurched　off…balance。
Stepping；　Ryld　whirled　his　weapon　around　for　what　would　surely　be　the　coup　de　grace。　Houndaer　shouted　a　war　cry；　ran　a　final　stride；　and　swung　the　greatsword。　He　wasn't　in　a　proper　stance；　and　the　stroke　was　a　clumsy　one；　but　it　sufficed　to　drive　the　weapons　master　back。　Ryld　knew　better　than　anyone　how　deadly　was　that　enormous　blade。
As　soon　as　the　stroke　whizzed　past；　the　master　advanced　with　a　thrust　to　the　chest。　Houndaer　wrenched　the　greatsword　around　for　a　parry。　It　should　have　been　impossible　to　bring　such　a　huge　weapon　about　so　quickly；　but　it　seemed　to　grow　as　light　as　a　roll　of　parchment　in　his　hands。　Ryld's　broadsword　caught　on　one　of　the　hooks　just　above　the　leather…girt　ricasso。
Ryld　retreated；　snatching　his　weapon　free。　Houndaer　shifted　the　greatnotsword　into　a　middle　guard；　and　Tsabrak　hobbled　up　beside　him。　The　drider's　face　twisted　in　pain；　and　pungent　fluid　spattered　rhythmically　from　his　wound。
Ryld　continued　to　back　away。　The　rogues　spread　out　again；　though　not　so　widely　as　before。　Tsabrak　began　to　make　a　soft　whining　sound　in　the　back　of　his　throat。
Then；　seemingly　without　any　windup；　just　a　sudden　extension　of　his　arm；　Ryld　threw　his　sword。　Though　the　weapon　wasn't　intended　for　such　an　action；　it　streaked　through　the　air　as　straight　and　sure　as　an　arrow。　The　point　plunged　into　Tsabrak's　chest。
The　drider's　eyes　widened。　He　coughed　blood；　then　flopped　forward　at　the　waist；　dropping　his　sword。　His　spider　half；　slower　to　die　than　the　upper　portion；　continued　to　limp　forward。
It　was　all　right；　though；　because　Ryld　had　no　melee　weapon　save　for　a　dagger；　which　would　surely　be　of　little　use　against　a　blade　as　long　as　the　greatsword。　Houndaer　rushed　in　to　deliver　the　finishing　stroke。
〃Tuin'Tarir　he　screamed。
His　face　still　as　blank　as　a　zombie's；　the　weapons　master　dodged　to　the　side。
Houndaer　turned；　following　the　target；　and　saw　that　Ryld　had　ducked　behind　one　of　a　row　of　wooden　mannequins。　Up　close；　the　crudely　carved　dummies　were　oddly　disquieting　figures；　smirking　identical　smiles　despite　their　countless　stigmata　of　dents　and　gashes。
Ryld　stood　poised；　waiting；　and　Houndaer　discerned　the　spy's　intent。　When　his　adversary　lunged　around　one　side　of　the　dummy；　the　master　would　circle　in　the　opposite　direction；　thus　maintaining　a　barrier　between　them。
Houndaer　saw　no　reason　to　play　that　game；　not　if　his　new　sword　was　as　keen　as　it　was　supposed　to　be。　He　brought　the　blade　around　in　a　low　arc。　It　tore　away　the　mannequin　with　scarcely　a　jolt；　depriving　Ryld　of　his　pitinotful　protection。
Unfortunately；　the　weapons　master　sprang　forward　at　the　very　same　innotstant；　before　Houndaer　could　pull　the　greatsword　back　for　another　cut。　Ryld　slashed　at　the　noble's　throat。
Houndaer　frantically　wrenched　himself　back；　interposing　his　weapon　between　himself　and　the　spy；　before　recognizing　that　the　cut　had　been　more　of　a　feint　than　anything　else。　Ryld　had　tricked　him　into　assuming　a　pletely　defensive　attitude；　then　seized　the　opportunity　to　dash　past　him。　Houndaer　cut　at　the　master's　back　but　only　managed　to　tear　his　bilnotlowing　cloak。
The　Tuin'Tarl　gave　chase；　and　Tsabrak；　dying　or　dead　but　still　mindnotlessly　ambulatory；　staggered　into　his　path。　Houndaer　shouted　in　frustranottion　and　cut　the　drider　down。
When　the　hybrid　fell；　the　noble　could　see　what　was　happening　behind　him。　Ryld　had　reached　Tsabrak's　fallen　sword。　Heedless　of　the　venom　drying　on　the　blade；　the　teacher　slipped　his　toe　under　the　weapon；　flipped　it　into　the　air；　and　caught　it　neatly　by　the　hilt。　His　expression　as　unfathnotomable　as　ever；　he　came　on　guard　and　advanced。
I　can　still　kill　him；　Houndaer　thought；　I　still　have　the　reach　on　him。
Aloud；　he　shouted；　〃Here！　I've　got　one　of　the　masters　here！〃
Ryld　stepped　to　the　verge　of　the　distance；　then　hovered　there。　Confident　in　his　ability　to　defend；　he　wanted　Houndaer　to　strike　at　him。　A　fencer　couldn't　attack　without　opening　himself　up。
At　first；　the　noble　declined　to　oblige。　He　intended　to　wait　his　opponent　out。　Ryld　beat　his　blade。
The　clanging　impact　startled　a　response　out　of　him；　but　at　least　it　was　a　posed　attack。　Feint　to　the　chest；　feint　to　the　flank；　cut　low　and　hack　the　opponent's　legs　out　from　underneath　him。
Even　as　he　flowed　into　the　fin