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war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第124部分

小说: war of the spider queen 1 dissolution 字数: 每页4000字

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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 ba

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