war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第12章

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　gray…furred　animal　that　walked　on　four　spindly　legs　burst　into　sight；　running　full　out　with　its　tongue　lolling　and　eyes　wide。　It　glanced　from　side　to　side　as　it　ran…not　with　the　terror　of　a　wild　creature　but　with　a　keen　intelligence　as　if　seeking　somewhere　to　hide。　It　yipped　once；　was　answered　by　a　panion　still　some　distance　away　in　the　woods；　then　was　gone。
　　　Ryld　could　have　shot　his　crossbow　but　had　not。　He　wanted　to　save　the　magical　bolt　for　whatever　was　chasing　the　carnivore。　He　didn't　have　long　to　wait。　A　few　moments　later；　he　heard　something　big　crashing　through　the　forest　with　stumbling　steps。　From　its　gait；　it　sounded　like　a　human；　but　by　the　snap　of　branches　and　the　huffing　grunts　Ryld　guessed　that　it　was　much　larger。　When　it　crashed　into　sight；　smashing　a　slender　tree　in　half　with　one　careless　swipe　of　its　hand；　Ryld　saw　that　he'd　been　right。
　　　It　was　a　troll。
　　　Twice　the　height　of　a　drow　and　nearly　five　times　as　heavy；　the　troll　had　a　mottled；　gray…green　hide　covered　in　splotchy　gray　lumps。　It　loped　along　on　misshapen；　three…toed　feet；　its　rubbery　arms　so　long　that　its　knuckles　made　drag　marks　through　the　slush　on　the　ground。　Greenish…black　hair　grew　from　its　sloping　forehead　down　its　back　in　a　tangled；　dirty　mane；　and　even　in　the　steady　rain　its　body　emitted　a　foul　smell　somewhere　between　human　sweat　and　the　stench　or　rothe　manure。
　　　Ryld　stared　down　at　the　troll　as　it　paused；　streams　of　drool　sliding　from　the　corners　of　a　panting　mouth　filled　with　broken　teeth。　Once　again；　he　refrained　from　shooting　his　crossbow。　The　bolt　would　do　no　more　than　annoy　the　troll　and　alert　it　to　the　fact　that　someone　was　there。
　　　After　a　moment；　having　caught　its　breath；　the　troll　got　ready　to　run　again。　Then　its　head　suddenly　whipped　to　the　side；　and　its　nostrils　flared。
　　　〃Halisstra！　Watch　out！〃　Ryld　shouted…more　to　draw　the　troll's　attention　than　to　warn　Halisstra；　who　was　almost　certainly　watching　the　troll　herself。
　　　In　that　same　instant；　Ryld　fired。　The　bolt　whizzed　toward　its　target　but　glanced　off　a　branch　just　before　striking　the　troll。　Instead　of　burying　itself　in　the　monster's　eye；　as　Ryld　had　intended；　the　bolt　sliced　a　furrow　across　the　top　of　the　troll's　head。　A　heartbeat　later；　the　graze　mended　itself。
　　　The　troll；　having　scented　Halisstra；　raked　the　air　in　front　of　it　with　long　sweeps　of　its　clawed　hands。　It　must　have　e　unfortably　close；　for　an　instant　later　Halisstra　became　visible；　her　long　sword　slashing　forward　in　an　attack。　Stupidly；　the　troll　parried　with　its　hand；　and　two　of　its　fingers　went　flying。　They　lay　on　the　forest　floor；　wriggling　in　the　slush。
　　　The　creature　struck　with　its　other　hand；　raking　it　across　Halisstra's　chest。　The　magical　chain　mail　stopped　the　claws　from　penetrating；　but　the　force　of　the　blow　sent　Halisstra　stumbling　backward。　She　slipped　on　the　slushy　ground　and　went　down。　Sensing　an　easy　kill；　the　troll　lunged；　and　only　at　the　last　moment　did　Halisstra　manage　to　bring　her　shield　up。　The　troll's　teeth　sank　into　the　edge　of　the　shield；　crumpling　it。　Then　the　troll　shook　its　head；　wrenching　the　shield　from　Halisstra's　arm。　Pinned　to　the　ground　by　the　weight　of　the　monster　kneeling　on　her；　she　was　unable　to　bring　her　sword　into　play。
　　　Negating　his　levitation　magic；　Ryld　plunged　down　through　the　branches。　He　landed　perfectly　braced　in　a　ready　posture；　drawing　Splitter　in　one　smooth　motion　from　the　scabbard　at　his　back。　Putting　all　the　force　of　his　will　into　the　blow；　he　swung　the　greatsword　with　both　hands　and　felt　it　slice　cleanly　into　the　troll's　neck；　cleaving　it　instantly。　The　head　flew　into　the　air；　eyes　blinking　stupidly；　then　it　landed　and　rolled　away。　The　headless　body　reared　to　its　feet　and　spun　around　as　Ryld　opened　its　stomach　with　a　second　sword　swing；　spilling　foul…smelling　entrails。
　　　The　headless；　disemboweled　troll　finally　stumbled　away　into　the　forest。
　　　Halisstra　lay　on　her　back　on　the　wet　ground；　gasping；　rain　spattering　her　face。　Worried　that　she　might　be　in　immediate　need　of　healing　magic；　Ryld　reached　down　to　help　her…
　　　…and　was　slammed　to　the　ground　by　an　attack　he　should　have　anticipated。　Rolling　quickly　away；　he　saw　that　the　troll　was　back。　The　creature　stumbled　toward　him；　one　hand　holding　its　head　on　the　stump　of　its　severed　neck；　the　other　attempting　to　rake　Ryld　with　its　claws。　Even　as　Ryld　flipped　himself　up　off　the　ground　and　back　onto　his　feet；　dancing　out　of　the　reach　of　those　claws；　he　saw　flaps　of　sinew　burst　out　of　the　ropy　muscles　of　the　troll's　neck　and　quest　up　like　sentient　worms　to　hook　themselves　into　the　head。　Swifter　almost　than　the　eye　could　follow；　they　stitched　the　head　back　onto　the　body；　while　the　entrails　that　had　spilled　from　the　troll's　slashed　belly　sucked　back　into　the　stomach　wound。　Already　the　fingers　that　Halisstra's　blow　had　sliced　off　earlier　were　starting　to　grow　back。　Knobs　of　pinkish…gray　flesh　pulsed　outward　from　the　severed　digits。
　　　Leaping　forward；　Ryld　slashed　at　the　troll's　neck　a　second　time；　but　the　monster；　unlike　him；　anticipated　the　attack。　It　ducked…startlingly　fast…then　lunged　forward　and　wrapped　a　rubbery　hand　around　Ryld's　own。　Ryld　heard　a　bone　in　his　hand　crack　and　gasped　at　the　incredible　strength　of　the　troll。　Even　with　a　hand　that　was　missing　two　fingers；　its　fist　was　crushing　his。　The　troll　jerked　Splitter　out　of　Ryld's　hand　and　cast　it　away。
　　　Halisstra　had　struggled　to　her　feet　and　was　slashing　at　the　troll's　broad　back；　her　sword　making　strange；　flutelike　noises　as　she　swung　it。　The　monster　grunted　with　each　stroke　like　a　slave　under　the　lash　but　otherwise　ignored　the　deep　cuts　in　its　back。　Whirling；　it　backhanded　her　away　with　a　blow　that　sent　her　staggering。　Ryld　drew　his　short　sword　and　thrust　at　the　spot　where　the　troll's　heart　should　have　been；　but　even　though　the　blade　buried　itself　to　the　hilt　in　the　thing's　rubbery　chest　the　monster　was　not　slowed。
　　　A　hand　whipped　out　with　the　speed　of　one　of　Quenthel's　whip　vipers　and　wrapped　itself　around　Ryld's　neck。　Powerful　fingers　tightened　against　flesh；　choking　off　his　breathing。　Ryld　felt　a　rush　of　magical　energy　flowing　into　his　body　from　the　dragon…shaped　ring　on　his　finger；　as　the　ring　hardened　his　flesh　against　the　troll's　claws…but　too　late。　His　windpipe　had　already　squeezed　shut。　Abandoning　his　sword；　still　hilt…deep　in　the　monster's　chest；　he　drove　stiffened　fingers　into　what　would　have；　on　a　drow；　been　a　crippling　pressure　point…then　he　winced。　He　might　as　well　have　driven　his　fingers　into　solid　stone。
　　　Halisstra　charged　back　into　the　fray　and　managed　to　slice　one　of　the　troll's　feet　from　its　ankle。　It　stumbled　but　quickly　found　its　footing；　balancing　on　the　stump。　Halisstra　was　rewarded　with　a　rake　of　claws　that　snagged　her　chain　mail；　tearing　a　link　from　it。
　　　Ryld；　unable　to　breathe；　shouted　at　her　the　only　way　he　could。
　　　Flee！　I　am　finished！
　　　〃No！〃　she　gasped。　〃I　won't　leave　you。〃
　　　She　lunged　forward；　attacking　the　troll　with　a　furious　barrage　of　blows。　Ryld；　observing　with　the　eye　of　a　master；　saw　that　Halisstra　had　opened　her　stance；　inadvertently　exposing　herself　to　what　would　be　a　fatal　rake　of　the　monster's　claws。
　　　Though　Ryld　should　have　been　watching　with　the　detachment　of　someone　who　knows　he　is　about　to　die　and　can　do　nothing　about　it；　he　felt　a　strange　emotion　fill　him　in　that　impossibly　long　moment　that　stretched　between　two　fading　heartbeats；　a　deep　sadness　and　a　sense　of　infinite　loss。　Not　only　because　Halisstra　was　about　to　die；　but　because　her　death　would　mean　the　end　of　something　Ryld　had　only　just　discovered：　true　friendship…perhaps　even　love。　The　kind　that　would　cause　a　person　to　willingly　sacrifice　herself　in　a　hopeless　attempt　to　save　another。　As　their　eyes　met；　Ryld　realized　that　he　would　have　done　the　same　for　Halisstra…and　he　saw　that　she　knew　it。　He　also　saw　something　he'd　never　seen　in　the　eyes　of　a　drow：　trust。
　　　At　that　moment　a　drow　female　burst　out　of　the　forest；　her　silver…white　hair　plastered　against　her　face　by　the　rain。　She　was　naked；　save　for　a　heavy　silver　chain　around　her　waist　that　was　hung　with　a　large　silver　disk　and　a　curved　hunter's　horn。　She　moved　at　a　full…out　sprint；　holding　above　her　head　a