war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第33章

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　impossible　for　the　weapons　master　to　see　his　feet。　With　each　step　his　boot　met　some　resistance：　a　rock；　something　soft；　something　that　might　have　been　alive；　something　that　was　solid　and　round　like　a　quarterstaff…there　were　a　lot　of　those…and　something　sharp　like　a　dagger　blade。
　　　A　bubble　as　big　as　Ryld's　fist　slowly　expanded　on　the　surface　a　few　feet　in　front　of　him；　sat　there　for　a　few　seconds；　then　popped。　Ryld　stopped　and　watched　it　and　winced　when　the　smell　of　the　air　that　had　been　trapped　in　the　bubble　finally　wafted　past　his　nose。　The　smell　was　reminiscent　of　the　draegloth's　horrid　breath；　but　it　was　different　enough　that　Ryld　was　sure　that　it　wasn't　Jeggred　who'd　sent　up　the　bubble…and　it　wasn't　the　first　such　bubble　he'd　seen。
　　　Ryld　stepped　forward；　his　foot　again　brushing　past　some　hard　object　below　the　water。　He　used　a　Melee…Magthere　technique　to　slow　his　breathing　and　steady　the　shivering　that　threatened　to　slow　his　reaction　time。　He　could　see　his　breath　condensing　in　the　air　in　front　of　him　in　puffs　of　white　steam　when　he　exhaled；　the　air　cold　enough　to　make　his　teeth　sting　when　he　inhaled。
　　　An　explosion　of　water　doused　his　face　and　made　him　close　his　eyes。　The　water　was　thick　with　slime　and　grainy　bits　of　something…Ryld　couldn't　even　guess　what。　His　eyes　blazed　with　flashes　of　yellow　light　and　pain　that　made　his　jaw　tense。　Still；　he　brought　his　sword　up　in　front　of　him　and　slashed　twice　at　whatever　it　was　that　had　splashed　him。　His　blade　met　no　resistance。
　　　From　much　farther　below；　a　set　of　claws　grabbed　at　his　left　thigh；　punctured；　then　pulled　down。　The　claws　dragged　deep；　ragged　furrows　in　his　skin；　and　Ryld　could　feel　the　heat　of　his　own　blood　soaking　his　leg　then　cooling　when　it　mixed　with　the　cold　water　of　the　swamp。
　　　Stepping　back　and　stabbing　down；　Ryld　tripped　over　something　in　the　water　that　felt　like　a　length　of　petrified　rope。　Though　he　did　his　best　to　judge　where　the　draegloth　must　have　been　to　have　clawed　him　like　that；　Splitter　sank　into　the　spongy　ground　under　the　water；　never　touching　Jeggred。　Ryld　fell　backward　until　the　water　wrapped　him　in　its　freezing　embrace。
　　　The　draegloth's　next　attack　pushed　one　of　Ryld's　arms　off　the　pommel　of　his　greatsword　and　flipped　it　out　to　his　side。　Another　set　of　deep　cuts　appeared　on　the　underside　of　his　left　arm。　Ryld　wanted　to　scream；　but　he　was　under　water；　so　he　kept　his　mouth　shut　and　brought　his　greatsword　back　under　control。　Even　in　the　roar　of　swirling　water　that　overwhelmed　his　hearing；　the　weapons　master　could　sense　the　draegloth's　jaws　snap　closed　half　an　inch　from　his　throat。
　　　The　draegloth　was　on　top　of　him；　and　all　the　half…demon　had　to　do　was　keep　Ryld　under　water　and　eventually　the　weapons　master　would　drown。　The　mistake　the　draegloth　made　was　to　reveal　his　position　so　clearly；　though；　and　Ryld　took　full　advantage　of　that　mistake。
　　　Pressing　up　with　one　leg；　Ryld　felt　the　heavy　weight　of　the　half…demon。　The　weapons　master　pressed　harder；　curling　backward　and　straightening　his　leg…not　an　easy　task　since　the　draegloth　outweighed　Ryld　by　more　than　two　hundred　pounds。　He　almost　had　the　draegloth　rolled　over　his　head；　but…maybe　due　to　resistance　from　the　water；　the　cold；　shivering；　or　exhaustion…Ryld's　knees　gave　way；　and　the　draegloth　fell　onto　him。
　　　Jeggred's　claws　found　the　underside　of　Ryld's　breastplate　and　made　some　shallow　but　painful　cuts　in　the　weapons　master's　belly。　The　cold　water　slowed　the　flow　of　blood；　though。　Ryld　almost　subconsciously　noted　the　irony　in　that。　He　would　drown　in　the　water　that　was　keeping　him　from　bleeding　to　death。
　　　Ryld　pressed　again；　using　Splitter　instead　of　his　legs。　Either　the　draegloth　feared　the　greatsword　or　being　totally　submerged　made　him　lighter；　but　Ryld　managed　to　roll　the　half…demon　off　him。　He　made　a　few　more　blind　jabs　with　Splitter　to　keep　the　draegloth　at　bay　while　he　stood。
　　　When　Ryld's　head　finally　cleared　the　water；　he　looked　around　for　Jeggred　even　before　he　started　to　breathe　again。　The　draegloth　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　Ryld　struggled　to　his　feet；　slipping　twice　on　what　felt　like　slime…covered　rocks。　Still　he　managed　to　get　Splitter　up　in　front　of　him　in　both　hands　and　ready。
　　　Ryld　staggered　through　the　water　and　across　more　odd　obstructions　under　it；　several　paces　from　where　he　guessed　that　Jeggred　should　have　been　lying　after　the　weapons　master　rolled　him　off。
　　　He　would　have　kept　going　but　stopped　when　he　heard　another　loud　splash　behind　him。
　　　Ryld　spun；　keeping　his　sword　up　and　ready；　and　saw　a　disturbance　on　the　water：　what　he　thought　looked　like　signs　of　a　struggle。　Puzzled　that　Jeggred　would　be　so　brazen　after　having　effectively　taken　Ryld　by　surprise　more　than　once　in　that　cursed　swamp；　the　weapons　master　took　one　step　closer　to　the　splashing　with　his　sword　in　front　of　him　and　over　his　head　in　an　effort　to　be　ready　for　any　eventuality。
　　　The　draegloth　burst　out　of　the　swamp　in　a　flurry　of　claws　and　legs。　Water　arced　from　his　white　mane　as　his　head　snapped　back。　He　was　wrapped　in　dark　green　ropes；　some　sort　of　plant　he　must　have　gotten　himself　tangled　in。　Ryld　thought　he　saw　the　plants　move；　slithering　against　Jeggred's　body　like　constricting　snakes。
　　　Jeggred　had　barely　enough　time　to　take　a　deep　breath。　As　quickly　as　he　came　up；　the　draegloth　disappeared　into　another　swirling　eddy　that　broke　up　the　slime　covering　the　water。
　　　Ryld　didn't　have　time　to　understand　what　he'd　seen。　Something　wrapped　itself　around　his　ankle　and　pulled。　The　weapons　master　knew　a　hundred　tricks　to　keep　him　on　his　feet　even　if　someone　really　wanted　to　pull　him　down；　but　as　much　as　he　tried；　whatever　it　was　that　had　him　was　too　strong。
　　　So　he　cut　it。
　　　Splitter　was　still　in　his　hands　and　still　as　sharp　a　sword　as　ever　saw　battle　in　the　Underdark。　Ryld　brought　the　weapon　stabbing　down　along　the　side　of　his　body　then　in　and　through　whatever　had　grabbed　him。
　　　It　wasn't　easy…the　thing　around　his　ankle　was　as　sturdy　as　it　was　strong…but　he　severed　it　and　stopped　short　of　cutting　off　his　own　foot。　Ryld　struggled　backward　through　the　water　then　stopped　and　turned　when　he　saw　something　moving　in　the　corner　of　his　eye。
　　　Half　a　dozen　of　the　green；　ropy　vines　were　sticking　up　out　of　the　water　like　snakes　scanning　for　their　next　meal。　Ryld　saw　no　eyes；　no　mouths；　only　green　stalks　as　big　around　as　one　of　the　weapons　master's　sturdy　wrists。　They　had　no　faces；　but　they　were　very　much　alive　and　appeared　for　all　the　world　as　if　they　were　looking　for　him。
　　　One　of　the　vines　burst　toward　him；　unraveling　itself　from　the　water　to　snake　quickly　through　the　air　at　Ryld's　throat。
　　　The　weapons　master　sliced　fast　and　hard　at　chest　level　and　took　the　first　four　inches　off　the　end　of　the　attacking　vine。　Greenish…yellow　sap　leaped　from　it　like　blood　from　a　wound；　and　the　vine　quivered　then　fell　into　the　roiling；　slime…covered　water。
　　　Another　vine　tried　to　wrap　itself　around　Ryld　from　behind；　and　he　could　feel　even　more　of　them　worrying　him　from　beneath　the　surface。　Ryld　kept　Splitter　moving　in　fast；　fluid　motions　in　front　of　him　and　to　either　side；　cutting　through　the　water；　taking　the　ends　off　one　animated　vine　after　another。
　　　Jeggred　came　back　up；　gasping　for　breath　and　ripping　at　a　mass　of　the　dark　green　vines。　He　was　covered　in　the　swamp　slime；　vine　sap；　and　blood。　One　of　the　vines　slipped　around　his　face　and　into　his　mouth…a　mistake。　The　draegloth　bit　down；　and　the　bloodlike　sap　splashed　over　his　cheeks。　The　vine　quivered　and　went　dead；　but　half　a　dozen　more　burst　out　of　the　water　to　take　its　place；　and　the　draegloth　was　dragged　under　once　again。
　　　This　swamp；　Ryld　thought　as　he　chopped　down　two　more　attacking　vines；　will　kill　us　both　before　we　can　kill　each　other。
　　　Another　reason　to　hate　the　World　Above。
　　　Jeggred　came　back　up　again　for　just　long　enough　to　take　another　breath；　and　Ryld　got　the　feeling　that　the　draegloth　was　finally　getting　the　upper　hand　over　the　damnable　vines。　Ryld　cut　through　another　vine　then　sliced　off　one　that　had　almost　managed　to　get　all　the　way　around　his　wounded　thigh。　The　vines　were　still　ing　at　him　one　after　another；　and　Ryld　had　no　way　of　knowing　how　many　there　were　or　if；　let　alone　when；　they　might　finally　give　up　or　he　might　kill　the　last　of　them。　That　and　the　possibility　that　the　draegloth　might　e　at　him　again　made　up　the　weapons　master's　mind。
　　　Ryld　looked　around；　flicking　his　greatsword　to　his　right　to　slice　a　vine　then　in　front　of　him　to　cut　through　another；　letting　the　movement　of　the　vines　in　his　peripheral　vision　chose　his　targets　for　him　while　he　scanned　for　an　escape　route。
　　　To　his　right…he　had　lost　all　sense　of　direction　a　long　time　before　so　had　no　idea　if　he　was　facing　north；　south；　east；　or　west…the　water　gave　way　to　slightly　more　solid　if　not　entirely　dry　land。　Larger　trees　with　long；　whiplike　branches　made　a　forest　of　thin　lines。　Behind　those　hanging　branches；　Ryld　saw　a　scattering　of　orange　lights　that　must　have　been　torches　burning　in　the　distance。
　　　He　knew　there　might　be　any　number　of　sentient　creatures　that　could　have　lit　those　torches；　and　surely　none　of　them　were　drow。　Still；　he　might　be　able　to　use　any　sort　of　habitation　to　his　advantage。　If　Jeggred　chased　him　there；　and　it　was　a　human　town；　an　orc　town；　or　an　elf　town；　they　might　not　like　dark　elves；　but　they'd　be　terrified　by　the　draegloth。　That　could　buy　Ryld　time；　if　not　allies。
　　　Another　vine　managed　to　get　around　his　ankle　and　tug。　Ryld　went　down　to　one　knee；　his　face　almost　falling　under　the　slimy　water　before　he　managed　to　slice　the　vine　off　him。　He　left　a　cut　in　his　boot　that　let　in　the　water；　and　he　shivered。　Free　of　the　vine；　the　weapons　master　ran。　He　didn't　bother　trying　to　be　quiet　but　splashed　headlong　through　the　knee…deep　water。　Behind　him；　Jeggred　surfaced　again；　tore　at　the　vines　still　covering　his　midsection；　roared；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　went　back　down。
　　　Ryld　stepped　onto　dry　ground　and　hopped　in　an　unseemly　fashion　as　a　set　of　vines　worried　at　his　heels。　The　ground　was　slippery　and　muddy；　covered　in　patches　with　slick　moss；　but　Ryld　continued　running；　working　past　the　occasional　loss　of　footing。　From　behind　him　came　the　draegloth's　peculiar　growl　and　a　flurry　of　splashes。　As　Ryld　ran　through　the　stinging；　whiplike　branches；　dodging　between　the　close…set　trees　while　barely　managing　to　keep　on　his　feet；　he　could　hear　the　half…demon　panting；　tearing；　and　growling　behind　him。　Jeggred　had　surfaced　again　and　was　fighting　his　way　free　of　the　vines。
　　　The　weapons　master　ran　on；　and　soon　the　sounds　of　the　struggling　draegloth　were　joined　by　the　faint　echo　of　voices　ahead。　He　came　out　of　the　forest　of　whiplike　branches；　still　at　an　all…out　run。　The　clearing　was　wide　and　relatively　dry。　A　collection　of　stumps　replaced　the　trees；　and　Ryld　jumped　up　onto　one　of　them　then　hopped　to　another　and　another；　making　his　way　toward　the　settlement。　The　stumps　provided　more　even　footing　and　were　less　slippery　than　the　muddy；　mossy　ground。
　　　The　torches　burned　from　long　poles　stuck　into　the　ground　in　a　circle　around　a　collection　of　a　dozen　small　shacks　and　tattered　tents。　Even　Ryld；　who　knew　little　of　the　World　Above；　could　tell　that　the　settlement　was　a　tem