war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第131节

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was　sitting　cross…legged　a　few　yards　down　the　aisle。
The　Tuin'Tarl　instantly　pointed　his　crossbow。　Indeed；　he　nearly　pulled　the　trigger　before　he　took　in　all　the　details　of　the　scene。　His　former　teacher　sat　motionless；　his　eyes　shut。　To　all　appearances；　he　was　unconscious；　or　in　any　case　oblivious　to　the　advent　of　his　foes。　Master　Mizzrym　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
Ryld's　passivity　left　Houndaer　unsure　as　to　the　best　course　of　action。
Should　he　and　his　minions　summarily　dispatch　the　spy　or　seize　the　opnotportunity　to　take　him　prisoner？　If　the　weapons　master　was　dead；　he　couldn't　tell　them　what　had　bee　of　his　partner。
Then　the　noble　realized　that　while　he'd　stood　pondering　the　matter；　Tsabrak　had　drawn　back　his　bow　string　and　sighted　down　the　arrow。　Houndaer　lifted　a　hand　to　signal　him　to　desist；　then　thought　better　of　it。　Master　Argith　was　a　superb　warrior　even　by　the　standards　of　Melee…Magthere。　That　was　why；　when　a　student；　the　Tuin'Tarl　had　admired　him　so；　and　had　been　so　eager　to　recruit　him。　Perhaps　it　would　be　wiser　to　kill　him　while　they　had　the　chance。
Besides；　Houndaer　was　reluctant　to　risk　the　vexation　of　giving　Tsabrak　an　order　and　having　it　ignored。
He　lifted　his　hand　crossbow。　He　and　the　drider　took　their　time　aiming；　and　why　not？　Ryld　was　still　unaware　of　them。
Tsabrak　released　the　string；　and　Houndaer　pulled　the　trigger。　The　shafts　leaped　at　the　still…motionless　weapons　master。　The　noble　had　no　doubt　the　two　missiles　would　suffice。　They　were　flying　true；　and　the　heads　were　poinotsoned。　It　was　strange　and　vaguely　unsatisfying　to　dispatch　a　master　of　war　so　easily；　as　if　it　was　vengeance　on　the　cheap。
Then；　when　surely　it　was　too　late　to　react；　Ryld　moved。　He　twitched　himself　out　of　the　way　of　the　crossbow　quarrel　and　caught　the　hurtling　arrow　in　his　hand。
Swiftly；　yet　somehow　without　the　appearance　of　haste；　the　weapons　master　flowed　to　his　feet　and　advanced。　His　bloody　thigh　didn't　hinder　him　in　the　slightest。　His　face　and　eyes　were　empty；　like　those　of　a　medium　awaiting　munion　with　the　dead。
His　voice　pitched　deep；　Omraeth　sang　a　quick　rhymed　couplet。　Power　glittered　through　the　air。　Evidently　the　spell　was　supposed　to　afflict　Ryld；　but　as　far　as　Houndaer　could　observe；　it　didn't。　The　huge　male　just　kept　ing。　Tsabrak　loosed　another　arrow；　and　the　teacher　slapped　it　out　of　the　air　with　his　broadsword。
Tsabrak　and　Houndaer　dropped　their　bows　and　drew　their　swords。　The　drider　spat　poison　on　his　blade。　They'd　engage　Ryld　while　he　was　still　in　the　cramped　space　behind　the　seats　with　no　room　to　maneuver。　Omraeth　took　up　a　position　behind　his　rades；　where　he　could　augment　their　efnotforts　with　bardic　magic。
Houndaer　felt　a　pang　of　fright　and　willed　the　feeling　away。　He　had　nothing　to　fear。　It　was　three　against　one；　wasn't　it；　and　the　one　had　no　mail。　Indeed；　by　the　look　of　him；　he　might　not　even　have　any　wits。
Except　that　then　he　proved　he　did。　Ryld　touched　the　vertical　surface　that　was　the　back　of　the　steps。　He　summoned　darkness；　blinding　his　foes。
Houndaer　hacked　madly；　and　sensed　Tsabrak　doing　the　same。　Darkness　or　no；　when　the　spy　lunged　forward；　they'd　cut　him　to　pieces。　Their　swords　split　nothing　but　air。
After　a　few　seconds；　Omraeth　shouted；　〃e　back　this　way！　Now！〃
Houndaer　and　Tsabrak　turned　and　blundered　their　way　toward　the　sound　of　their　rade's　voice。　The　drider's　envenomed　sword　bumped　the　Tuin'TarPs　arm；　but　fortunately　without　sufficient　force　to　penetrate　his　armor　and　piwafwi。
When　Houndaer　stumbled　out　of　the　murk；　Master　Argith　was　in　the　center　of　the　salle。　Under　the　cover　of　darkness；　he'd　made　it　to　the　top　of　the　steps　and　bounded　down　the　other　side。　He　had　a　good　chance　of　reaching　the　exit　unchecked。
He　didn't　take　it；　though。　Standing　in　the　center　of　one　of　the　faintly　lunotminous　circles；　he　settled　into　a　fighting　stance。　He　hadn't　scrambled　over　the　steps　to　flee；　rather　to　reach　a　battleground　more　to　his　liking。
Houndaer　swallowed　away　a　dryness　in　his　mouth。　Ryld　hadn't　the　sense　to　run？　Well；　good。　Then　they'd　kill　him。
The　noble　and　drider　fanned　out　to　e　at　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　from　opposite　sides。　Omraeth　hung　back　and　menced　annotother　song。
Advancing　to　meet　his　adversaries；　Master　Argith　glided　through　the　first　of　three　moves…parry；　feint　high；　slash　low…of　one　of　the　broadsword　katas　he'd　taught　Houndaer　back　on　Tier　Breche。　The　noble　discerned　an　instant　too　late　that　the　purpose　was　to　distract　attention　from　the　crossbow　in　the　weapons　master's　other　hand。　The　dart　plunged　into　Omraeth's　throat；　ending　his　song　in　an　ugly　gurgle　and　dissipating　the　charged　heaviness　of　arcane　force　accumulati