war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第8章

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　　　Our　route　takes　us　into　a　large　chamber　ahead。
　　　Valas　gestured　along　the　passage　from　which　he　had　just　returned。
　　　What's　there？　Quenthel　signaled　impatiently。
　　　The　scout　shrugged　then　signed；　More　of　the　fungus；　but　it　doesn't　block　our　path　this　time。　We're　almost　beyond　Vhok's　reach。
　　　Then　let's　go；　Quenthel　replied。　I'm　sick　of　this　place。
　　　Valas　nodded；　and　the　group　set　off　again。　The　passages　through　which　the　scout　led　them　were　once　again　wide　and　smooth；　cut　from　the　rock　of　the　Underdark　by　skilled　dwarf　hands。　They　seemed　to　be　making　headway　in　the　direction　they　wanted　to　go；　as　Faeryl　mented　more　than　once　that　things　were　starting　to　look　familiar　to　her。　With　any　luck；　they　would　be　out　of　Kaanyr　Vhok's　domain　and　into　the　outskirts　of　Ched　Nasad's　patrolled　regions　in　short　order。　Quenthel　seemed　content　this　time　to　let　Valas　and　Ryld　interpret　the　ancient　Dethek　runes　inscribed　on　the　thoroughfares　of　the　long…abandoned　dwarven　city　and　go　where　they　suggested；　for　which　Pharaun　was　intensely　grateful。　The　sooner　they　reached　the　forts　of　Ched　Nasad；　the　better　he'd　feel；　at　least　physically。
　　　The　mage　had　been　contemplating　making　a　suggestion　to　Quenthel；　proposing　to　her　that　they　enter　the　city　discreetly。　He　wouldn't　put　it　past　the　high　priestess　to　want　to　stroll　in　with　banners　unfurled　and　demand　to　see　the　most　powerful　representatives　of　the　noble　Houses；　just　so　she　could　tell　them　all　that　she　was　taking　what　was　hers；　Ched　Nasad　be　damned。　He　had　to　think　of　a　way　to　convince　her　to　swallow　her　pride　and　do　the　smart　thing；　instead。　It　would　be　so　much　better　for　all　of　them　if　they　didn't　attract　a　lot　of　attention　to　themselves；　at　least　not　in　the　city　streets。
　　　Besides；　Pharaun　thought；　why　do　I　want　to　be　the　guests　of　a　bunch　more　matron　mothers？　An　inn；　especially　a　particularly　splendid　uin；　would　be　much　more　satisfying。
　　　The　trick；　he　realized；　was　in　how　to　go　about　convincing　Quenthel。　Trying　to　make　it　look　like　her　idea　seemed　the　best　choice；　but　working　out　a　good；　subtle　way　to　plant　the　seed　was　tricky　where　the　high　priestess　was　concerned。　She'd　already　shown　that　she　was　difficult　to　maneuver。
　　　Push　a　little　too　hard；　and　she'd　slap　you　down　just　because　you　were　a　male。　Don't　push　hard　enough；　and　she'd　be　too　busy　being　in　a　foul　temper　to　see　what　you　were　dangling　in　front　of　her　face。　Pharaun　could　think　of　a　number　of　arguments　he　could　use　just　to　convince　her；　rather　than　trying　to　trick　her　into　doing　it　his　way；　but　again；　with　Quenthel；　he　knew　he　could　argue　until　he　was　out　of　breath；　and　she　might　still　refuse。
　　　Pharaun　suddenly　realized　that　the　passageway　had　begun　to　ascend；　and　fairly　steeply；　too。　He　glanced　up　and　saw　the　others　laboring　to　reach　the　top　of　the　rise。　As　they　crested　the　ridge；　they　drew　to　a　halt；　and　Faeryl　said　something　softly　as　she　pointed　into　the　distance。　The　wizard　wondered　what　they　had　spotted。　He　quickened　his　own　step；　and　when　he　caught　up　with　them　he　paused。　The　panorama　of　a　large；　softly　lit　chamber　greeted　him。　At　least　he　assumed　it　was　a　large　chamber。　Judging　from　the　curvature　of　the　walls；　it　was　quite　grand；　but　more　than　half　of　it　was　filled　with　the　great　fungus。　He　shook　his　head；　more　impressed　with　the　Araumycos　than　ever。　The　entirety　of　the　growth　was　a　single　living　organism；　as　best　as　any　wizard　or　sage　could　determine。　That　this　was　a　different　part　of　the　same　entity　they'd　encountered　nearly　an　hour　ago　was　astonishing；　but　knowing　that　what　he　had　seen；　at　least　to　this　point；　was　still　only　a　tiny　part　of　the　whole　thing　made　his　head　swim。
　　　The　chamber　itself　was　natural；　with　a　mammoth　black　stalactite　that　looked　remarkably　like　a　huge　fang　just　beginning　to　bite　into　the　fungus；　being　the　most　prominent　feature。　Evidence　of　dwarven　stoneworking　was　also　in　abundance。　The　drow　had　entered　at　a　point　fairly　high　along　the　exposed　wall　of　the　cavern；　the　passage　emptying　onto　a　large；　balconied　ledge　that　overlooked　the　floor。　A　large　ramp；　wide　enough　to　acmodate　several　wagons　side　by　side；　descended　from　this　ledge　on　the　left　side；　entering　into　a　series　of　switchbacks　that　crisscrossed　down　the　side　of　the　cavern　below　the　ledge　until　it　reached　the　floor。　There；　a　smooth；　paved　road　led　to　intersections　scattered　along　the　floor　where　other　roads　shot　off　to　more　switchbacks；　eventually　rising　to　a　number　of　tunnels。　In　many　cases；　the　pathways　simply　disappeared　beneath　the　massive；　pasty…gray　fungus。
　　　To　Pharaun's　eye；　the　whole　place　could　have　been　a　tiny　city；　similar　to　a　portion　of　Menzoberranzan；　except　for　two　notable　differences。　First；　the　architecture　was　obviously　and　repulsively　dwarven；　all　thick　and　blocky　and　dull　to　the　eye。　Second　was　the　dim　but　pervasive　light；　which　seemed　to　glow　from　almost　everywhere　and　gave　the　whole　chamber；　indeed　the　entire　stone　surface；　a　pale；　sickly　gray　glow。　In　Menzoberranzan；　the　city's　velvety　was　blackness　was　broken　by　rich；　luxurious　hues　of　violet；　green；　and　amber　scattered　across　the　cavern　floor　and　ceiling。　Here；　everything　was　visible；　glowing　from　some　soft　magical　light　that　illuminated　everywhere；　but　nothing　had　any　color。
　　　The　dark　elf　wizard　missed　his　home；　longed　to　sit　atop　the　balconies　of　the　Academy　and　look　out　over　the　city。　He　yearned　for　even　the　simple　pleasure　of　observing　Narbondel；　its　red　glow　tracking　the　hours　of　the　day　and　night。　In　the　wilds；　Pharaun　had　discovered　that　without　the　familiarity　of　the　great　clock　in　the　City　of　Spiders　he　was　losing　all　track　of　time；　even　though　he　had　other；　magical；　means　of　following　its　passage。　For　a　brief　moment；　Pharaun　wondered　if　he　would　ever　see　Menzoberranzan　again；　and　he　felt　a　touch　of…　of　what？　Sadness？　Was　that　what　sadness　felt　like？　It　was　odd；　and　the　mage　determined　to　shake　it　off。
　　　What　you　need　is　a　nice；　hot；　oiled　bath；　Mizzrym；　followed　by　a　deepstroke　performed　by　a　master　masseur；　and　you'll　have　a　spring　in　your　step　in　no　time。
　　　With　that　encouraging　thought；　the　wizard　straightened　up　and　turned　his　attention　to　his　panions。
　　　Valas　had　moved　down　along　the　ramp　and　had　reached　the　first　switchback。　From　Pharaun's　vantage　point；　the　diminutive　scout　looked　truly　tiny；　giving　the　master　of　Sorcere　a　better　sense　of　the　scale　of　the　chamber。　Quenthel；　Faeryl；　Jeggred；　and　Ryld；　meanwhile；　were　descending　through　the　air　to　the　next　section　of　the　path　and　were　about　halfway　down；　dropping　in　a　loose　cluster。　Pharaun　chuckled；　wondering　how　the　Mistress　of　the　Academy　was　faring；　still　laboring　with　her　baggage。
　　　Well；　Pharaun　thought；　that　oil　bath　is　waiting　for　you。
　　　He　took　two　steps　toward　the　edge　of　the　balcony　to　follow　the　high　priestess　and　the　others；　when　he　felt　rather　than　heard　a　disturbance　behind　him。
　　　THREE
　　　Khorrl　Xornbane　could　not　help　but　tense　slightly　as　the　door　to　the　private　booth　where　he　sat　waiting　slid　partially　open。　His　hand　dropped　instinctively　to　grip　the　doubleaxe　at　his　side。　Even　when　Zammzt　slipped　through　the　narrow　opening　on　soft　footsteps　and　settled　onto　the　cushioned　bench　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　table；　the　duergar　did'　not　yet　relax。　He　peered　warily　through　the　still…open　partition　into　the　hallway　beyond；　looking　to　see　who　might　be　lurking　in　a　shadow；　watching　them　meet。　There　were　only　three　other　individuals　there；　and　none　of　them　seemed　to　be　paying　Zammzt　any　attention　at　all。　Two　drow　dressed　as　merchants；　led　by　a　third　dark　elf　who　was　obviously　a　host　of　the　Glowing　Goblet；　made　their　way　to　another　booth　and　disappeared　inside。　Khorrl　frowned　as　the　host　delayed　a　moment　longer。　The　servant　cocked　his　head　slightly　to　one　side；　apparently　listening　to　something　that　was　said　from　inside　the　meeting　cubicle；　spoken　too　softly　for　the　duergar　to　overhear。
　　　He's　just　taking　a　drink　order；　the　duergar　thought。　No　need　to　get　antsy。
　　　Despite　his　self…admonition；　Khorrl　knew　he　would　not　rest　easy　for　at　least　another　minute　or　two。　It　would　not　be　the　first　time　some　fool　had　allowed　himself　to　be　followed　during　a　meeting　with　the　duergar　mercenary；　and　he　never　again　wanted　to　be　in　such　a　position；　caught　unaware　and　forced　to　fight　his　way　out　of　a　corner。　Not　only　had　he　barely　escaped；　but　it　had　sullied　his　reputation　to　boot。　That　part　had　angered　him　most　of　all。
　　　Finally；　when　he　was　certain　no　one　was　studying　either　of　them　on　the　sly；　Khorrl　relaxed；　though　he　had　to　consciously　release　his　grip　on　the　doubleaxe　to　do　so。　He　looked　across　the　table　at　Zammzt；　noting　the　lack　of　a　House　insignia　anywhere　on　the　plain…looking　drow's　clothing。　For　his　part；　Zammzt　was　reclining　casually　on　the　cushioned　bench；　the　tiniest　hint　of　a　smile　on　his　face。　Though　Khorrl　didn't　consider　himself　a　great　judge　of　attractiveness；　especially　in　other　species；　it　was　plain　enough　to　him　that　Zammzt's　face　was　far　from　noteworthy。　The　drow　was　simply　too　ordinary　looking。　If　he　didn't　already　serve　a　noble　House；　he　would　have　never　amounted　to　much　more　than　a　mon　artisan；　a　step　up　from　a　slave　but　little　more。　Khorrl　supposed　the　fact　that　he　was　such