war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第35章

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shake　off　their　deep　trances。
　　　She　readied　her　crossbow；　loading　a　quarrel　as　she　peered　down　the　tunnel　behind　them。
　　　The　floor　quivered　beneath　her　feet。　Great　footfalls　as　hard　as　rock　came　in　a　stamping　rush；　and　deep　bellows　and　snorts　echoed　and　echoed　again　in　a　roiling　cacophony　that　filled　the　passage。　Hot　animal　stink　assaulted　her　nostrils；　and　she　saw　them…an　onrushing　mob　of　dozens　of　the　hulking　brutes；　huge　bull…headed　monsters　with　shaggy　pelts　and　massive　hooves；　clutching　mighty　axes　and　flails　in　their　thickly　muscled　fists。
　　　Before　that　storm　Ryld　and　Valas　skipped　and　darted　like　sparrows　blown　before　a　gale；　battling　furiously　for　their　lives　against　the　bloodthirsty　savages。　Halisstra　took　aim　quickly　and　shot　one　monster　in　the　chest　with　her　powerful　crossbow；　but　the　creature　was　so　blood…maddened　it　simply　ignored　the　bolt　buried　in　its　thick　torso。　She　laid　in　another　quarrel　as　the　bow's　magic　cocked　it　again；　only　to　have　her　shot　spoiled　by　Jeggred's　rush　into　the　fray。
　　　〃Jeggred；　you　idiot；　there　are　too　many　to　fight！〃　she　cried。
　　　The　draegloth　ignored　her　and　threw　himself　against　the　horde。　For　a　moment　the　half…demon's　size　and　fury　held　up　the　minotaurs'　charge；　but　over　Jeggred's　white…furred　shoulders　and　the　flashing　blades　of　Ryld　and　Valas；　Halisstra　could　make　out　dozens　more　of　the　hirsute　monsters；　fanged　mouths　bellowing　challenges；　eyes　glowing　red　with　rage。　Several　had　fallen　before　Splitter；　Valas's　curved　knives；　and　Jeggred's　talons；　but　battle…frenzied　minotaurs　shrugged　off　all　but　the　most　grievous　of　injuries；　clawing　over　each　other　to　get　at　the　drow　invaders。
　　　Halisstra　shifted　to　one　side　and　shot　again；　while　Danifae　joined　her　with　her　own　crossbow。　Quenthel　danced　just　behind　Jeggred；　flicking　her　deadly　scourge　at　monsters　threatening　to　swarm　over　the　draegloth；　and　Pharaun　shouted　an　arcane　word　that　hurled　a　bright　globe　of　crackling　energy　into　the　midst　of　the　minotaur　ranks。　The　sphere　detonated　with　a　clap　of　thunder　and　blasted　bright　arcs　of　lightning　across　the　tunnel；　charring　some　minotaurs　into　cinders；　and　burning　great　black　wounds　in　others。
　　　In　the　searing　light　of　the　lightning　ball；　Halisstra　saw　something　taller　and　lankier　than　the　minotaurs；　behind　the　front　ranks；　a　demonic　presence…no；　several　demons…driving　the　angry　monsters　on。　Huge　black　wings　shrouded　the　things　in　shadow；　and　their　dark　horns　glowed　red　with　heat。
　　　Roars　and　bellows　filled　the　passage　with　rage；　while　the　ring　of　steel　on　steel　came　so　fast　and　hard　that　Halisstra　could　barely　hear　herself　shout；　〃There　are　demons　back　there！〃
　　　〃I　see　them；〃　Quenthel　replied。　She　fell　back　a　couple　of　steps　and　seized　Pharaun　by　the　arm。　〃Can　you　dismiss　them？〃
　　　〃I　have　no　such　spell　ready；〃　the　wizard　replied。　〃Besides；　getting　rid　of　the　demons　isn't　going　to　get　us　out　of　this　little　imbroglio。　I　think　we…〃
　　　〃I　don't　care　what　you　think！〃　Quenthel　screamed。　〃If　you　can't　banish　the　demons；　then　bar　the　passage！〃
　　　Pharaun　grimaced；　but　he　plied　by　beginning　another　spell。　Halisstra　reloaded　and　searched　for　another　clear　shot。　Ryld　crouched　low　and　hamstrung　a　minotaur　attacking　him　with　an　axe　big　enough　to　split　an　anvil；　and　gutted　the　creature　with　an　upward　draw　cut　across　its　belly。　Valas　was　upended　by　a　flailing　chain　that　yanked　his　feet　out　from　under　him。　The　scout　rolled　away；　narrowly　escaping　having　his　skull　pulped。
　　　One　or　more　of　the　demons　behind　the　battling　minotaurs　hurled　a　barrage　of　green；　fiery　bolts　at　the　dark　elves。　One　dissipated　against　Quenthel's　inborn　resistance　to　magic；　while　two　others　burned　Pharaun　and　Danifae　with　vitriolic　fire。　Somehow　the　wizard　managed　to　plete　his　spell。
　　　What　Halisstra　assumed　was　some　sort　of　invisible　barrier　forced　most　of　the　minotaurs　and　their　demonic　masters　back；　while　a　pair　of　the　frontline　fighters　found　themselves　suddenly　cut　off　from　their　allies。　While　the　main　host　of　the　bull　creatures　hurled　themselves　against　Pharaun's　invisible　wall　and　tried　vainly　to　batter　their　way　through　with　their　crude；　clumsy　weapons；　the　dark　elves　quickly　cut　down　the　minotaurs　unfortunate　enough　to　have　been　caught　on　the　drow's　side。
　　　In　a　few　moments　the　screams　and　impacts　of　the　fight　had　died　away　to　the　dull；　attenuated　bellowing　of　the　minotaurs　on　the　other　side　of　the　wall；　milling　about　and　shaking　their　weapons　in　anger　at　the　drow。　The　minotaurs　turned　away　all　at　once　and　darted　back　the　way　they'd　e；　running　hard。　A　dozen　or　more　hulking　carcasses　remained　scattered　on　the　floor。
　　　Ryld　backed　away　carefully；　helping　Valas　to　his　feet。　Jeggred　stood　panting；　bleeding　from　a　dozen　small　wounds。
　　　〃How　long　will　that　wall　hold？〃　Quenthel　asked。
　　　〃No　more　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　Pharaun　answered。　〃The　demons　can　probably　get　through　it　if　they　wish；　but　I　suspect　that　they're　leading　those　minotaurs　around　through　other　tunnels　to　e　at　us　from　the　other　side。　May　I　suggest　we　remove　ourselves　from　the　vicinity　before　we　find　out　how　they　mean　to　circumvent　my　barrier？〃
　　　Quenthel　scowled；　grabbed　her　pack；　and　said；　〃Fine。　Let's　go。〃
　　　
　　　If　it　had　been　in　his　nature　to　show　alarm　by　pacing　back　and　forth　across　his　sanctum；　Gromph　Baenre　would　have　spent　most　of　the　previous　hour　doing　so。　Instead；　he　peered　into　the　great　crystal　ball　that　rested　in　the　center　of　his　scrying　sanctum；　confirming　Pharaun's　report。　How　exactly　had　the　Master　of　Sorcere　worded　it？
　　　Felicitations；　mighty　Gromph。　It　may　interest　you　to　learn　that　the　army　of　Gracklstugh　now　marches　on　Menzoberranzan。　We　continue　on　our　course。　Good　luck！
　　　〃Arrogant　popinjay；〃　Gromph　muttered　to　himself。　The　boy　had　no　respect　for　his　elders。
　　　Before　dashing　off　to　the　matron　mothers　in　a　panic；　Gromph　had　of　course　decided　to　investigate　Pharaun's　report　with　his　own　careful　scrying　and　study。　The　milky　orb　revealed　a　fine　scene　for　the　archmage's　eyes；　a　long　column　of　marching　duergar　warriors　winding　through　the　Underdark。　Huge　pack　lizards　carried　heavy　bundles　of　supplies　and　various　infernal　devices　of　war。　Siege　engines　trundled　along　behind　long　lines　of　ogre　slaves。
　　　Gaining　even　that　glimpse　of　the　army　on　the　move　was　difficult；　as　duergar　wizards　sought　to　conceal　the　movements　of　their　prince's　army　from　the　scrying　efforts　of　hostile　mages。　Gromph；　however；　was　an　extraordinarily　capable　diviner。　It　had　taken　him　some　time；　but　he　had　eventually　pierced　the　duergar　wizards'　defenses。
　　　Gromph　examined　the　scene　closely；　seeking　out　the　most　minute　details…the　insignia　of　marching　soldiers；　the　exact　size　and　condition　of　the　tunnels　they　passed　through；　the　cadence　of　the　Dwarvish　marching　chants。　He　wanted　to　be　absolutely　certain　he　understood　the　scope　and　immediacy　of　the　threat　before　he　brought　his　news　to　the　attention　of　the　Council；　as　the　matron　mothers　would　doubtless　expect　him　to　have　already　divined　the　answers　to　any　questions　they　might　think　of。　The　most　disturbing　question；　of　course；　was　how　long　it　might　have　taken　him　to　learn　of　the　marching　army　if　Pharaun　Mizzrym　hadn't　been　passing　through　Gracklstugh。　The　duergar　might　have　covered　half　the　distance　between　the　cities　before　an　outpost　or　a　far…ranging　patrol　detected　the　army。
　　　〃Damnation；〃　the　archmage　growled。
　　　Whether　or　not　Menzoberranzan　was　ready；　the　next　challenge　to　the　city　gathered　in　the　smoky　pits　of　the　duergar　realm　a　hundred　miles　to　the　south。　Gromph　sighed　and　decided　that　he　might　as　well　deal　with　the　unpleasant　business　of　telling　the　Council　what　he'd　seen　sooner　rather　than　later。　He　rose　with　one　smooth　motion；　arranged　his　robes；　and　took　up　his　favorite　staff。　It　would　not　do　to　appear　before　the　matron　mothers　in　anything　less　than　plete　and　total　self…assurance；　especially　when　bringing　such　dire　news　to　them。
　　　He　was　just　about　to　step　into　the　stone　shaft　at　the　rear　of　the　chamber　and　descend　to　his　apartments　in　Sorcere　when　he　felt　a　familiar；　crawling　sensation。　Someone　was　scrying　upon　him…an　acplishment　of　no　small　skill；　considering　the　steps　he　took　to　prevent　such　occurrences。　Gromph　started　to　work　a　spell　to　sever　the　magical　spying；　but　stopped　himself。　He　was　engaged　in　nothing　he　cared　to　conceal；　and　he　was　curious　to　discover　whether　a　duergar　wizard　had　managed　to　detect　his　own　scrying。
　　　〃Do　you　have　anything　you　wish　to　say　to　me；〃　he　asked　the　air；　〃or　shall　I　simply　strike　you　blind　where　you　sit？〃
　　　Save　your　spell；　came　a　cold；　rasping　voice　in　his　head。　As　I　haven't　had　eyes　in　my　skull　in　over　a　thousand　years；　I　doubt　you　could　do　them　much　harm。
　　　〃Lord　Dyrr；〃　Gromph　said；　frowning。　〃To　what　do　I　owe　the　honor　of　your　attentions？〃
　　　And　how　did　you　find　me？　he　wondered；　though　he　was　careful　not　to　voice　the　question。
　　　I　wish　to　continue　the　conversation　we　began　a　few　days　past；　young　Gromph；　the　lich's　voice　replied。　I　intend　to　expand　upon　my　earlier　offer　by　describing　in　greater　detail　some　of　the　schemes　I　have　in　mind。　After　all；　if　I　am　to　ask　you　to　trust　me；　then　I　suppose　I　must　extend　you　a　token　of　trust　fir