war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第58章

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n't　tried　those；　though。〃
　　　Ryld；　who　crouched　just　behind　the　Jaelre；　leaned　out　to　take　a　look　for　himself。　The　tower　was　much　as　Jezz　had　described　it；　surrounded　by　the　sprawling　ruins　of　Myth　Drannor。　After　using　Pharaun's　magic　to　speed　their　travel　to　the　old　elven　capital　and　resting　a　few　hours　to　prepare；　the　pany　had　spent　most　of　the　night　fighting　their　way　through　the　ruins。
　　　Myth　Drannor　was　little　more　than　a　great　wreckage　of　white　stone　overgrown　with　trees　and　vines；　but　once　it　had　been　something　more。　The　old　surface　elf　city　might　not　have　been　as　large　as　Menzoberranzan　or　as　infernally　grand　as　Ched　Nasad；　but　it　possessed　an　elegance　and　beauty　that　equaled；　if　not　exceeded；　the　best　examples　of　drow　architecture。
　　　Ryld　cast　a　careful　glance　to　the　rooftops。
　　　〃No　sign　of　devils；〃　he　said。　〃Perhaps　we've　slain　enough　that　they've　decided　not　to　trouble　us　anymore。〃
　　　〃Unlikely；〃　Jezz　said　with　a　snort。　〃They've　drawn　back　to　organize　another　attack；　and　await　the　arrival　of　more　powerful　fiends　before　trying　us　again。〃
　　　〃In　that　event；　we　should　take　advantage　of　the　respite　to　do　what　we　came　to　do；〃　Quenthel　said。　She　too　moved　up　to　study　the　tower。　I　see　nothing　that　encourages　me　to　change　our　plan。　Pharaun；　cast　your　spell。〃
　　　〃As　you　wish；　dear　Quenthel；〃　the　wizard　began；　〃though　I　must　say　that　I　do　not　entirely　agree　with　the　stratagem　of…〃
　　　Angry　glares　from　every　other　member　of　the　pany　silenced　Pharaun　before　he　finished　his　protest。　He　sighed　and　fluttered　his　hand。
　　　〃Oh；　very　well。〃
　　　The　wizard　straightened　and　carefully　spoke　the　words　of　his　spell；　the　potent　syllables　ringing　with　magical　power。　An　intangible　wave　seemed　to　roll　over　Ryld　and　the　others。　In　its　wake；　Ryld　felt　strength　and　quickness　drain　from　his　limbs；　and　Splitter　seemed　to　grow　heavier　in　his　hand；　its　gleaming　blade　suddenly　dulled。　Ryld　was　no　wizard；　but　like　any　acplished　drow　he　had　over　the　years　armed　himself　with　various　magical　devices　and　enchantments　to　increase　his　speed；　his　strength；　the　toughness　of　his　armor；　the　deadliness　of　his　weapons。　Pharaun's　spell　temporarily　abolished　all　magic　in　the　vicinity；　leaving　Ryld　without　the　benefit　of　a　single　enchantment；　and　the　other　drow　were　similarly　affected。　The　strangest　effect　of　all　was　the　sudden　inertness　of　Quenthel's　fearsome　whip。　One　moment　the　snakes　hissed　and　writhed　of　their　own　accord；　alert　and　vicious；　and　in　the　next　they　dangled　like　dead　things　from　the　weapons　haft。
　　　〃Stay　close　to　me；　if　you　wish　to　stay　within　the　spell's　effect；〃　Pharaun　said。
　　　He　licked　his　lips　nervously。　Within　the　zone　of　antimagic　he'd　just　created；　he　could　cast　no　spells；　and　his　own　formidable　array　of　enchanted　devices　and　protections　were　inert；　too。　The　wizard　readied　his　hand　crossbow；　and　loosened　his　dagger　in　its　sheath。
　　　〃I　feel　like　I'm　going　up　against　a　dragon　with　a　dinner　knife；〃　he　muttered。
　　　Ryld　clapped　him　on　the　shoulder　and　stood。　He　sheathed　Splitter　and　drew　his　own　crossbow。
　　　〃Yes；　but　your　spell　pulls　the　dragon's　fangs；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Get　moving；〃　Quenthel　said。
　　　She　looked　more　than　a　little　unfortable　herself。　Evidently　she　didn't　care　for　the　unmoving　silence　of　her　weapon。　Without　waiting；　she　loped　across　the　courtyard　and　bounded　up　the　steps　leading　to　the　tower's　door。　The　others　followed；　blinking　in　the　light　of　the　approaching　dawn。　Ryld　made　a　point　of　keeping　watch　on　the　ruined　streets　and　walls　behind　the　party；　watching　for　the　return　of　any　of　Myth　Drannor's　monstrous　denizens。　The　last　thing　they　needed　was　a　band　of　blood…maddened　devils　to　descend　on　them　while　they'd　suppressed　their　own　magic。
　　　At　the　door　of　the　tower；　Quenthel　stepped　aside　for　Jeggred。　The　hulking　draegloth　moved　up　and　wrenched　the　door　open；　bounding　inside。　Masonry　cracked　and　clattered　to　the　stone　steps。　Quenthel　followed　hard　on　his　heels；　then　Danifae　and　Valas。　Ryld　looked　around　one　last　time；　and　noticed　Jezz　hanging　back。
　　　〃You're　not　ing？〃　he　asked　the　Jaelre。
　　　〃I　intend　to　observe　only；〃　Jezz　replied。　〃Defeating　the　beholder　is　your　task；　not　mine。　If　you　survive；　I'll　join　you　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　　　Ryld　scowled；　but　ducked　inside。　They　were　in　a　foyer　of　some　kind；　illuminated　by　slanting　rays　of　dim　light　from　holes　in　the　ancient　masonry。　At　the　far　end　of　the　room；　a　second　door　stood。　Once　the　foyer　might　have　been　a　grand　and　impressive　hall；　but　the　tiles　of　the　floor　were　cracked　and　split　by　deep　green　mold；　and　the　proud　banners　and　arrases　that　hung　on　the　walls　were　little　more　than　tattered　rags。　Pharaun　stood　close　by；　examining　an　intricate　symbol　clearly　etched　on　one　block　of　the　floor。　The　whole　emblem　was　a　little　larger　than　his　hand；　with　a　great　plexity　of　curving　lines　and　characters。
　　　〃A　symbol　of　discord；〃　the　wizard　observed。　〃If　we　were　not　protected　by　the　antimagic　field；　it　would　have　caused　us　to　fall　on　each　other　with　murderous　fury　。　。　。　but　we　hardly　need　a　symbol　for　that；　do　we？〃
　　　〃The　next　room？〃　Ryld　asked。
　　　Jeggred　was　already　by　the　door。　The　draegloth　opened　it　and　quickly　bounded　through；　followed　by　the　others；　into　a　round　chamber　not　unlike　the　bottom　of　a　well。　Several　of　the　floors　above　had　long　since　collapsed；　burying　the　ground　floor　in　rubble　and　wreckage；　with　great　wooden　beams　protruding　from　the　mess。　Heaps　of　masonry　taller　than　a　drow　impeded　movement。
　　　Ryld　stared　into　the　empty　space　above；　searching　for　any　sign　of　the　monster　that　was　supposed　to　lurk　there。　The　others　did　as　well；　but　all　was　still。
　　　〃I　see　no　beholder；〃　Jeggred　said。
　　　Ryld　was　about　to　reply　when　something　above　them　responded　in　a　horrible；　croaking　voice；　〃Of　course　not；　fools。　I　do　not　wish　to　be　seen！〃
　　　An　instant　later　the　creature　lashed　out　at　them。　From　somewhere　nigh　overhead；　near　the　top　of　the　ruined　tower；　several　brilliant　rays　of　magical　energy…the　deadly　beams　each　of　the　monster's　eyes　could　fire　in　order　to　wound；　paralyze；　charm；　or　even　disintegrate　its　foes…lanced　downward　at　the　drow；　followed　by　a　great　blue　bolt　of　lightning　conjured　by　the　unseen　monster。　Ryld　could　not　see　the　magic's　source。
　　　The　rays　and　crackling　bolt　of　electricity　abruptly　winked　out　just　over　the　drow's　heads；　negated　by　Pharaun's　zone　of　null　magic。　The　creature　tried　again；　bringing　different　rays　to　bear　and　incanting　some　horrible　spell　in　its　deep；　droning　voice；　but　those　were　no　more　successful。
　　　Ryld　aimed　his　crossbow　up　the　shaft　and　guessed　at　the　spot　from　which　the　rays　had　stabbed　down　at　them；　loosing　his　bolt　with　practiced　skill。　A　squeal　of　pain　overhead　told　him　that　he'd　guessed　his　target　well。　Valas；　Danifae；　and　Pharaun　fired　too；　while　Jeggred　snatched　up　a　good…sized　brick　in　one　fighting　claw　and　hurled　it　up　into　the　darkness　with　surprising　swiftness。　Not　all　of　their　barrage　struck　home；　of　course。　Even　if　it　had　been　visible；　a　beholder's　thick　chitinous　hide　could　deflect　many　attacks；　and　scoring　a　square　hit　on　the　creature　when　it　was　garbed　in　invisibility　was　more　than　a　little　difficult。　Still；　a　couple　of　quarrels　struck　home。
　　　The　beholder　mage　obviously　prehended　the　nature　of　the　pany's　defense　very　quickly　on　its　own。　Instead　of　striking　directly　at　the　dark　elves；　it　turned　its　deadly　gaze　on　the　wreckage　of　the　upper　floors。　With　one　eye　ray　it　burned　through　the　base　of　a　heavy　wooden　beam　projecting　from　the　tower's　stone　wall；　and　with　another　it　seized　the　timber　in　a　telekinetic　grip　and　flung　it　down　at　Valas；　who　was　plying　his　short…bow　to　great　effect。　The　scout　threw　himself　aside　just　in　time　to　avoid　being　crushed　beneath　the　massive　timber；　but　lost　his　balance　and　fell　amid　the　rubble。　Dust　and　the　cracking　of　stone　filled　the　air。　The　beholder　instantly　went　to　work　on　another　wooden　beam。　In　the　meantime　the　creature　changed　its　droning　incantation　and　began　another　spell。
　　　〃We　need　to　climb　higher；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃The　creature　is　above　Pharaun's　spell。〃
　　　〃Do　you　propose　that　I　should　jump？〃　Pharaun　asked。　He　ducked　a　head…sized　chunk　of　masonry　clattering　down　from　above；　and　took　aim　with　his　crossbow　again。　〃The　antimagic　that　protects　us　also　prevents　us　from　flying　or　levitating　up　to　get　at…〃
　　　〃For　Lolth's　sake；〃　Ryld　exclaimed。　Sign！
　　　Valas　slipped　and　scrambled　over　to　one　side；　seeking　a　better　vantage。　The　scout　drew　his　shortbow　carefully；　and　loosed　another　arrow。　The　beholder　above　let　out　a　horrible　screech。　The　eye　rays　winked　out；　and　debris　stopped　falling　from　overhead。
　　　The　beholder　retreated　back　above　the　next　intact　floor；　Valas　signed。　We'll　have　to　go　up　and　get　it。
　　　Ryld　studied　the　interior　walls　of　the　ruined　towers　carefully。　Perhaps　four　of　the　lower　floors　were　missing；　leaving　at　least　two　or　three　intact　above　the　ceiling　of　the　highest　floor　they　could　see。　At　a　guess；　it　was　at　least　a　sixty…foot　climb；　and　the　masonry　was　old　and　damaged。　A　skilled　climber　could　make　good　use　of　the　wreckage　of　the　beams　that　formerly　supported　the　lower　floors；　but　it　was　nothing　he　cared　to　try。
　　　I　don't　like　the　cli