war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第64章

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　　　〃What's　wrong　with　Jeggred？〃　Quenthel　managed。
　　　〃He's　ensnared　by　a　holding　spell　of　some　kind；　and　I　expended　all　of　my　dispelling　magic　in　my　duel。　If　you　can　free　him；　please　do　so。　I　wouldn't　want　to　be　selfish；　and　keep　the　beholder　all　to　myself。〃
　　　〃Shut　up；　Pharaun；〃　Danifae　rasped。　〃We　have　to　finish　the　beholder；　quick。　There's　a　pit　fiend　and　a　dozen　more　devils　just　behind　us；　and　we're　about　to　be　caught　between　the　two。〃
　　　The　wizard　grimaced。　A　dangerous　light　flickered　in　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　Danifae；　then　at　Jezz　the　Lame。
　　　〃If　your　magical　tome　is　this　much　trouble；　perhaps　we　should　keep　it　for　ourselves；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　observed。
　　　〃Tzirik　will　not　share　the　results　of　his　divinations　with　you　if　you　betray　us；〃　the　Jaelre　said　simply。　〃Decide　what　is　more　important　to　you；　spider…kisser；　and　do　it　quickly。〃
　　　〃Stop　it；　Pharaun；〃　Ryld　said。
　　　He　moved　over　to　where　Jeggred　stood　frozen；　and　laid　Splitter　alongside　the　draegloth　to　break　the　enchantment　that　held　him。　The　half…demon　blinked　his　eyes　and　scowled；　slowly　straightening。
　　　〃One　problem　at　a　time；〃　Ryld　continued。　〃Do　you　have　any　magic　that　can　keep　the　devils　off　our　backs　long　enough　for　us　to　defeat　the　beholder？〃
　　　The　wizard　answered；　〃No；　they'd　be　among　us　in　just　a　moment；　and　that　would　be　a　scene；　wouldn't　it？　The…wait　a　moment；　I　have　an　idea。　We　won't　keep　out　the　devils。　In　fact；　we'll　let　them　in。〃
　　　Infernal　power　crackled　and　snapped　in　the　room　behind　them。
　　　〃That's　the　pit　fiend　destroying　my　wall；〃　Jezz　said。　〃Explain　quickly；　Menzoberranyr。〃
　　　Pharaun　began　chanting　a　spell；　and　weaving　his　hands　in　the　arcane　gestures　necessary　to　shape　and　control　his　magic。
　　　〃Do　not　resist；〃　he　told　the　others。　〃Ah；　there　we　go。　I've　covered　us　all　with　a　veil　of　illusion。　We're　all　devils　now。〃
　　　Ryld　glanced　down　at　himself　and　noted　nothing　different；　but　when　he　looked　back　up；　he　saw　that　he　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　a　pany　of　barbed　devils。　He　recoiled　momentarily；　and　noticed　the　other　devils　flinching　too。　Faintly；　as　though　draped　in　a　diaphanous　gauze；　he　could　see　the　natural　forms　of　the　other　dark　elves　beneath　their　scaly　exteriors。
　　　〃I　can　see　through　this；〃　he　warned。
　　　〃Yes；　but　you're　expecting　it；〃　said　the　devil　who　stood　where　Pharaun　had。　〃This　should　create　no　small　amount　of　confusion　for　our　foes；　but　we　must　move　quickly。　We　want　the　devils　to　e　upon　us　while　we're　dealing　with　the　beholder。〃
　　　The　wizard　glided　across　the　chamber；　following　the　beholder；　and　the　rest　of　the　pany　fell　in　behind　him；　hurrying　after　Pharaun　as　the　howls　of　the　pursuing　devils　rose　in　the　corridor　behind　them。　They　climbed　a　spiraling　stair　and　found　the　beholder　waiting　for　them　in　what　seemed　to　be　a　large　throne　room。　The　monster　hesitated　as　the　pany　burst　in；　cloaked　in　their　devilish　guises。
　　　〃The　dark　elves　are　not　here；〃　the　beholder　rasped。　〃Search　the　rest　of　the　tower。　They　must　be　found！〃
　　　〃I'm　afraid　you　are　mistaken；〃　Pharaun　laughed；　and　he　hurled　a　blast　of　lightning　at　the　creature　that　charred　a　dinner　plate　sized　patch　of　its　chitinous　hide。
　　　At　the　same　time；　Valas　fired　a　pair　of　arrows　that　sank　into　its　armored　body；　while　Ryld；　Jeggred；　and　Danifae　broke　into　a　charge。
　　　The　creature　recovered　from　its　surprise　with　incredible　alacrity；　whirling　to　flay　the　attacking　drow　with　its　deadly　rays　and　spells。　Jeggred　was　flung　across　the　room　with　a　telekinetic　ray；　while　Danifae　had　to　throw　herself　flat　to　avoid　the　incandescent　green　sweep　of　a　disintegrating　ray。　Ryld　got　three　steps　farther　before　no　less　than　three　of　the　monster's　thin　eyestalks　whipped　around；　spotting　him　at　once　and　lashing　out　with　more　spells。　A　hail　of　incandescent　bolts　of　energy　streaked　out　to　meet　his　charge；　punching　into　his　torso　like　the　blows　of　a　dwarven　war…hammer。　Ryld　grunted　in　pain；　and　stumbled　to　the　hard　floor。
　　　At　that　moment；　a　flood　of　devils　climbed　up　out　of　the　staircase　behind　them；　pouring　into　the　room。　In　the　space　of　half　a　dozen　heartbeats；　the　scene　descended　into　plete　chaos；　as　the　devils　thronged　the　room；　some　turning　angry　glares　on　the　beholder；　others　simply　halting　in　confusion；　surprised　to　find　so　many　of　their　fellows　already　in　the　room。
　　　From　the　floor　Danifae　pointed　up　at　the　beholder　and　screeched；　〃The　beholder　is　in　league　with　the　dark　elves！　Slay　it！　Eat　its　eyes！〃
　　　The　devils　paused　just　long　enough　for　the　beholder　to　scour　their　front　ranks　with　deadly　spells；　and　they　set　upon　it；　flinging　themselves　at　the　monster。　Rock…hard　talons　clawed　and　gouged　at　the　beholder；　while　devils　exploded　under　bolts　of　white　fire　or　crumbled　into　lifeless　stone　beneath　the　beholder's　eye　rays。
　　　Ryld　had　been　about　to　leap　up　and　engage　the　monster　again；　but　he　caught　Pharaun's　cautioning　gesture；　and　feigned　injury。　The　wizard's　strategy　was　brilliant…let　the　beholder　and　the　devils　battle；　and　their　foes　might　destroy　each　other。
　　　〃Weak…minded　fools！〃　the　beholder　hissed。　〃The　dark　elves　have　deceived　you！〃
　　　Still　it　wreaked　terrible　devastation　with　its　spells　and　eye　rays；　trying　to　repel　the　devils'　attack。　The　stink　of　charred　flesh　and　the　eldritch　sensation　of　deadly　magic　filled　the　air。
　　　A　palpable　sense　of　wrong　flitted　across　Ryld's　heart；　and　a　hulking　pit　fiend　climbed　into　the　room。　The　mighty　devil　stood　twice　as　tall　as　a　drow；　its　torso　rippling　with　muscle；　its　vast　black　wings　mantling　it　like　a　cloak　of　ebon　glory。　It　took　in　the　scene　with　a　malignant；　measuring　gaze；　and　Ryld's　heart　sank　as　he　realized　that　the　powerful　fiend　was　not　in　the　least　deceived　by　Pharaun's　illusion。
　　　With　one　absent　gesture　the　huge　devil　conjured　up　a　great；　seething　orb　of　black　fire　in　its　claw；　and　hurled　the　sinister　blast　at　Pharaun。　The　dark　blot　exploded　in　a　tremendous　explosion　of　evil　flame　that　rocked　the　tower　to　its　foundations；　throwing　Pharaun　a　dozen　feet　through　the　air　and　scorching　him　terribly　as　lesser　devils　and　drow　alike　were　sent　flying　like　ninepins。
　　　〃They　are　right　here！〃　the　creature　bellowed　in　a　voice　like　a　roaring　forge。　〃Destroy　the　dark　elves！〃
　　　The　pit　fiend　started　to　call　up　another　infernal　blast；　but　Jeggred…still　veiled　in　his　devilish　guise…hurled　into　the　mighty　fiend's　flank；　clawing　and　tearing　with　abandon。　The　great　devil　roared　in　rage；　staggering　under　the　draegloth's　assault。
　　　〃Lolth's　sweet　chaos；〃　Ryld　muttered。
　　　Which　was　more　dangerous；　the　beholder　mage　or　the　pit　fiend？　The　beholder　still　blasted　any　devil　it　saw；　veiled　drow　or　not；　and　most　of　the　pit　fiend's　minions　had　fallen　already。　The　pit　fiend　hammered　and　slashed　at　Jeggred；　who　stood　toe…to…toe　with　the　infernal　lord；　giving　as　good　as　he　got。
　　　The　weapons　master　glanced　between　the　two　enemies；　hesitated　only　a　moment；　and　decided。　Silently　as　an　arrow　whispering　through　the　dark；　Ryld　scrambled　up　and　leaped　forward；　aiming　a　tremendous　cut　at　the　beholder's　round　body。　The　beholder　mage　spotted　him　at　once　and　blasted　a　bolt　of　lightning　in　his　direction；　but　he　tumbled　aside　and　kept　ing。　Another　eye　fixed　on　him；　and　the　beholder's　drone　took　on　a　peculiarly　horrid　and　deadly　sound。　Rather　than　wait　to　find　out　what　spell　the　monster　could　cast　with　that　eye；　Ryld　altered　his　path　and　bounded　into　the　air；　reaching　out　to　sever　the　tentacle　cleanly　with　Splitter's　gleaming　blade。
　　　The　beholder's　drone　broke　in　a　piercing　shriek　of　pain。　The　monster　whirled　to　face　Ryld　with　its　jaws　gaping；　but　the　weapons　master　took　careful　aim　and　severed　another　waving　eye　before　ducking　down　and　scrambling　beneath　the　bloated　sphere　of　the　hovering　creature's　body。　None　of　the　beholder's　eyes　could　see　directly　beneath　its　own　bulk。
　　　Dropping　to　one　knee；　Ryld　shortened　his　grip　on　Splitter；　and　thrust　the　greatsword　up　into　the　chitinous　underside　of　the　monster。　Black　thick　gore　streamed　down　the　blade；　and　the　huge　monster　shuddered　and　shrieked　again。
　　　〃Well　done！〃　Jezz　cried。
　　　The　Jaelre　renegade　menced　to　bark　out　arcane　words；　his　hands　weaving　in　mystical　patterns。　He　conjured　up　a　seething　missile　of　mystic　acid　that　burned　another　eyestalk　from　the　beholder's　body　as　the　monster　rolled　and　twisted　in　agony。
　　　Ryld　yanked　out　his　sword　and　rolled　aside　even　as　the　beholder　tried　to　crush　him　beneath　its　bulk；　its　jaws　snapping　at　him。　He　found　himself　looking　directly　at　the　front　of　its　body；　where　its　great　central　eye　had　once　gazed　out　from　an　armored　carapace。　The　central　eye　was　nothing　but　an　empty　socket。　An　old　lesson　came　to　the　weapons　master's　mind：　a　beholder　that　wished　to　learn　magic　had　to　blind　itself　in　order　to　do　so。
　　　The　lesser　eyes　flailed　and　twisted　on　their　tentacles；　trying　to　focus　on　Ryld。　The　weapons　master　saw　his　opportunity　and　his　target　at　the　same　moment。　With　one　swift　bound　he　drove　Splitter　like　a　lance　straight　through　the　empty　central　socket　and　deep　into　the　creature's　alien　brain。　With　grim　determination　he　sawed　the　greatsword　in　and　out；　side　to　side；　while　dark　gore　spurted　and　streamed　from　the　awful