war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第122部分

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gnorance　of　Gromph's　whereabouts。　〃This　is　as　good　a　spot　as　any　to　spy　out　the　lay　of　the　land。　We're　below　some　of　the　smoke　but　still　high　enough　for　an　aerial　inspection。〃
Since　Gromph　was　still　either　unavailable　or　uninterested；　the　Mizzrym　was…with　obvious　relish…acting　in　the　Archmage　s　stead。　It　was　arguably　an　affront　to　House　Baenre　as　much　as　the　archmage；　but　Quenthel　had　given　the　order　anyway。　Until　her　brother　returned　or　the　crisis　abated；　she　needed　someone　to　speak　for　Sorcere；　and　she　was　sure　it　would　upset　Gromph　in　an　amusing　way　to　have　this　dandy　taking　his　place　for　so　important　a　task。　
She　halted；　and　her　minions　came　to　a　ragged；　jostling　stop　behind　her。　The　whip　vipers　reared　to　survey　the　cityscape　along　with　her。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Pharaun　smile　briefly　as　if　he　found　the　serpents'　behavior　ical。
〃There；〃　said　Quenthel；　pointing；　〃in　Manyfolk。　It　looks　as　if　House　Auvryndar　may　have　finished　exterminating　their　own　slaves；　but　a　mob　keeps　them　penned　within　their　walls。〃
〃I　see　it；　Blessed　Mother；〃　said　Malaggar　Faen　Tlabbar　from　the　step　behind　her。　The　First　Sword　of　Melee…Magthere　was　a　merry…looking；　round…faced　boy　with　a　fondness　for　green　attire　and　emeralds。　〃With　your　permission；　that　might　be　a　good　place　to　start。　We'll　lift　the　siege　and　add　the　Auvryndar　to　our　own　army。〃
〃So　be　it；〃　Quenthel　said
The　residents　of　the　Academy　reached　the　floor　of　the　lower　cavern；　whereupon　the　instructors；　particularly　the　warriors　of　the　pyramid；　set　about　the　business　of　forming　the　scholars　into　squads；　with　swordsmen　and　spearman　protecting　the　spellcasters。　Then　they　had　to　arrange　the　units　into　some　semblance　of　a　marching　order。
Like　every　princess　of　a　great　House；　Quenthel　had　a　working　knowlnotedge　of　military　matters；　and　she　watched　the　attempt　to　create　order　with　a　jaundiced　eye。
〃I　could　wish　for　a　proper　army；〃　she　muttered。
She　hadn't　meant　for　anyone　to　hear；　but　Pharaun　nodded。
〃I　understand　your　sentiments；　Mistress；　but　they're　all　we　have；　and　I'm　sure　that　if　we've　trained　them　properly；　we　have　a　chance。〃　He　coughed。　〃Against　the　thralls；　anyway。〃
〃Your　meaning？〃
〃The　greatest　danger　of　all　is　this　pall　of　smoke。　I　think　Syrzan；　for　all　its　cunning；　miscalculated。　If　the　mages　we　left　upstairs　don't　extinguish　the　flames；　we'll　all　suffocate；　female　and　male；　elf　and　ore　alike；　leaving　the　alhoon　a　necropolis　to　rule。　Still；　I　suppose　we　must　concentrate　on　our　task　and　not　fret　about　the　rest。〃
〃What　alhoon？〃　she　demanded。
He　hesitated。　〃It　really　is　a　long　story；　Mistress；　and　not　crucial　at　this　moment。〃
〃I　will　decide　what　is　crucial；　mage；〃　she　said。　〃Speak。〃
Before　Pharaun　could　begin　she　saw　the　First　Sword　approaching；　prenotsumably　to　inform　her　that　the　pany　was　ready　to　set　forth。
As　they　started　to　march；　she　listened　to　the　mage's　tale　of　the　undead　mind　flayer　and　its　designs　for　Menzoberranzan。　There　was　more；　she　was　sure；　that　he　was　holding　back；　but　she　could　always　torture　it　out　of　him　later。
Along　the　way；　the　teachers　and　students　found　their　way　littered　with　mangled　dark　elf　corpses；　some　headless；　some　partially　devoured；　firelight　gilding　their　sightless　eyes。　The　rich　smell　of　blood　peted　with　the　acrid　foulness　of　the　smoke。
Or　course；　no　drow　objected　to　the　spectacle　of　violent　death；　but　the　ubiquity　of　the　ravaged　shapes；　bined　with　the　glare　of　the　flames　and　the　uncanny　sight　of　burning　stone；　made　it　seem　as　if　Menzoberranzan　itself　had　bee　a　sort　of　hell；　and　that　was；　for　Quenthel　at　least；　unnotsettling。
The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　thought　that　were　she　a　weaker　person；　she　might　have　felt　as　if　she　were　moving　through　a　nightmare；　or　internotpreted　the　carnage　as　proof　positive　that　Lolth　had　turned　her　back　on　Menzoberranzan　for　good　and　all。　She　consoled　herself　with　the　thought　that　at　least　this　time　she　was　marching　against　an　enemy　she　could　see　and　smite。
Periodically　the　scholars　saw　small　groups　of　undercreatures　looting；　slaughtering　hapless　moners；　or　even　flinging　stones　and　arrows　at　the　column。　The　younger　students　sought　to　attack　the　thralls；　and　the　teachnoters　bellowed　at　them　to　desist。　The　Academy　had　to　act　as　a　unit　and　stick　to　a　plan　if　it　hoped　to　win　the　day。
Malaggar　raised　his　hand；　signaling　a　stop。
We're　close；　I　think；　he　reported　in　the　silent　drow　sign　language。
They　stood　in　place　until　a　flying　scout；　a　brother　of　the　pyramid　posnotsessed　of　a　cloak　that　converted　into　batlike　wings；　swooped　down　and　gave　his　report。
Mistress；　Malaggar　signed；　may　I　suggest　that　ten　squads　keep　on　straight；　and　the　rest　of　us　circle　around　that　block　of　houses。　We'll　take　the　ores　from　two　sides。
Very　well；　Quenthel　replied　as　she　surveyed　her　army。　All　of　you　from　the　head　of　the　column　to　the　mouth　of　that　alley；　follow　me。　The　rest　of　you；　go　with　Master　Faen　Tlabbar。　Everyone；　quietly　as　you　can。
Hands　lifted　at　intervals　down　the　column　to　relay　the　orders　to　those　who　couldn't　see　her。
The　pany　divided；　then　Quenthel's　troops　crept　on；　toward　a　clamnotoring　mob　that　quite　possibly　outnumbered　them。　Fortunately