war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第14部分

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　the　mastery　of　his　thoughts　and　decided　to　change　the　subject。
　　　〃For　the　sake　of　our　friendship；　I　respectfully　submit　that　it　would　be　best　for　all　involved　if　you　did　not　do　anything　with　your　knowledge　that　would　draw　it　to　anyone　else's　attention。　We　feel　quite　strongly　that　our　secrets　are　best　left　that　way。〃
　　　〃I　will　do　as　I　wish。　However；　I　do　not　wish　to　incur　your　enmity。　I　think　it　would　be　inconvenient　to　have　the　Jaezred　Chaulssin　as　my　enemy。〃
　　　〃It　is　not　merely　inconvenient；　Lord　Dyrr；　it　is　invariably　fatal。〃
　　　〃Perhaps。　In　any　event；　I　will　keep　your　secrets。〃
　　　The　old　drow　laughed　softly；　clutching　his　staff　with　his　withered　hands。
　　　〃Now；　let's　get　to　our　business；　young　one。　You　and　your　fellows　demonstrated　no　small　amount　of　ability　in　the　murder　of　Matron　Mother　Tlabbar；　the　enemy　of　my　House。　Very　well；　I　am　suitably　impressed。　What　is　it　you　want　of　Agrach　Dyrr？〃
　　　〃I　need　an　ally　in　Menzoberranzan；　Lord　Dyrr；　and　I　have　a　strong　suspicion　that　you　might　be　that　ally。〃　Nimor　leaned　forward；　offering　a　sly　grin。　〃Events　now　proceed　in　this　city　that　will　lead　to　the　downfall　of　the　Houses　ahead　of　yours。　If　you　choose　to　be　a　part　of　those　events；　you　will　find　that　House　Agrach　Dyrr　is　possessed　of　a　great　opportunity　to　order　the　city　largely　as　you　like。　We　believe　you　can　help　us　to　steer　Menzoberranzan　through　the　difficult　times　ahead。〃
　　　〃And　if　we　refuse；　we　die？〃
　　　Nimor　shrugged。
　　　〃Given　the　uncertainty　of　matters　as　they　stand；〃　said　Dyrr；　〃I　am　hesitant　to　embrace　a　cause　I　know　little　about。〃
　　　〃Understandable。　I　will；　of　course；　elaborate；　but　I　hope　you　will　recognize　the　wisdom；　in　these　uncertain　times；　of　taking　aggressive　and　resolute　steps　to　create　the　certainty　you　wish　to　see。　Impose　your　vision　on　events；　instead　of　allowing　events　to　limit　your　imagination。〃
　　　〃Easy　words　to　speak；　young　one；　but　more　difficult　to　render　into　action；〃　Dyrr　said。
　　　The　ancient　wizard　fell　silent　for　a　long　time；　regarding　the　rakish　assassin　with　a　baleful；　unblinking　gaze。　Nimor　met　his　eyes　without　flinching；　but　he　found　himself　wondering　again　what　hidden　strength　the　Agrach　high　mage　must　hold。　Dyrr　smiled　again；　doubtless　reading　Nimor's　thoughts；　and　shifted　in　his　seat。
　　　〃Very　well；　then；　Prince　of　Chaulssin。　You　have　awakened　my　curiosity。　Explain　exactly　what　you　mean；　and　what　you　plan；　and　I　will　say　if　House　Agrach　Dyrr　can　stand　by　your　bold　actions　or　not。〃
　　　
　　　〃Gather　closely；　dear　friends；〃　Pharaun　said　with　a　flourish；　〃and　I　will　explain　a　few　things　it　would　be　wise　to　remember　while　we　walk　within　the　shadows。〃
　　　The　wizard　stood　confidently　in　the　center　of　the　chamber；　arms　folded；　showing　no　hint　of　the　exhaustion　or　despair　of　the　day's　desperate　flight。　Stirring　from　his　Reverie　shortly　before　sunset；　he　had　spent　almost　an　hour　preparing　dozens　of　spells　from　his　collection　of　traveling　tomes。
　　　While　no　one　bothered　to　draw　closer　to　the　wizard；　all　focused　their　attention　on　him。　Pharaun　grinned　in　delight；　pleased　as　ever　by　the　attention。　He　knotted　his　fists　behind　his　back　as　if　lecturing　to　novices　at　Sorcere；　and　began。
　　　〃When　we　are　ready；　I　will　lead　us　along　a　path　that　skirts　the　Fringe…the　borders　of　the　Plane　of　Shadow。　We　will　travel　quite　swiftly；　and　minor　inconveniences　such　as　icy　mountains；　hungry　monsters；　and　thick…headed　humans　won't　trouble　us　in　the　least。　I　expect　a　walk　of　ten　to　twelve　hours　to　reach　Mantol…Derith；　provided　that　I　do　not　bee　lost　and　lead　you　all　into　some　grisly　demise　in　an　uncivilized　plane　far　from　Faerun。〃
　　　〃You　fail　to　reassure　me；　Pharaun；〃　Ryld　sighed。
　　　〃Oh；　I　haven't　ever　gotten　myself　lost　in　the　Shadow　Deep；　nor　do　I　know　of　a　wizard　who　has。　Of　course；　one　would　simply　never　hear　from　such　an　unfortunate　fellow　again；　so　perhaps　a　mishap　in　shadow　walking　might　explain　the　disappearance　of　a　young　mage　I　knew…〃
　　　〃Get　to　the　point；〃　Quenthel　snapped。
　　　〃Oh；　fine。　There　are　two　important　things　to　remember；　then；　for　those　of　you　challenged　by　the　effort。　First；　while　we　need　fear　no　difficulties　in　this　world　while　we　walk；　we　gain　no　special　protection　from　the　hazards　of　the　Plane　of　Shadow。　There　are　things　in　that　place　that　will　object　to　our　passage　if　they　happen　upon　us…I　encountered　one　such　creature　the　last　time　I　traveled　this　way；　and　it　was　very　nearly　the　last　of　my　marvelous　adventures。
　　　〃Second；　and　most　importantly；　do　not　lose　sight　of　me。　Stay　close　by　and　follow　me　diligently。　If　you　lose　contact　with　me　while　we　traverse　the　Plane　of　Shadow；　you　will　likely　wander　its　gloomy　barrens　for　all　eternity…or　until　something　terrible　devours　you；　which　will　probably　happen　rather　soon。　My　attention　must　remain　on　maintaining　the　spell　and　navigating　the　Fringe；　so　don't　make　it　easy　for　me　to　misplace　you；　unless　of　course　I　don't　like　you；　in　which　case　please　feel　free　to　amble　the　Shadow　Deep　at　will。〃
　　　〃Will　the　lamias　be　able　to　follow　us？〃　Ryld　asked；　his　eye　still　on　the　passage　leading　back　to　the　ruins　above。
　　　〃No；　not　unless　they　have　a　wizard　as　learned　and　charming　as　I；　and　he　knows　a　spell　that　permits　one　to　track　shadow　walkers；　which　I　do　not。〃　Pharaun　smiled。　〃You　will　be　able　to　shake　the　dust　of　the　surface　from　your　boots；　friend　Ryld。　Concern　yourself　no　more　with　the　perils　of　this　place；　and　save　your　worry　for　what　we　might　meet　on　the　Fringe。〃　The　wizard　glanced　around；　and　nodded　to　himself。　〃All　right；　then。　Take　each　other's　hands…there's　a　good　fellow；　Jeggred；　you　can　get　everybody　at　once；　can't　you？…and　be　still　while　I　cast　the　spell。〃
　　　Pharaun　raised　his　hands　and　muttered　a　series　of　arcane　syllables；　working　his　spell。
　　　Halisstra　stood　between　Danifae　and　Valas；　their　hands　linked。　The　great　subterranean　gallery　grew　somehow　darker；　if　such　a　thing　could　be　possible　in　an　unlit　room　underground。　Drow　could　see　quite　well　even　in　the　darkest　places；　but　it　seemed　to　Halisstra　as　if　some　kind　of　murk　hung　in　the　air。　At　first　glance；　it　seemed　that　Pharaun　had　succeeded　in　little　more　than　conjuring　a　gloom　around　the　party；　but　as　she　studied　her　surroundings　more　closely；　she　realized　that　she　was　indeed　no　longer　upon　Faerun。　A　preternatural　chill　gnawed　at　her　exposed　skin；　radiating　from　the　cold　dust　beneath　her　feet。　The　high；　rune…carved　columns　that　lined　the　space　were　twisted　caricatures　that　loomed　bizarrely　out　over　the　chamber's　open　floor。
　　　〃Strange；〃　she　murmured。　〃I　expected　something　。　。　。　different。〃
　　　〃This　is　the　way　of　the　shadow；　dear　lady；〃　Pharaun　said。　His　voice　seemed　flat　and　distant；　despite　the　fact　he　stood　no　more　than　six　feet　from　her。　〃This　plane　has　no　substance　of　its　own。　It　is　made　up　of　echoes　from　our　own　world；　and　other；　stranger　places。　We　stand　in　the　shadow　of　the　ruins　above；　but　they　are　not　the　same　ruins　we　recently　traversed。　The　lamias　and　their　minions　do　not　exist　here。　Now；　remember；　stay　close；　and　do　not　lose　sight　of　me。〃
　　　The　wizard　set　off　along　the　passage　leading　back　to　the　surface。　Halisstra　blinked　in　surprise。　He　took　only　one　small　step　as　he　turned　away　from　the　party；　but　he　was　suddenly　across　the　room；　and　a　second　step　carried　him　perilously　far　down　the　corridor　outside。　She　hurried　to　keep　him　in　sight；　only　to　find　that　a　single　step　caused　the　chamber　to　blur　into　darkness。　She　stood　so　close　to　Pharaun　that　she　had　to　restrain　an　impulse　to　back　up　a　step；　lest　she　throw　herself　even　farther　away。
　　　The　wizard　smirked　at　her　disfiture　and　said；　〃I　am　flattered　by　your　attention；　dear　lady；　but　you　need　not　stay　quite　so　close。〃　He　laughed　softly。　〃Just　step　when　I　step；　and　you　will　pace　me　more　easily。〃
　　　He　took　several　slow；　measured　strides；　holding　back　a　bit　as　the　rest　of　the　party　caught　the　trick　of　it；　and　in　a　moment　they　all　marched　together　along　the　dusty　streets　of　Hlaungadath　beneath　a　cold　and　starless　sky。　Each　step　seemed　to　catapult　Halisstra　forty；　perhaps　fifty　feet　across　the　dim　terrain。　The　black　shapes　of　ruined　buildings　leered　and　leaned　from　all　sides；　huddling　down　close　over　the　streets　as　if　to　hem　in　the　travelers；　only　to　fade　into　dark　blurs　with　each　careful　stride。
　　　Outside　the　ruined　walls；　Pharaun　paused　a　moment　to　check　on　the　party。　He　nodded　toward　the　desert　stretching　to　cold　mountains　in　the　west；　and　he　began　to　march　quickly；　setting　a　rapid　pace　that　belied　his　effete　mannerisms　and　aversion　to　the　toils　of　travel。　Finally　able　to　stretch　out　her　legs；　Halisstra　began　to　gain　a　sense　of　just　how　quickly　they　were　moving。　In　five　minutes　of　walking　they　left　the　site　of　the　Netherese　city　a　league　behind　them；　a　dark　blot　on　the　dim　breast　of　the　sands。　In　thirty　minutes　the　mountains；　nothing　more　than　a　distant　fence　of　snowcapped　peaks　from　Hlaungadath's　streets；　towered　up　over　them　like　a　rampart　of　night。　The　shadow　walk　also　made　light　of　the　most　difficult　terrain　in　their　path。　Without　hesitation　Pharaun　stepped　out　over　a　sheer　ravine　as　if　it　simply　did　not　exist。　The　magic　of　his　spell　and　the　strange　plane　they　traversed　brought　his　foot　down　securely　on　the　far　side　of　the　obstacle。　Climbing　the　long；　rugged　slopes　leading　up　into　the　mountains　was　no　more　work　than　stepping　from　stone　to　stone　across　a　stream。
　　　〃Tell　me；　Pharaun；〃　Quenthel　said　after　a　time；　〃why　did　we　crawl　through　miles　of　dangerous　Underdark　passages　to　reach　Ched　Nasad；　when　you　might　have　used　this　spell　to　shorten　our　journey？〃
　　　Halisstra　could　sense　the　ire　hidden　in　the　Baenre's　voice；　even　through　the　murk　and　gloom　of　the　Shadow　Fringe。
　　　〃Three　reasons；　fair　Quenthel；〃　Pharaun　replied；　not　taking　his　eyes　from　the　unseen　path　he　followed。　〃First；　you　did　not　ask　me　to　do　any　such　thing。　Second；　the　wizards　of　Ched　Nasad　arranged　certain　defenses　against　intrusions　of　this　sort。　Finally；　as　I　said　before；　the　Fringe　is　a　dangerous　place。　I　only　suggested　this　after　we　all　agreed　that　marching　for　months　across　the　sun…blasted　surface　world　presented　an　even　less　appealing　prospect。〃
　　　Quenthel　seemed　to　consider　the　wizard's　words；　while　mountains　reeled　and