war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第23部分

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　　　Gromph　immediately　recognized　the　spot　that　the　illithid's　spell　had　carried　them　to。　They　were　in　the　wide　cavern　that　led　from　the　Dark　Dominions　into　Tier　Breche。　Exhausted　duergar　sprawled　on　the　cavern　floor；　many　of　them　wounded。　Others；　carrying　enormous　axes　and　battle…chewed　shields；　hurried　through　the　tunnel；　their　officers　urging　them　toward　Tier　Breche；　which　was　filled　with　the　flashes　of　exploding　spells。
　　　Still　other　gray　dwarves　busied　themselves　just　inside　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel；　hurriedly　assembling　siege　engines　and　shelters。　The　duergar　labored　without　ceasing；　even　though　an　occasional　ball　of　fire　or　ice　or　crackling　electricity　arced　over　and　smashed　into　the　ground　near　the　siege　walls　they　had　set　up　just　inside　Tier　Breche。　Glowing　pits　of　molten　rock　or　ice…shattered　stone　attested　to　the　force　of　those　blasts。
　　　Gromph　could　see　everything　but　could　not　hear　the　shouts　of　the　duergar…who　nodded　to　the　newly　arrived　illithid…nor　could　he　smell　the　sulfurous　explosions。　The　sphere　enclosed　him　in　a　world　filled　only　with　his　own　breathing…which　became　rapid　as　he　realized　that　Gracklstugh's　army　had　not　only　reached　Menzoberranzan　but　had　established　a　foothold　inside　Tier　Breche　itself。　The　duergar　were　attacking　the　three　buildings　that　were　the　most　heavily　fortified　in　the　city；　aside　from　the　noble　Houses　themselves。
　　　Hands　pressed　to　the　curved　wall　of　his　prison；　Gromph　strained　his　eyes；　looking　for　the　jade　spiders　that　should　have　been　guarding　the　tunnel。　They　were　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　　　They　serve　a　different　master；　now；　the　illithid　said　with　a　smirk。　As　will　the　drow；　soon　enough。　The　army　is　already　inside　Menzoberranzan。
　　　Whose　army？　Gromph　wondered。　Not　an　army　of　illithids；　surely；　or　the　one　who　carried　him　would　have　said　〃our　army。〃　Had　the　duergar　of　Gracklstugh　reached　Menzoberranzan　on　their　own？
　　　The　answer　came　swiftly。
　　　Yes。　And　tanarukks　march　with　them。　The　drow　cannot　stand　against　their　bined　might。
　　　Gromph　had　no　way　of　knowing　whether　or　not　that　was　true。　If　only　he　could　get　free　of　the　sphere　he　could　use　his　magic　to　drive　the　enemy　back。　But　in　order　to　free　himself　he　needed　to　find　a　wizard　who　knew　the　precise　spell　required；　And　he　needed　to　get　inside　Sorcere…specifically；　to　his　quarters；　where　the　lichdrow　had　cast　his　imprisonment　spell。　Unfortunately；　both　those　things　were　on　the　other　side　of　the　duergar　siege　wall。
　　　Gromph　glanced　up　at　the　illithid　and　thought；　Or　。　。　。　are　they？
　　　Deliberately；　Gromph　let　his　mind　dwell　upon　that　thought。
　　　The　reply　was　tinged　with　arrogance。
　　　Of　course　I　know　that　spell；　but　why　should　I　use　it　to　set　you　free？　All　of　your　secrets　will　be　mine；　in　time。　I　will　flay　your　mind；　layer　by　layer；　like　the　skin　of　a…
　　　The　illithid　broke　off　in　mid…sentence；　suddenly　glancing　at　someone　who　was　approaching。　Long；　purple　fingers　closed　tightly　around　the　sphere。　The　illithid　held　it　in　both　hands；　hiding　what　it　contained。　It　rubbed　its　fingers　deliberately　against　the　glass；　smearing　its　surface　with　the　slime　that　coated　its　palms。　Gromph　tumbled　to　his　hands　and　knees　as　the　illithid　dropped　the　hand　holding　the　sphere　to　its　side。　He　scrambled　forward　to　look　out　through　the　only　clear　spot　that　remained　on　the　surface　of　the　glass。
　　　One　of　the　duergar　stood　in　front　of　the　illithid；　his　face　level　with　the　sphere。　Like　the　others　of　his　race；　the　dwarf　had　pale　gray　skin；　a　snub　nose　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　flattened　by　a　mace；　and　a　bald　head。　He　was　dressed　in　mottled　gray…and…black　clothing　the　color　of　stone　but　wore　a　bronze　breastplate　so　untarnished　and　free　of　dents　that　Gromph　was　willing　to　bet　it　was　magical。　He　carried　a　greataxe　whose　double…bladed　head　swirled　with　ghostly　patterns…likely　the　trapped　souls　of　those　it　had　slain；　or　so　Gromph　guessed。
　　　The　gray　dwarf　didn't　have　his　head　tilted　up　to　speak　to　the　illithid　but　kept　his　eyes　level　with　the　mind　flayer's　waist。　The　gray　dwarf's　gaze　occasionally　creeped　down　to　the　sphere；　and　he　gestured　repeatedly　at　Tier　Breche。
　　　Glancing　up；　Gromph　could　see　the　illichid's　tentacles　ripple　as　it　shook　its　head。　The　gray　dwarf；　who　obviously　thought　he　was　addressing　another　duergar；　pointed　at　the　sphere。
　　　With　a　suddenness　that　surprised　Gromph；　the　illithid　bent　over　the　dwarf。　Its　four　tentacles　lashed　out；　wrapping　themselves　around　the　duergar's　face。　The　dwarf　flailed　with　his　axe；　but　the　illithid　had　anticipated　that　move　and　countered　it　with　magic。　The　dwarf's　body　went　suddenly　rigid；　the　axe　poised　above　his　head。　Tentacles　flexed；　and　the　duergar's　head　split　open　like　a　ripe　fungus　ball。　One　of　the　tentacles　relaxed；　and；　while　the　remaining　three　held　the　head　in　a　vicelike　grip；　it　began　scooping　pinkish　gobs　of　brain　into　the　illithid's　mouth。　Gromph；　sickened　by　the　sight；　turned　his　face　away　from　the　glass。
　　　The　other　duergar　turned；　shocked　looks　on　their　faces。　One　or　two　reached　for　their　weapons；　took　a　look　at　the　illithid's　blank　white　eyes；　then　all　of　them　suddenly　relaxed。　Gromph　could　only　imagine　how　easy　it　was　for　the　illithid　to　cloud　the　simple　minds　of　a　gang　of　duergar　soldiers。　He　wondered　what　the　duergar　saw　when　they　looked　at　the　illithid…one　of　their　own；　most　likely…and　they　were　pelled　not　to　think　about　their　dead　officer；　his　broken　skull；　or　his　half…eaten　brain。　One　by　one；　the　magic…addled　gray　dwarves　simply　went　back　to　what　they　had　been　doing。
　　　Finished　with　its　meal；　the　illithid　plucked　the　axe　from　the　dwarf's　hand；　then　let　the　body　drop。
　　　Now；　it　said；　you　will　tell　me　how　to　enter　Sorcere。
　　　Gromph　eyed　the　greataxe。　It　was　obvious　that　the　illithid　cared　less　about　the　war　than　it　did　about　personal　gain。
　　　You　want　magic；　Gromph　sent　to　the　illithid。
　　　Yes；　the　mind　flayer　replied。
　　　You　want　to　get　inside　Sorcere　before　the　duergar　do。
　　　The　illithid's　next　thought　was　more　tentative；　as　if　it　was　admitting　a　guilty　secret。
　　　Yes；　it　said。
　　　Gromph　smiled　and　replied；　You　want　to　know　if　there's　a　back　door　into　Sorcere；　but　if　you　try　to　get　that　information　from　me　by　force；　it　will　take　too　long。　By　the　time　you　find　it；　the　duergar　will　be　inside。　You'll　be　left　with　whatever　scraps　they　don't　destroy　or　loot　for　themselves。　But　I　can　offer　another　alternative。　Help　me　to　get　free　of　this　sphere；　and　I'll　reward　you　well。　I'll　willingly　give　you　the　magic　you　crave。
　　　What　magic？
　　　In　my　centuries　of　experimentation；　I　have　developed　powerful　spells　that　other　mages　and　wizards　have　yet　to　even　imagine。
　　　Gromph　felt　the　tendrils　of　the　illithid's　mind…probing　magic　root　even　deeper　in　his　mind。
　　　Those　spells　are　no　longer　in　my　memory；　he　told　it。　They're　in　my　private　quarters；　in　Sorcere。　In　these。
　　　Gromph　let　his　mind　dwell　on　his　office；　on　the　enormous　desk　that　dominated　the　windowless　room。　Made　of　polished　bone；　it　had　a　number　of　drawers　that　opened　onto　extra…dimensional　spaces。　The　front　of　each　drawer　was　inlaid　with　a　different　skull。　Gromph　pictured　himself　sitting　in　his　chair　behind　the　desk　and　reaching　down　to　a　certain　skull；　then　placing　his　fingers　in　its　eye　sockets。　The　drawer　slid　open；　revealing　a　rack　that　held　two　bottles。　Each　was　of　cast　gold；　its　sides　set　with　a　sigil…shaped　〃window〃　of　moss…green　glass；　through　which　came　a　glow　that　originated　from　inside　the　bottle。　Each　of　the　sigils；　in　the　drow　script；　represented　the　same　word：　〃remember。〃
　　　What　are　they？　the　illithid　asked。
　　　I　call　them　〃thought　bottles；〃　Gromph　said。　Each　contains　a　powerful　spell…and　all　of　the　thoughts　that　led　to　its　creation。　Spells　so　powerful　even　I　dared　not　use　them；　but　so　unique　that；　once　created；　I　could　not　risk　losing　them；　either。　In　order　to　avoid　temptation；　I　created　these　bottles　to　hold　them。　Anyone　who　consumes　their　contents　will　gain　not　only　the　spell　itself　but　every　stage　of　the　process　that　led　to　its　creation。
　　　Once　I　am　inside　Sorcere；　I　will　take　them；　the　illithid　said。
　　　Not　unless　you　free　me；　first；　Gromph　said。　The　drawer　will　only　open　to　my　touch。
　　　The　archmage　let　his　mind　dwell　on　an　experiment　he'd　conducted　back　when　he'd　first　constructed　and　ensorcelled　the　desk。　He'd　deliberately　left　the　door　to　his　office　lightly　warded；　then　observed　with　clairvoyant　magic　as　an　apprentice　forced　his　way　into　the　office　and　tried　to　open　the　desk。　No　sooner　had　the　drow　placed　his　fingers　inside　the　eye　sockets　than　he　stiffened　and　tried　to　scream。　No　more　than　a　hoarse　croak　came　from　his　throat；　however；　before　a　horrible　wilting　began。　White　hair　broke　off　in　clumps　from　his　head　like　dried　straw；　and　his　eyes　shriveled　in　upon　themselves　like　heat…cured　fungus　and　fell　from　their　sockets。　His　skin　chafed；　then　erupted　in　a　series　of　cracks；　from　which　brown　dust…dried　blood…trickled。　Slowly　he　crumpled；　shrinking　in　upon　himself　until　all　that　was　left　was　a　pile　of　dusty　clothes　where　a　drow　had　once　stood。
　　　Impressive；　the　illithid　said。
　　　Thank　you；　Gromph　answered。
　　　Yet　another　fireball　arced　over　the　siege　wall　and　landed　a　short　distance　away；　scattering　gobs　of　molten　lava。　The　liquid　rock　slid　off　the　illithid　like　water　running　down　glass。　The　illithid　had　obviously　cloaked　itself　in　a　protective　spell。
　　　Do　we　have　a　bargain；　then？　Gromph　asked。　Will　you　free　me　and　receive　the　thought　bottles　as　payment？
　　　You　must　show　me　a　way　into　Sorcere；　the　illithid　said。　It　is　protected　by　wards　that　prevent　magical　entry；　is　it　not？
　　　Gromph　smiled　and　sent；　A　good　guess。　But　there's　a　portion　of　the　building　that　is　not　protected　by　these　wards；　because　it　exists　in　its　own　pseudoplane：　a　vertical　shaft　that　gives　access　to　my　office。　If　you　could　gate　us　into　it；　I'll　show　you　how　to　find　the　door。
　　　Bring　it　to　your　mind；　the　illithid　manded。
　　　Gromph　fought　down　his　irritation　at　being　ordered　about。
　　　Of　course；　he　answered。　Ah　。　。　。　what　is　your　name；　anyway？
　　　Sluuguth。
　　　Assuming　the　illithid　had　told　the　truth；　Gromph　had　a　weapon　he　could　use　against　the　creature。　Certainly　the