war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第24部分

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　　　Sluuguth。
　　　Assuming　the　illithid　had　told　the　truth；　Gromph　had　a　weapon　he　could　use　against　the　creature。　Certainly　the　mind　flayer　knew　that　too；　which　meant　that　Sluuguth　had　no　intention　of　letting　Gromph　live。　All　that　passed　through　Gromph's　mind　in　a　fleeting　thought…hopefully　too　fleeting　for　Sluuguth　to　notice…then　Gromph　began　to　concentrate　on　the　access　shaft。　He　could　feel　Sluuguth　mentally　looking　over　his　shoulder；　studying　the　spot　they　were　about　to　gate　to　with　great　care。
　　　A　circle　of　purple　light　shimmered　into　being　next　to　them。　Sluuguth　fell　into　it　and　an　instant　later　was　levitating　inside　the　shaft。　It　seemed　to　extend　infinitely　upward　and　downward　and　had　walls　of　utter　blackness　that　had　a　somehow　palpable　look　to　them。　Had　Gromph　not　been　trapped　in　the　sphere；　he　knew　his　nostrils　would　have　been　assaulted　by　the　rank；　foul　odor　of　the　pseudoplane；　the　stench　of　the　malformed　creatures　that　called　it　home。
　　　Where　is　the　door？　asked　Sluuguth。
　　　Gromph　indicated　a　patch　of　darkness　that　seemed　more　solid　than　the　rest　and　sent；　Dispel　its　magic；　then　push。
　　　Sluuguth　did　as　instructed。　Previously　invisible　runes　sparkled　as　light　burst　inside　the　diamond　dust　that　had　been　used　to　inscribe　them。　When　the　light　vanished；　Sluuguth　pushed　open　the　door；　revealing　Gromph's　office。
　　　The　chamber　was　a　mess…the　aftermath　of　Gromph's　battle　with　the　lichdrow　Dyrr。　The　enormous　desk　at　the　center　of　the　room　was　gouged　in　several　places　by　the　whirling　blades　the　lichdrow　had　conjured；　and　the　marble　flagstone　floor　was　cracked　where　Dyrr's　staff　had　struck　it。　One　of　the　bookshelves　was　a　smashed　ruin；　and　the　scrolls　that　had　tumbled　from　it　had　been　trampled。　As　a　sign　of　his　disdain　for　the　archmage's　wizardry；　the　lichdrow　had　left　them　where　they　were　after　trapping　Gromph　in　the　sphere。
　　　The　perpetually　burning　red　candles；　set　into　wall　sconces　made　from　skeletal　fists；　still　provided　illumination；　and　a　plushly　upholstered　chair　behind　the　desk　had　survived　relatively　unscathed。　A　harder　wooden　chair　on　the　other　side；　where　a　visitor　would　sit；　lay　on　one　side；　its　legs　splintered。　Beyond　it　was　a　door　of　black　marble；　incised　with　glowing　silver　runes。
　　　As　for　the　spiderstone　golem　that　had　fought　in　an　effort　to　defend　Gromph；　the　only　thing　left　of　it　was　a　severed　stone　arm；　lying　forlornly　in　a　corner。
　　　Still　hovering　in　the　shaft；　Sluuguth　pointed　and　thrust　the　tip　of　one　finger　into　the　room。　Immediately；　one　of　the　office　walls　erupted　in　a　triangle　of　flame　as　an　invisible　sigil　released　a　fire　elemental。　Sluuguth's　magic；　however；　was　swifter。　A　bolt　of　energy　leaped　from　his　fingertip　and　struck　the　elemental；　freezing　it。　The　fire　elemental　hung；　trapped　from　the　waist　down　in　the　wall；　its　arms　extended　over　its　head。　Only　its　eyes　moved。　White…hot　flames　blazed　at　Sluuguth　as　the　illithid　at　last　stepped　into　the　room。
　　　You　didn't　warn　me　about　that；　the　illithid　said；　tentacles　waving　as　it　nodded　at　the　frozen　elemental。
　　　No　need；　obviously；　Gromph　answered。　Now　let's　get　down　to　business。　Free　me。　Place　the　sphere　on　the　chair　behind　the　desk。
　　　Tentacles　twitching　as　its　face　grimaced　into　what　might　have　been　a　smile；　Sluuguth　laid　the　sphere　on　the　chair　cushion。　Then；　without　further　ado；　it　began　to　cast　a　spell。　Its　three…fingered　hands　began　a　series　of　gestures…Gromph　thought　he　recognized　a　portion　of　the　imprisonment…negating　spell；　but　the　somatic　ponent　seemed　more　plicated　than　it　need　have　been…and　sound　crashed　in　on　Gromph　from　all　sides　as　the　sphere　broke　apart。
　　　For　an　instant　he　was　twisting　between　dimensions；　his　body　bursting　free　of　the　magic　that　had　confined　it；　his　ears　ringing　as　if　he　were　a　clapper　inside　a　bell…
　　　…and　he　was　sitting　in　his　chair。　Eyes　gleaming　in　triumph；　he　started　to　lift　a　finger　in　the　minute　gesture　required　to　activate　a　second　invisible　sigil　on　the　wall。　Interlocked　ellipses　would　suck　Sluuguth　into　a　two…dimensional　prison。
　　　Stop。
　　　Gromph's　finger　wouldn't　move。　Nor　could　he　even　imagine　moving　it　any　longer。　Something　had　a　vicelike　grip　on　his　mind　and　was　crushing　his　will。　Gromph　could　sense　Sluuguth's　foul…feeling；　tentacled　presence。
　　　Heart　suddenly　beating　faster；　the　archmage　realized　what　must　have　happened。　In　casting　the　spell　that　gave　Gromph　his　freedom；　the　illithid　had　woven　in　a　second　spell；　one　that　had　slowed　Gromph's　body。　It　had　given　Sluuguth　just　enough　time　to　cast　the　mind…dominating　spell　that　held　Gromph　in　thrall。
　　　Gromph　sat　motionless　in　his　chair；　awaiting　the　illithid's　next　mand。　Had　he　been　able　to；　he　would　have　groaned　in　frustration。　He　had　been　careful　not　to　think　about　the　sigils　on　the　walls。　The　first　one　was　meant　to　give　Sluuguth　a　false　sense　of　security　after　the　illithid　so　summarily　defeated　the　fire　elemental…as　Gromph　knew　it　would。　The　second　was　meant　to　trap　the　mind　flayer　after　Gromph　was　free。　But　the　archmage's　careful　plan　lay　in　ruins；　as　broken　as　the　remains　of　the　sphere　that　littered　the　floor　at　his　feet。
　　　Sluuguth　moved　to　a　position　behind　Gromph　and　loomed　over　his　shoulder。
　　　Open　the　drawer。
　　　Gromph　bent；　inserted　his　fingers　in　the　skull's　eye　sockets；　and　pulled。　The　drawer　slid　open；　revealing　the　two　thought　bottles。
　　　Take　them　out　of　the　drawer；　Sluuguth　ordered。
　　　Gromph　did　as　he　was　told；　placing　both　bottles　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him。　He　braced　himself。　Surely　the　illithid　would　either　end　his　life　or　at　the　very　least　imprison　him；　the　desk's　protective　magic　having　been　thwarted。
　　　Instead　Sluuguth　gave　him　a　further　mand：　Choose　one。
　　　Gromph's　fingers　closed　around　the　bottle　closest　to　him。　An　instant　later；　at　Sluuguth's　mand；　they　sprang　open　again；　and　he　picked　up　the　second　bottle　instead。
　　　Consume　it；　Sluuguth　ordered。
　　　With　those　words；　Gromph　knew　the　second　part　of　his　plan…which　he　had　obviously　been　unsuccessful　in　not　thinking　about…had　also　failed。
　　　Decades　past；　Gromph　had　created　the　thought　bottles　as　a　contingency；　in　case　he　ever　became　the　captive　of　a　creature　who　could　read　his　mind。　He'd　been　telling　the　truth　when　he　said　he　had　no　idea　what　was　in　the　bottles；　but　he'd　left　one　tiny　sliver　of　information　within　his　own　mind：　the　memory　that　if　such　a　situation　arose；　he　should　offer　them　to　his　captor。　But　the　sava　board　had　been　turned。　Whatever　was　in　the　bottle　his　traitorous　hands　were　even　then　uncorking　was　about　to　be　unleashed　on　Gromph　himself。
　　　A　part　of　Gromph's　mind　screamed　in　protest；　but　the　tiny；　trapped　voice　went　unheard。　Slowly；　inexorably；　the　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan　raised　the　bottle　to　his　lips；　and　drank。
　　　
Chapter　Fifteen
　　　Valas　sculled　just　outside　the　turbulent　swirl　of　water　at　the　base　of　the　waterfall；　wondering　how　he　was　going　to　contact　the　others。　Fully　transformed；　he　was　no　longer　capable　of　breathing　air。　His　hands　and　feet　had　turned　into　webbed　paws；　and　his　tailbone　had　elongated　into　a　fluked　tail。　After　the　last　of　his　hair　had　fallen　out；　a　grayish…green　membrane　had　grown　over　his　skin；　which　secreted　a　slimy　coating　that　kept　out　the　water's　chill。　Valas　was　trapped　underwater；　unable　to　climb　back　up　to　the　tunnel　where　his　panions　waited。
　　　At　least　he　still　had　all　of　his　equipment。　He　touched　the　thick　leather　belt　around　his　waist；　with　its　steel　buckle　shaped　in　the　form　of　a　rothe's　head。　Perhaps；　with　the　aid　of　the　magical　strength　it　lent　him；　together　with　the　increased　nimbleness　afforded　by　his　enchanted　chain　mail；　he　could　climb　inside　the　waterfall；　against　its　pounding　force。　But　when　he　swam　to　the　surface　to　take　a　look；　he　remembered　that　the　waterfall　arced　out　of　the　cavern　above。　For　most　of　the　climb；　the　falling　water　was　a　good　three　or　four　paces　distant　from　the　cliff…too　far　for　him　to　duck　his　head　into　it　while　still　holding　on　to　the　rock　face。
　　　Disappointed；　he　allowed　himself　to　sink　back　under　the　surface　of　the　lake。　There　was　no　way　out。
　　　Then　he　remembered　his　enchanted　backpack。
　　　Shrugging　it　off　his　shoulders；　he　moved　it　to　his　chest；　putting　the　shoulder　straps　on　backward　and　cinching　them　tight。　He　opened　its　main　flap。　Water　rushed　into　the　nondimensional　space　inside　the　pack。　When　it　was　full…holding　the　equivalent　of　perhaps　thirty　waterskins…he　closed　the　flap。　Many　of　the　items　the　backpack　held　would　be　damaged；　but　that　was　a　sacrifice　that　mattered　little　against　his　survival。
　　　Valas　swam　directly　under　the　waterfall；　fighting　the　current　with　powerful　strokes　of　his　tail。　The　water　falling　from　above　thundered　in　his　ears　and　forced　him　down；　but　at　last　he　saw　a　more　solid　patch　of　darkness　ahead：　the　base　of　the　cliff。　The　current　slammed　him　up　against　the　rock　before　he　was　ready；　but　an　instant　later　he　found　a　handhold。　To　his　surprise；　he　felt　claws　emerge　from　the　ends　of　his　fingers　and　thumb　that　helped　him　hold　on。　Muscles　straining；　he　resisted　the　current　that　was　trying　to　tear　him　away　from　the　rock　face。　Valas　began　to　climb。
　　　The　closer　he　got　to　the　surface；　the　stronger　the　pounding　of　the　waterfall　became。　Twice　he　slipped　and　was　nearly　swept　back　to　the　bottom　of　the　lake；　but　he　managed　to　hang　on　with　one　hand。　By　thrashing　his　tail；　he　forced　himself　back　against　the　cliff　each　time。　At　last　his　head　broke　the　surface。
　　　He　heaved　himself　up；　scrambling　for　handholds　and　toeholds　on　the　slippery　cliff。　As　he　climbed；　he　held　his　breath…or　rather；　held　water　in　his　lungs。　When　at　last　he　could　hold　it　no　more；　he　exhaled　through　his　mouth…a　process　that　felt　like　vomiting；　at　least　when　he　was　no　longer　underwater…then　he　opened　the　flap　of　his　backpack　and　plunged　his　head　inside。　He　inhaled　deeply；　then　closed　the　flap　and　continued　to　climb。
　　　Gradually　he　drew　near　to　the　tunnel　mouth。　When　he　was　perhaps　a　pace　or　two　below　its　lip；　Pharaun　peeked　out　from　above。　The　mage　had　obviously　been　alerted　by　magic　to　Valas's　presence…there　was　no　way　he　could　have　heard　someone　climbing　the　cliff　over　the　thunder　of　the　falls。　The　mage　was　casting　a　spell。
　　　Valas…to　Pharaun's　ey