war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第53部分

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　　　Pharaun　plucked　her　hand　free…earning　a　wrathful　glare　from　the　battle…captive…and　he　reached　into　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi。　Pulling　out　his　last　pinch　of　seeds；　he　held　them　tightly　between　thumb　and　forefinger；　wary　lest　the　storm　pluck　them　away。　Squeezing　past　the　others；　he　walked　to　one　end　of　the　narrow　ledge　to　a　spot　he　judged　to　be　well　beyond　the　portal。
　　　〃I've　got　a　better　idea；〃　he　told　them　all。
　　　Releasing　the　seeds；　he　barked　out　the　words　of　his　spell　and　stabbed　a　finger　toward　the　rock。　A　tunnel　opened　in　the　wall…at　an　angle；　running　in　the　direction　the　wind　had　carried　his　seeds。　Stepping　inside　it；　he　motioned　for　the　others　to　join　him。
　　　They　needed　no　urging。　The　storm　was　upon　them；　whipping　their　hair　and　piwafwis　and　soaking　them　with　sheets　of　water。　Stumbling　along　the　slippery　ledge；　they　hurried　inside；　Quenthel　and　Jeggred　shoving　their　way　past　Danifae　and　causing　her　to　slip　on　the　bat　guano　that　had　been　soaked　by　the　storm。　Pharaun　reached　out　to　steady　her；　but　Valas　was　quicker。　Grabbing　Danifae's　arm；　he　shoved　her　forward　into　the　tunnel。
　　　Pharaun　tried　to　convey　his　apologies　in　a　glance；　but　Danifae　ignored　him。　Sighing；　he　waved　the　others　to　the　back　of　the　tunnel；　then　pulled　out　his　cone　of　glass。　Pointing　it　at　the　open　mouth　of　the　tunnel；　he　hurriedly　cast　a　second　spell。　A　blast　of　bitterly　cold　air　erupted　from　the　glass　cone；　turning　the　water　that　was　spraying　into　the　tunnel　into　pellets　of　hail。　A　sheet　of　water　crashed　full…on　into　the　ledge　outside…and　was　instantly　turned　to　solid　ice；　sealing　the　tunnel。　Pharaun　held　the　spell　for　a　moment　or　two　longer；　until　the　ice　wall　had　thickened　sufficiently；　then　he　lowered　his　hand。
　　　Turning　to　Quenthel；　he　bowed；　then　swept　a　hand　in　the　direction　of　the　plug　of　ice。
　　　〃Won't　you　step　up　to　the　viewing　platform；　Mistress？〃　he　asked。　〃I'm　sure　the　ship　of　chaos　will　be　along　directly。〃
　　　Quenthel　stared　at　him　for　a　long　moment　as　if　trying　to　decide　whether　or　not　she　was　being　mocked。　Her　whip　vipers　snapped　at　each　other；　then　relaxed。　Nose　in　the　air；　Quenthel　strode　past　Pharaun　and　stared　out　through　the　ice；　leaning　this　way　and　that　as　she　tried　to　see　beyond　the　water　that　crashed　against　the　other　side　of　it。　The　air　inside　the　tunnel　was　bitterly　cold；　and　her　breath　misted　in　the　air。　She　shivered　in　her　wet　clothes。　Even　so；　the　high　priestess　peered　with　rapt　attention…then　stiffened。
　　　At　that；　the　others　crowded　forward。　Even　Jeggred　loped　up　to　crouch　and　peer　out　past　his　mistress's　legs。
　　　〃That　figure；〃　Quenthel　gasped。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　Pharaun　leaned　forward　for　a　better　look。　The　wall　of　ice　he　was　staring　through　was　half　as　thick　as　his　forearm　was　long；　and　beyond　it　was　the　waterspout；　several　paces　thick　at　that　point　and　filled　with　whirling　spray。　Dimly；　at　the　very　eye　of　the　storm；　he　could　see　a　twisting　shape。　It　was　proportioned　like　a　drow；　with　head；　arms；　and　legs；　but　twice　the　height　of　the　tallest　female　and　with　a　whiplike　tail。　It　appeared　to　be　naked；　its　skin　a　pale　gray。　Pharaun　thought　it　was　flailing　against　the　wind；　raking　the　air　around　it　with　wide　sweeps　of　its　claws；　but　then　he　realized　that　it　was　spinning　in　place。　The　creature　itself　wasn't　moving…not　a　muscle。　It　looked　as　though　it　had　been　rendered　immobile　by　magic；　by　a　spell　that　must　have　been　cast　centuries　before。
　　　Beside　him；　Danifae　gasped。
　　　〃The　uridezu；〃　the　battle…captive　whispered。
　　　Pharaun　nodded。
　　　〃And　the　ship！〃　Valas　exclaimed；　standing　on　tiptoes　to　peer　down　over　the　lip　of　the　ledge　outside　and　pointing。
　　　Pharaun　looked　down　at　the　point　where　the　waterspout　met　the　whirlpool。　The　ship　was　indeed　there；　its　hull　stuck　fast　in　the　water　that　formed　the　inner　wall　of　the　whirlpool　and　its　masts　angled　in　toward　the　eye　of　the　storm。　It　was　difficult　to　make　out　details　through　the　wall　of　ice　and　the　spray　whipping　horizontally　past　outside；　but　Pharaun　could　see　enough　to　confirm　that　it　must；　indeed；　be　the　ship　of　chaos。
　　　The　hull　was　bone…white　in　color；　as　were　the　three　masts；　from　which　hung　tattered　sails。
　　　Quenthel　laughed；　shattering　the　tense　silence。
　　　〃I've　done　it！〃　she　said。　〃The　ship　of　chaos　is　mine。〃　Abruptly；　she　turned　to　Pharaun。　〃Prepare　a　binding　spell。〃
　　　〃The　demon　already　appears　to　be　'bound；'　〃　observed　Pharaun；　nodding　at　the　scene　outside　the　ice　wall。　〃Albeit　not　in　the　conventional　manner。　My　guess　is　that　it　was　caught　in　a　temporal　stasis　spell…a　powerful　one　that　I'll　have　to　break　once　I've　imposed　a　binding　of　my　own。　And　there's　the　little　problem　of　the　storm。〃
　　　Quenthel　flicked　wet　hair　out　of　her　face；　then　glowered　down　the　ship　of　chaos；　still　whipping　around　in　circles　in　the　whirlpool。
　　　〃We're　not　teleporting　away；〃　she　told　him；　a　dangerous　light　in　her　eye。　〃Not　now；　when　we're　so　close。〃
　　　〃No；〃　Pharaun　sighed。　〃I　suppose　not。　But　to　be　quite　frank；　I'm　not　sure　what　to　do　next。　The　storm's　obviously　magical。　If　a　spell　created　it；　the　incantation　was　powerful…and　permanent。　Even　I　couldn't　control　that　volume　of　water…which　means　any　spell　I　cast　won't　be　powerful　enough　to　dispel　the　storm。〃
　　　Valas　scratched　his　head；　then　said　in　a　thoughtful　voice；　〃Could　we　sail　the　ship　out　of　the　storm？〃
　　　〃Possibly；〃　Pharaun　said；　thinking　aloud。　〃Or　rather；　the　uridezu　could。　But　assuming　I'm　able　to　dispel　the　magic　that　froze　the　demon　in　time　there's　still　the　matter　of　binding　it　to　my　will。〃
　　　〃That's　easy；〃　Quenthel　spat。　〃Just　pull　the　demon　out　with　one　of　your　grasping…hand　spells。〃
　　　Pharaun　sighed。　The　spell　Quenthel　had　mentioned　was　unnecessary。　The　binding　spell　itself　would　draw　the　demon　to　the　deck。　The　problem　lay　in　the　ship　itself。　Pharaun　had　pictured　it　wrecked　on　shore　or　perhaps　resting　quietly　at　the　bottom　of　the　lake…not　half　awash　and　buffeted　by　spray　and　wind。　Drawing　a　pentagram　on　the　deck　of　the　ship　would　be　an　impossible　task。
　　　There　was　an　alternative　to　using　a　magic　diagram；　but　it　presented　its　own　problems。　He　could　render　the　demon's　image　in　miniature；　either　on　vellum　or　in　the　form　of　a　statuette。　The　latter　could　easily　be　done…he　had　wax　and　an　opal　in　his　enchanted　pockets…but　as　soon　as　he　placed　the　statuette　on　the　deck；　one　sweep　of　a　wave　would　wash　it　overboard。　And　how；　in　the　name　of　the　silent　Spider　Queen；　was　he　going　to　e　up　with　a　length　of　chain？
　　　Then　he　remembered　the　amulet　that　had　protected　Valas　from　the　wraiths。　Its　chain…having　faded　to　the　color　of　lead；　a　most　suitable　material　indeed…still　hung　around　his　neck。
　　　Pharaun　nodded　at　the　amulet　and　said；　〃I　believe　I'm　correct；　Valas；　in　assuming　your　amulet　is　no　longer　functional？〃
　　　Valas　gave　Pharaun　a　wary　frown　but　nodded。
　　　〃May　I　have　the　chain　it's　hung　on？〃　Pharaun　asked；　holding　out　a　hand。
　　　Valas　plied…taking　care　to　keep　the　amulet　hidden　inside　his　tunic　as　he　slid　it　off　the　chain。　Pharaun　could　guess　why。　Judging　by　its　sun　shape；　it　had　been　created　by　surface　elves。　And　not　just　any　surface　elves；　but　those　who　worshiped　Labelas　Enoreth；　Lord　of　Longevity。　If　Quenthel　saw　the　mercenary　wearing　it；　her　fury　would　be　unbounded。　She'd　rather　have　lost　a　valuable　ally　to　the　wraiths　than　admit　that　an　amulet　created　by　〃sunspit〃　was　anything　other　than　an　abomination。
　　　As　Valas　handed　Pharaun　the　chain；　Danifae　leaned　closer　to　the　wall　of　ice；　her　breath　fogging　in　the　chilled　air。
　　　〃Careful；〃　Pharaun　cautioned。　〃Don't　touch　the　ice　with　your　tongue。〃
　　　She　gave　him　a　disdainful　look；　then　indicated　the　storm　outside　with　a　jerk　of　her　chin。
　　　〃If　you're　going　to　try　to　bind　the　demon；　you'd　better　get　started；〃　she　told　him。　〃The　whirlpool　is　starting　to　move　away。〃
　　　Nodding；　Pharaun　squatted　and　began　his　preparations。　From　the　pockets　of　his　piwafwi　he　took　a　lump　of　beeswax　he'd　picked　up　in　Menzoberranzan；　months　before；　from　a　trader　from　the　World　Above；　and　a　black　opal　the　size　of　his　little　fingernail；　shot　through　with　veins　of　red。　He　warmed　the　beeswax　by　working　it　with　his　hands；　then　he　sculpted　the　softened　lump；　modeling　the　arms；　legs；　tail；　and　snout　of　an　uridezu　demon。　The　statuette　was　crude；　but　it　would　suffice。　Slicing　open　its　chest　with　a　fingernail；　Pharaun　pushed　the　opal　inside；　then　pinched　the　wound　shut。　He　wrapped　Valas's　chain　around　one　of　the　statuette's　legs；　securing　it　there　by　joining　two　links　together。
　　　〃There；〃　he　said；　nodding　in　satisfaction　at　the　chain　that　bit　slightly　into　the　wax　statuette's　ankle。　〃That　should　hold　him　long　enough　to　get　us　to　the　Abyss。〃
　　　
Chapter　Thirty…two
　　　As　the　worm's　mouth　closed　around　her；　Halisstra　squeezed　her　eyes　shut。　She　gasped　as　a　wave　of　acid　splattered　against　the　exposed　portions　of　her　body…her　face；　neck；　and　hands…then　regretted　it　as　the　stench　of　acid　filled　her　nostrils。　Rivulets　of　agony　trickled　through　her　hair　and　down　her　neck；　searing　her　chest　and　back　as　they　found　their　way　under　her　chain　mail　and　padded　tunic。
　　　Clinging　to　the　hilt　of　the　songsword；　she　twisted　violently　against　the　rippling；　sucking　force　of　the　worm　trying　to　swallow　her　down。　She　managed　to　get　her　feet　braced　against　the　worm's　lower　jaw；　but　when　she　tried　to　lever　the　mouth　open　her　boots　slipped。　The　worm　swallowed　her；　wrenching　her　hands　away　from　the　hilt　of　the　sword。
　　　As　the　worm's　throat　muscles　constricted；　forcing　her　down　its　throat；　Halisstra　began　to　pray。　To　open　her　burning　lips　would　mean　swallowing　acid；　which　would　further　increase　her　torment；　so　she　prayed　silently；　fervently；　begging　Eilistraee　to　help　her。　Despite　the　fact　that　she　could　feel　her　skin　erupting　into　blisters；　she　didn't　attempt　a　curative　spell…that　would　only　delay　the　inevitable…instead　she　pleaded　for　something　that　would　help　her　to　escape。
　　　The　worm　thrashed　back　and　forth；　bending　Halisstra　violently　this　way　and　that。　She　heard　dull；　muffled　thuds　that　must　have　been　Ryld　hacking　at　the　worm　with　his　sword；　but　then　the　creature　twisted　suddenly　and　they　stopped。　The　motion　forced　the　air　from　Halisstra's　lungs…and　she　dared　not　tr