war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第27部分

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　　　Well；　my　last　assignment　was　for　a　merchant　who　wanted　me　to　study　various　breeding　effects　on　rothé　herds；〃　the　mage　lied；　〃but　I　have　a　special　interest　in　a　new　field。　I　am　most　curious　to　learn　more　about　chitines　and　choldriths。〃
　　　〃Really？〃　Kraszmyl　seemed　nonplussed　at　the　idea　as　he　led　Pha…raun　deeper　into　the　confines　of　the　conservatory。　〃Why　in　the　world　would　you　find　such　base　creatures　of　interest？〃
　　　〃Oh；　they　are　tremendously　fascinating！〃　Pharaun　gushed。　〃While　we　find　them　to　be　nothing　more　than　simple　hunting　sport；　they　actually　have　a　unique　culture　and　religious　focus　that　in　several　ways　mirrors　our　own。〃
　　　〃Oh；　I　see；〃　Master　Claddath　said　woodenly。　〃I　hope　you're　not　one　of　those　odd　cretins　who　actually　thinks　we　should　cease　our　hunting。〃
　　　Pharaun　laughed。　〃Certainly　not；〃　he　said；　〃but　imagine　the　possibilities　if　I　could　make　them　more　of　a　challenge？〃
　　　〃Yes；　I　could　see　the　value　in　that。　Well；　here　we　are；〃　the　guide　said；　ushering　Pharaun　into　a　wing　of　the　facilities　that　contained　countless　cages；　cells；　and　holding　pens。
　　　Pharaun　had　never　seen　such　a　collection　of　species　before；　and　he　was　more　than　impressed。
　　　〃It　is　spectacular！〃　he　said。
　　　〃Yes；　it　is；　Master　Pharaun；　but　I　have　concluded　by　your　reaction　that　you　have　seen　nothing　of　the　sort　before。　Now；　why　don't　you　tell　me　the　real　reason　for　your　visit　to　our　little　conservatory　today？〃
　　　Pharaun　carefully　reached　into　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi；　extracted　a　fragment　of　glass；　and　turned　to　look　at　the　other　wizard；　who　was　shielded　by　a　number　of　protections。　He　held　a　wand　in　his　hand　that　he　pointed　at　the　visiting　wizard；　and　Pharaun　knew　that　the　drow　had　already　used　it。　Some　sort　of　enchantment　magic；　he　guessed。
　　　Trying　to　charm　me　into　explaining　myself。
　　　〃Is　this　the　way　you　greet　all　of　your　prospective　new　members？〃　Pharaun　asked；　smiling。
　　　Kraszmyl　looked　mildly　surprised；　then　tucked　the　wand　away。
　　　〃No；　just　those　wizards　who　show　up　out　of　nowhere；　claiming　to　want　to　join　our　ranks。〃
　　　The　other　wizard　produced　a　second　wand　and　aimed　it　at　Pharaun。
　　　〃Especially　those　foolish　enough　to　claim…〃
　　　Kraszmyl　Claddath's　words　hung　in　the　air；　unfinished；　as　he　transformed　into　glass。　Of　course；　his　piwafwi；　the　wand；　and　several　other　trinkets　that　adorned　his　body　remained　intact；　but　the　flesh　itself　was　pure；　clear　crystal。
　　　Sighing　in　satisfaction；　Pharaun　pocketed　the　fragment　of　glass。
　　　〃If　you　hadn't　been　so　busy　expounding　on　my　foolishness；　you　might　have　heard　the　words　to　my　spell；〃　he　said　to　the　inert　figure；　moving　closer。
　　　Being　made　of　glass；　the　short；　stocky　drow　was　heavy。　Pharaun　persevered　though；　moving　the　transformed　dark　elf　into　exactly　the　right　position。
　　　〃Now；　let's　see　if　we　can　find　what　we're　looking　for。〃
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　felt　the　urge　to　hurry；　for　he　doubted　the　menagerie　would　remain　unattended　for　long。　It　would　require　many　first…year　students　to　clean　and　feed　all　the　imprisoned　specimens。
　　　Moving　through　the　aisles　of　cages；　he　looked　around；　trying　to　find　what　he　needed。　Even　in　his　haste；　he　was　truly　impressed　with　the　collection　before　him。　He　caught　sight　of　some　rather　large　cages　in　the　back；　but　he　had　no　time　to　satisfy　his　curiosity。
　　　A　pity；　he　thought；　rounding　a　corner　and　continuing　his　search。　I　would　like　to　spend　a　few　tendays　here。
　　　Finally；　after　several　rows；　he　came　across　the　object　of　his　desire。　Sitting　sullenly；　her　four　arms　sealed　in　some　sort　of　resin　casts；　a　lone　choldrith　glared　up　at　him　with　decidedly　humanoid　silvery…white　eyes。　He　squatted　down　to　examine　her。
　　　She　had　charcoal…gray　skin　and　was　pletely　hairless。　A　set　of　diminutive　mandibles；　so　small　that　Pharaun　doubted　they　were　functional；　flanked　her　more　humanoid　mouth。　Her　ears　jutted　up　beyond　the　top　of　her　head；　similar　to　a　drow's　but　even　more　pronounced。　Pharaun　thought　they　looked　vaguely　like　horns。　From　what　little　he　already　knew　and　had　managed　to　learn　about　the　species；　he　understood　the　necessity　for　the　casts；　to　keep　the　creature　from　casting　spells　and　freeing　herself。
　　　〃I　have　a　proposition　for　you；〃　he　said　in　the　mon　language　of　the　Underdark。　The　choldrith　stared　back　him；　saying　nothing。　〃I　you　can　understand　me　well　enough；　but　just　in　case　。。。〃…he　fumbled　in　his　pockets　for　a　few　items…〃it's　a　good　thing　I　came　prepared；　eh？〃
　　　He　produced　a　tiny　clay　ziggurat　and　a　pinch　of　soot。　Quickly；　Pharaun　wove　a　pair　of　spells；　one　to　speak　her　language　and　the　other　to　understand　it；　then　tried　again。
　　　〃If　you　will　answer　my　questions；　I　will　free　you；〃　he　said。　Her　eyes　widened　with　hope；　then　narrowed　with　suspicion。　〃You　lie；〃　she　said　in　a　strange；　clicking　speech；　like　the　sound　of　a　spider。　〃All　drow　lie　to　us。〃
　　　〃Perhaps　that　is　true　most　of　the　time；　but　in　this；　I　do　not。　I　have　nothing　to　gain　by　keeping　you　here　and　everything　to　gain　by　getting　some　answers。〃
　　　When　she　only　stared　at　Pharaun　again；　he　asked；　〃What　have　you　got　to　lose？　You're　trapped　in　a　cage　in　a　drow　city；　and　your　arms　are　encased　in　resin　to　keep　you　from　calling　on　the　Dark　Mother。　Except　that　doesn't　matter；　because　she；　too；　has　forsaken　you；　hasn't　she？〃
　　　The　choldrith's　eyes　widened　again；　and　Pharaun　knew　it　was　true。　〃You　know　about　the　goddess？〃　the　creature　asked。　〃Yes；　and　I'm　trying　to　find　out　where　she's　gone。〃　The　wizard　wasn't　sure；　but　he　thought　he　might　have　detected　what　would　pass　for　a　smile　on　the　face　of　the　wretched　being。
　　　〃Then　she　does　not　love　the　dark　elves　more；〃　she　said；　apparently　to　herself。　〃She　has　not　abandoned　the　spider　people　in　favor　of　you。〃
　　　〃No；　her　absence　has　been　spread　generously　about　to　all　her　worshipers；　it　would　appear；〃　Pharaun　answered。　〃What　I'm　trying　to　find　out　now　is　why？〃
　　　〃The　Dark　Mother　weaves　her　own　webs。　The　Dark　Mother　seals　herself　away；　but　she　will　return。〃
　　　〃What？　How？　What　tells　you　this？〃
　　　〃I　will　tell　you　no　more；　killer　of　spider　people。　Free　me　or　not；　I　have　answered　your　question；〃
　　　〃So　you　have；〃　Pharaun　acknowledged；　〃and　I　will　let　you　out　of　the　cage；　How　you　find　your　way　home　is　up　to　you。〃
　　　The　wizard　unlocked　the　cage　door　and　stepped　back。　The　choldrith　edged　warily　toward　the　opening；　eyeing　Pharaun；　obviously　expecting　a　trick。　He　gestured　toward　the　exit；　palm　open　and　up；　and　took　another　step　back。　The　creature　darted　out　of　the　cage　and　was　halfway　down　the　hail　before　the　wizard　caught　himself　laughing。　He　wondered　how　she　would　get　the　resin　from　her　hands；　but　it　was　no　longer　his　concern。
　　　〃Now　that　I　know；　it's　time　to　go；〃　he　said　aloud　to　himself。　〃But　first；　I　can't　resist　a　little　peek　。　。　。〃　and　he　turned　to　stroll　toward　the　larger　cages　he　had　seen　earlier。
　　　Many　of　the　larger　cells　were　empty。　It　was　the　ones　that　were　occupied　that　made　Pharaun　gasp。　A　creature　unlike　any　he　had　ever　seen　before　floated　in　one　of　the　magically　sealed　chambers；　something　horrible　and　fascinating　all　at　the　same　time。　Its　body　was　gray　and　soft；　like　the　brain　matter　of　creatures　Pharaun　had　dissected　in　his　younger　days；　with　multiple　tentacles　hanging　down　from　beneath　it。　A　beak　of　some　sort　protruded　from　the　front　of　the　creature；　but　the　wizard　could　not　see　any　discernable　eyes。　It　hovered　in　the　prison；　its　tentacles　hanging　limply。　Pharaun　gazed　at　it　a　moment；　then　moved　on。
　　　The　next　creature　he　encountered　was　very　familiar　to　the　mage。　The　eye　tyrant　was　a　small　specimen；　no　more　than　two　feet　in　diameter。　An　adolescent；　he　surmised。　The　creature's　eyes　were　all　milky…white　and　scarred；　effectively　blinded　and　disabled。　Still；　watching　the　creature；　Pharaun　felt　a　little　sense　of　dread。
　　　From　the　other　side　of　the　great　chamber；　there　was　a　shout；　followed　closely　by　a　great　crash　and　the　sound　of　tinkling　glass。　The　wizard　smiled。　That　would　be　Master　Claddath；　warning　me　that　people　are　ing。　Thank　you　for　the　tour；　Kraszmyl。
　　　The　mage　wondered　what　kind　of　magical　alarms　he　was　triggering　as　he　created　one　of　his　blue　extradimensional　d