war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第32部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　some　modity　for　a　casting　of　a　spell　he　himself　did　not　know。　There　were　a　number　of　lies　he　could　tell　her　to　keep　her　waiting。
　　　For　the　time　being；　then；　he　decided　he　would　stay　mute　on　his　findings　and　see　which　way　the　rothé　herd　roamed。　When　the　time　was　right；　he　would　play　it　to　his　advantage。　Either　oute；　and　he　would　improve　his　station　within　the　Academy。
　　　Pharaun　rested　a　few　moments　longer　on　the　floor；　recovering　from　the　exertions　of　the　spell　then　began　packing　up　his　paraphernalia；　stowing　the　strips　of　ivory　away　in　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi。
　　　Next；　Pharaun　removed　a　small　mirror　from　his　haversack。　He　briefly　wondered　if　using　the　same　spell　he　had　just　employed　to　find　Quenthel's　enemy　would　work　better　in　these　circumstances；　but　he　couldn't　cast　it　again　without　resting　for　a　few　hours　then　studying　his　spellbooks。　Firming　his　resolve；　the　wizard　began　chanting　the　words　needed　to　activate　the　magical　scrying。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　knew　the　spell　was　dangerous。　Attempting　to　look　in　on　a　deity　without　permission　could　have　disastrous　ramifications。　Still；　he　was　intent　on　trying；　if　only　to　discern　more　of　what　was　going　on　in　the　wake　of　the　goddess's　absence。　Drawing　on　the　memories　he　had　of　his　strange　visit　to　the　Demonweb　Pits　those　decades　past；　he　finished　the　spell　and　peered　into　the　mirror；　which　was　reflecting　a　cloudy　image　of　elsewhere　rather　than　his　own　dark…skinned　face。
　　　Pharaun　gazed　into　the　magical　window　for　several　minutes；　waiting　and　hoping　that　he　might　recognize　something　in　its　murky　depths。　There　was　nothing。　He　willed　the　spectral　eye　that　he　knew　was　on　the　other　end　of　his　spell　to　glide　forward；　remotely　peering　this　way　and　that；　trying　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　something；　anything　solid　in　the　formless　fog。
　　　The　mage　felt　a　tingle；　a　warning　in　the　back　of　his　mind。　He　mentally　scrambled　to　release　the　spell；　to　sever　the　connection　with　the　eye　at　the　far　side　of　oblivion；　and　he　almost　succeeded；　but　not　quite。　A　backlash　of　energy　slammed　into　him；　hurtled　outward　through　the　mirror　like　a　punch；　while　at　the　same　time　Pharaun　sensed　a　wall　offeree　sliding　down；　cutting　him　off　from　his　magical　eye。
　　　As　his　senses　returned；　Pharaun　realized　he　was　sprawled　on　his　back；　blinking　as　his　eyes　tried　to　focus　on　the　ceiling。　He　groaned　and　sat　up；　seeing　that　he　had　been　hurtled　backward　from　the　mirror　more　than　ten　feet。　He　rose　onto　wobbly　legs　and　staggered　back　over　to　the　mirror。　It　was　cracked；　its　glass　surface　spider…nebbed　into　hundreds　of　fissures。　He　stared　at　the　ruined　mirror　for　a　moment；　wondering　if　the　pattern　was　representative　of　something　or　merely　a　coincidence。
　　　Well；　that　answers　that　question；　Pharaun　thought。　A　mere　mortal　cannot　penetrate　the　veil　that　has　settled　over　the　sixty…sixth　layer　of　the　Abyss；　but　perhaps　a　higher　being　can。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　shook　his　head　and　sighed　as　he　gingerly　gathered　the　fragmented　remains　of　the　mirror。
　　　Why　do　I　go　through　this　trouble？　he　thought　as　he　tried　to　figure　out　where　he　should　discard　the　ruined　thing。　Everything　I　do　for　everyone；　and　all　I　get　is　grief　in　return。　I'll　bet　other　folk　don't　go　through　this　much　trouble　to　track　down　their　deities；　he　thought　wryly。　I'm　sure　they　just　look　them　up　anytime…
　　　The　wizard　froze　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　the　beginnings　of　an　idea　forming。　He　almost　smacked　himself　in　the　head。
　　　Of　course！　he　thought。　I've　been　going　about　this　all　wrong。　Why　didn't　I　think　of　this　before？　We're　asking　the　wrong　。　。　。
　　　Tossing　the　mirror　down　in　a　tinkle　of　glass；　Pharaun　began　to　pace；　mulling　his　idea　over　more　carefully。　A　plan　was　beginning　to　form；　one　that　was　getting　him　excited。　The　hardest　part；　he　realized；　would　be　figuring　out　how　to　convince　Quenthel。
　　　It　was　not　long　after　that　that　Ryld　and　Valas　returned　from　their　own　excursions。
　　　The　wizard　took　one　look　at　the　pair　of　them　and　quickly　surmised　that　their　endeavors　had　not　only　ended　unsatisfactorily　but　violently。　Both　drow　were　glum　as　well　as　bloodied　and　bruised。　Valas　walked　with　a　slight　limp；　and　Ryld　seemed　unable　to　lift　his　left　arm　above　his　waist。　Almost　as　one；　they　dropped　their　gear　on　the　floor　and　dropped　down　onto　their　Reverie　couches。
　　　〃I　gather　that　things　did　not　go　well　today；〃　Pharaun　mented。　〃No　chance　to　haul　Quenthel's　supplies　out　of　here？〃
　　　〃Three　places；〃　Valas　muttered。　〃We　tried　three　places　and　got　into　two　scuffles　for　our　troubles。〃
　　　〃There　just　isn't　a　pack　lizard　to　be　had；　it　seems；〃　Ryld　added；　rubbing　his　eyes　with　his　good　hand。　〃If　there　is；　no　one　is　ready　to　sell　it　to　outsiders。〃
　　　〃I　don't　find　that　hard　to　believe；〃　Pharaun　replied；　〃considering　that　no　caravans　have　entered　or　left　the　city　in　such　a　long　while。　Everyone　is　holding　tight　to　what　they　have；　riding　the　crisis　out。〃
　　　Pharaun　busied　himself　straightening　his　own　things　while　the　other　two　males　sat　still。
　　　〃I'll　wager　with　you　for　who　has　to　tell　her；〃　Ryld　said　to　Valas。　〃Rock；　knife；　and　parchment？〃
　　　The　scout　shook　his　head。
　　　〃Let's　just　make　the　wizard　tell　her；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　Pharaun。　〃He　seems　to　delight　so　in　tormenting　her；　anyway；　so　what's　one　more　bit　of　bad　news　out　of　his　mouth？〃
　　　Ryld　nodded；　and　Pharaun　found　himself　smiling。
　　　〃Well；　we　all　have　a　reprieve；　at　least　for　the　moment；〃　the　mage　said。　〃She　and　the　other　two　haven't　returned　from　the　storehouse。〃
　　　〃Really？〃　Valas　asked；　sitting　up。　〃I　would　have　thought　they'd　return　before　us　for　sure。〃
　　　Pharaun　shrugged　and　said；　〃As　would　I；　but　none　of　them　are　here。〃
　　　〃That's　fine　by　me；〃　Ryld　said；　leaning　back　against　the　wall　and　dosing　his　eyes。　〃The　less　I　have　to　see　of　that　damned　draegloth；　the　better　off　I　am。〃
　　　Pharaun　pursed　his　lips；　realizing　that　what　he　was　going　to　suggest　next　might　not　set　well　with　either　the　weapons　master　or　the　scout。
　　　〃I　found　out　something　today；　too；〃　he　said　quietly。
　　　Ryld　opened　one　eye　and　looked　at　the　wizard。
　　　〃Oh？〃
　　　Valas　leaned　forward　on　the　edge　of　the　bed。
　　　〃Have　you　determined　what　has　happened　to　the　Dark　Mother？〃
　　　Pharaun　chuckled　and　said；　〃Not　exactly；　but　I　did　learn　that　her　disappearance　has　not　been　limited　to　our　own　race。　Other　species　feel　her　loss；　as　well。〃
　　　〃I　don't　know　whether　to　consider　that　good　news　or　not；〃　the　scout　said；　sitting　back　again。
　　　Nor　do　I；〃　Pharaun　agreed；　〃but　I　have　also　learned　that　something　is　sealing　us　out　from　the　Demonweb　Pits。　I　have　attempted　to　scry　there　in　hopes　of　learning　something　of　the　goddess's　condition…indeed；　if　she　yet　exists…and　I　could　not　penetrate　inside。　A　barrier　protects　it　and　keeps　me；　and　others；　outside。〃
　　　〃A　barrier？　You're　speaking　now　of　things　I　have　no　experience　with；〃　Ryld　said。　〃What　kind　of　barrier？〃
　　　〃A　potent　one。　I　was　nearly　blasted　into　powder　for　my　troubles；〃　Pharaun　said；　a　wry　smile　on　his　face；　〃I　have　tried　it　before；　even　spoke　with　Archmage　Gromph　before　we　left　Menzoberranzan。　He　has　experienced　similar　problems。〃
　　　〃It　sounds　as　though　whatever　the　Spider　Queen　is　doing；　she　does　not　wish　to　be　disturbed；〃　Valas　said。
　　　〃If　it's　her　who's　doing　it；〃　Ryld　countered。　〃Perhaps　another　god　has　erected　the　barrier　to　prevent　us　from　seeing　her。〃
　　　〃Exactly！〃　Pharaun　said　eagerly。　〃Surely　someone　knows…or　can　find　out…what　we　cannot　discover。〃
　　　〃I　thought　that's　what　our　mission　was　。。。　to　discover　Lolth's　fate；〃　Valas　said。　〃That's　why　we've　e　here。〃
　　　〃Yes；　you　are　correct；〃　Pharaun　said；　nodding；　〃though　this　business　with　storehouses　of　magic　items　seems　to　have　bee　a　higher　priority。　In　the　interest　of　bringing　us　back　to　the　more　fascinating　part　of　our　little　expedition；　I　have　an　idea。　I　want　to　enlist　help　from　the　outside。〃
　　　〃Help？　From　whom？〃　Ryld　was　sitting　up；　too。
　　　The　wizard　began　to　pace　again　as　he　explained　his　plan　to　his　panions。
　　　〃A　mere　mortal；　even　someone　with　my　acumen；　can't　penetrate　the　veil　that　has　settled　over　the　Demonweb　Pits。　Something　is　obviously　intent　on　keeping　us　out。　We　need