war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第63部分

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　　　Gromph　sighed　and　reached　into　one　of　the　drawers　of　his　desk；　extracting　a　scroll　tube。　Pulling　the　bundle　of　rolled　parchment　free　of　the　tube；　he　found　the　page　he　was　looking　for　and　tucked　the　others　away　again。　Spreading　his　selected　sheet　out　on　the　desktop；　the　archwizard　took　a　deep　breath　and　scanned　through　the　spell　once　before　preparing　to　cast　it。　He　was　just　about　to　begin　the　incantation　to　try　once　more　to　reach　the　wizard　when　a　thought　struck　him。
　　　Just　because　he'd　been　municating　exclusively　with　Pharaun　didn't　mean　he　had　to　continue　that　way。　Why　not　try　some　of　the　other　members　of　the　team？　It　was　possible　Pharaun　was　dead　or　incapacitated；　but　that　didn't　necessarily　mean　that　all　of　them　were。　Quenthel　was　the　most　likely　choice；　but　he　didn't　relish　the　thought　of　talking　to　her。　Who　would　his　next　choice　be？　Ryld　Argith。
　　　Nodding　to　himself；　Gromph　read　through　the　arcane　words　on　the　scroll；　weaving　the　magic　that　would　allow　him　to　contact　the　warrior。　He　pleted　the　phrases　and　felt　the　magic　coalesce。
　　　〃Ryld；　this　is　Gromph　Baenre。　No　word　from　Pharaun。　Give　me　an　update　on　the　situation。　Whisper　a　reply　at　once。〃
　　　Gromph　sat　back　and　waited　for　a　response。　It　was　deathly　quiet　in　his　secret　chamber。　If　Ryld　Argith　answered；　the　archwizard　would　undoubtedly　hear　it。　The　silence　seemed　to　stretch　on；　and　Gromph　was　just　about　to　throw　up　his　hands　in　frustration　and　despair　when　the　reply　came。　When　he　heard　it；　his　blood　actually　ran　cold。
　　　I'm　separated　from　Pharaun　and　the　others；　don't　know　where　they　are。　Duergar　are　everywhere。　The　whole　city　is　burning。　We're　cut　off；　no　way…
　　　Gromph　slumped　in　his　chair；　sighing　long　and　loudly；　shaking　his　head　in　displeasure。
　　　Triel　is　going　to　spit　rocks　when　she　hears　this；　he　thought。　How　long　can　I　hold　off　telling　her？　On　the　other　hand；　maybe　Quenthel　is　dead。
　　　The　archmage　caught　himself　smiling　as　he　rose　from　his　desk　to　go　find　his　sister。
　　　
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　　　As　Pharaun　ended　his　descent　at　the　steps　of　the　building；　he　could　see　a　sizable　force　of　duergar；　waiting　and　watching。　Without　hesitating；　he　took　a　couple　steps　forward　then　crouched　and　smacked　his　hand　against　the　stone；　summoning　a　sphere　of　darkness。　Quickly；　he　retreated　back　up　the　steps　just　as　Jeggred　settled　to　the　ground　next　to　him；　with　Quenthel　on　his　other　side。　A　couple　crossbow　bolts　whizzed　by；　but　he　ignored　the　missiles；　motioning　the　other　three　to　move　into　the　protection　of　the　porch　where　he　and　Danifae　had　taken　refuge　before。　It　was　a　small　space；　especially　with　the　draegloth　in　attendance；　but　they　all　fit　and　when　crouched　down　were　at　least　partially　shielded　from　the　duergar　on　the　street　below。　More　importantly；　they　were　out　of　sight　of　the　spider。
　　　Danifae　sank　to　the　stone　floor；　and　the　wizard　could　see　that　she　was　bleeding　steadily　from　the　wound　in　her　leg。　The　battle　captive　opened　her　own　pack　and　pulled　out　a　strip　of　cloth。　Wrapping　the　makeshift　bandage　around　her　leg；　she　held　it　there　as　Pharaun　assisted　her　by　tying　it　off。　Quenthel　looked　on　impassively。
　　　Pharaun　stole　a　glance　at　Quenthel　and　signed；　where　Danifae　could　not　see；　If　you　heal　her；　we　can　move　much　faster。
　　　Quenthel　shrugged　and　replied；　She　is　not　a　necessary　part　of　this　group。　I　will　not　waste　the　magic　on　her。　There　might　not　be　any　left　later　for　you；　if　I　did。
　　　Pharaun　pursed　his　lips；　wondering　what　It　would　take　to　convince　Quenthel　that　the　battle　captive　was　an　asset　they　could　not　do　without。　He　turned　his　attention　back　to　Danifae。
　　　〃Can　you　walk　on　it？〃　he　asked　her。
　　　〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　〃I　can　keep　up。〃
　　　〃We　will　not　wait　for　you；　if　you　cannot；〃　Quenthel　said　sharply；　〃and　I　will　not　permit　Jeggred　to　be　slowed　down　by　carrying　you。　Do　you　understand？〃
　　　〃Yes；　Mistress；〃　Danifae　said。
　　　Pharaun　saw　that　her　eyes　narrowed　a　bit。　He　gestured　with　his　palms　down　where　Quenthel　could　not　see；　indicating　for　Danifae　to　be　patient。　He　was　not　about　to　abandon　her；　even　if　he　knew　full　well　that　she　was　playing　upon　his　desires　just　to　save　her　own　hide。
　　　At　that　moment；　a　single　massive　spider　leg　settled　on　the　stone　between　the　alcove　and　the　shield　of　magical　darkness　that　the　mage　had　summoned；　and　a　portion　of　the　arachnid's　body　hove　into　view。　It　was　the　underside　of　the　creature；　Pharaun　noted；　holding　his　breath　as　he　felt　the　tremor　of　it　settling　its　weight　on　the　web　street。　Beside　him；　the　two　females　were　wide…eyed；　and　Jeggred　watched　the　scene　warily；　but　none　of　them　moved。　As　the　spider　glided　down　and　away　from　their　hiding　place；　the　wizard　sighed　softly　in　relief。　It　had　not　noticed　them。
　　　Out　beyond　the　protective　blackness；　Pharaun　could　hear　the　shouts　of　duergar…cries　of　terror…as　the　spider　moved　quickly　away　from　the　building　where　the　mage　and　his　panions　were　hiding。　The　vibrations　of　its　steps　grew　ever　softer　as　it　departed。
　　　Good；　Pharaun　thought。　Chase　them　for　a　while。
　　　〃What　in　the　Abyss　is　a　guardian　spider？〃　he　asked　aloud。
　　　Danifae　shrugged　and　said；　〃I　don't　know　as　much　about　them　as　Halisstra。　You'll　have　to　ask　her　if　you　want　the　details；　but　I　can　tell　you　that　the　matron　mothers　have；　in　the　past；　brought　these　creatures　forth　for　various　purposes。　They　must　have　conjured　one　today；　maybe　to　turn　the　tide　of　the　fighting。〃
　　　Quenthel　sighed　and　shook　her　head。
　　　〃Madness；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃The　matron　mothers　of　this　city　pick　the　most　foolish　time　to　war　with　one　another。〃
　　　〃I　wouldn't　limit　the　appellation　of　foolish　solely　to　the　matron　mothers　of　this　city；〃　Pharaun　muttered　under　his　breath。
　　　Quenthel　glanced　at　him；　but　he　simply　smiled；　and　she　turned　her　attention　back　to　the　unseen　ruckus　beyond　the　sphere　of　darkness；　apparently　not　having　clearly　heard　his　remarks。
　　　〃Dispel　the　darkness；〃　the　high　priestess　ordered　the　wizard。　〃I　want　to　see　what's　happening。〃
　　　As　I　said；　Pharaun　thought；　shaking　his　head。
　　　Sighing；　the　mage　gestured　and　the　sphere　of　blackness　vanished；　revealing　the　street　beyond。　The　spider　was　out　of　sight　for　the　moment。　In　the　street；　nothing　moved；　though　there　were　plenty　of　dead　strewn　about；　duergar　and　drow　alike。
　　　〃It　seems　to　have　wandered　off；〃　Quenthel　observed；　rising　to　her　feet。　〃We　should　be　going；　too；　before　it　es　back；〃
　　　〃Let's　give　it　another　couple　of　moments；〃　Pharaun　suggested；　still　unnerved　at　the　appearance　of　the　giant　creature。　〃Just　to　make　sure　it's　pletely　gone。〃
　　　Quenthel　scowled　at　the　wizard　then　turned　to　the　draegloth　and　said；　〃Go　see。〃
　　　Smiling；　the　fiend　bounded　out　from　their　hiding　place　to　peer　in　both　directions。
　　　At　that　moment　the　duergar　chose　to　e　out　of　hiding。
　　　Scores　of　them　poured　out　from　around　the　corner　and　from　the　building　across　the　street；　as　though　they　had　been　waiting　for　the　drow　to　emerge　from　their　hiding　place。
　　　〃Get　'em！〃　one　of　the　gray　dwarves　shouted。
　　　The　duergar　formed　up　a　semicircle；　surrounding　the　dark　elves'　position；　and　Jeggred　leaped　back　into　the　alcove　as　the　first　volley　of　crossbow　bolts　peppered　the　walls　around　them。
　　　Cursing；。　Pharaun　ducked　low；　using　the　elevation　of　the　porch　as　a　screen。　He　pointed　his　finger　toward　the　street　and　spoke　the　arcane　phrase　that　would　trigger　one　of　his　spells。　At　once；　a　cloud　of　roiling　smoke；　shot　through　with　white…hot　embers；　formed　beneath　him　and　began　to　flow　away　from　the　building　and　across　the　street。　The　duergar；　many　of　whom　had　their　crossbows　loaded　again　and　were　aiming　at　the　small　group；　eyed　the　fiery　haze　warily　as　it　appeared　and　began　to　churn　toward　them。　As　it　reached　those　in　the　front　ranks　and　engulfed　them；　they　began　to　scream　and　flail；　scorched　by　the　embers。
　　　Gray　dwarves　fell　back　before　the　cloud　as　it　burned　their　kin　where　they　stood。　The　smoke　was　thick　and　black。　It　moved　away　from　the　building；　and　the　screams　of　the　duergar　intensified　as　more　and　more　of　them　succumbed　to　the　scorching　heat。
　　　Pharaun　crept　out　a　little　way　to　watch　his　handiwork。　Jeggred　stood　beside　him；　unafraid　of　a