war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第72部分

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supposed；　having　a　large　chunk　of　the　city　fall　from　above　wasn't　going　to　help　calm　things。
　　　Halisstra　sat　down　beside　the　weapons　master　and　stared　forlornly　out　at　her　homeland。
　　　〃Valas　has　gone　to　see　what　chance　we　have　of　getting　out　through　any　of　the　city　gates；〃　she　told　Ryld。　〃I　told　him　about　one　or　two　places　where　we　might　be　able　to　depart　unseen；　and　he's　going　to　see　if　they're　secure。〃
　　　Ryld　only　nodded。　If　anyone　could　sneak　through　the　city　unchallenged；　it　was　the　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout。　He　doubted　seriously　if　any　exits　had　been　left　unguarded；　though。
　　　〃How　could　this　have　happened？〃　Halisstra　muttered　softly。　〃So　much　destruction。〃
　　　〃We　have　grown　placent；〃　the　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　answered。　〃The　drow　race　has　been　squabbling　in　a　controlled　manner　for　so　long；　we　never　expected　that　our　own　little　games　would　get　out　of　hand。　And　they…〃　the　weapons　master　gestured　downward；　in　the　direction　of　the　slums…〃just　feed　off　of　it；　now。〃
　　　〃But　the　fire。　How　is　it　possible　to　burn　down　a　city　made　of　stone？〃
　　　〃Alchemy；　I　suppose。　We　saw　the　same　thing　in　Menzoberranzan。　It's　more　devastating　here；　because　your　whole　city　is　suspended　on　stone　webbing。　They　were　very　clever　to　bring　the　firepots　here。〃
　　　〃Of　course；〃　the　drow　maiden　breathed。　〃Set　the　webs　on　fire；　and　everything　attached　to　them　falls　to　its　destruction。　Including　House　Melarn。〃
　　　Ryld　glanced　over　at　the　dark　elf　beside　him。　Her　face　was　one　of　sorrow；　and　her　red　eyes　glistened　with　uncharacteristic　tears。　It　was　not　often　that　he　saw　a　drow　cry。　It　was　considered　a　sign　of　weakness。　He　found　it　refreshingly　honest　in　the　priestess。
　　　〃I　am　sorry　for　your　loss。　Perhaps　we　will　learn　from　this。　If　we　survive。〃
　　　Something　caught　Ryld's　eye；　and　he　had　his　crossbow　up　and　was　sighting　down　the　shaft　in　an　instant。　A　winged　figure；　bobbing　and　weaving　haphazardly；　emerged　from　the　smoke；　ing　for　their　position。　It　was　a　drow；　possibly；　though　it　had　wings；　and　it　bore　a　rather　large　bundle。　The　warrior　could　tell　something　was　wrong　by　the　erratic　way　it　was　flying。　Suddenly；　he　recognized　it…the　demon　from　Ammarindar！
　　　He　had　his　finger　on　the　trigger；　ready　to　fire　a　bolt　through　her　heart；　before　he　realized　she　was　carrying　Pharaun。
　　　As　the　demon　closed　in　on　the　edge　of　the　building；　she　seemed　to　lose　her　balance；　and　Ryld　literally　had　to　reach　out　and　grab　her　as　she　went　by。　All　three　of　them　tumbled　to　the　stone　in　a　heap　at　Jeggred's　feet。　The　draegloth　stepped　between　the　beautiful　creature　and　the　rest　of　the　team。
　　　〃You！〃　Quenthel　hissed；　her　scourge　raised；　ready　to　strike。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　　　The　fiend；　whom　Pharaun　referred　to　as　Aliisza；　Ryld　remembered；　eyed　both　Jeggred　and　the　high　priestess　warily　as　she　panted　where　she'd　fallen。　She　made　no　move　to　defend　herself。
　　　〃Bringing　your　precious　wizard　back　to　you；　drow；〃　she　muttered。　〃I　know　how　fond　you　are　of　him。〃
　　　〃He's　hurt；〃　Ryld　said；　turning　the　mage　over。
　　　Everyone　but　Jeggred　gathered　around　as　the　weapons　master　began　to　examine　Pharaun。　It　didn't　take　him　long　to　find　the　puncture　wound　in　the　wizard's　shoulder；　a　portion　of　a　crossbow　bolt　still　lodged　in　it。　Most　of　the　shaft　had　snapped　off　during　his　crash　landing。
　　　〃The　bolt　is　poisoned；〃　Quenthel　said；　standing　over　Pharaun's　prone　body。　〃Healing　him　won't　do　a　bit　of　good　unless　we　get　the　poison　out　of　his　blood　first。　If　we　don't；　he'll　die。〃
　　　〃I　could　have　told　you　that；〃　Aliisza　said；　sitting　up；　though　she　was　still　breathing　heavily　from　her　ordeal。　〃Here　。。。　he　insisted　we　bring　these。〃
　　　She　tossed　two　backpacks　at　Quenthel's　feet。
　　　〃So；　how　do　we　remove　the　poison？〃　Ryld　asked　Quenthel；　looking　up　from　where　he　was　tending　to　the　Master　of　Sorcere。　〃Do　any　of　you　have　the　magic　to　do　so？〃
　　　Quenthel　shook　her　head。
　　　〃Yngoth　can　sense　it　in　his　body；〃　she　said；　patting　the　whip　that　was　once　again　hanging　from　her　hip；　〃but　my　spells　are；　of　course；　lost。〃
　　　Ryld　looked　at　both　Halisstra　and　Danifae。
　　　〃How　about　either　of　you？〃
　　　Both　females　shook　their　heads。
　　　〃I　dabble　in　a　bit　of　arcane　magic；〃　Halisstra　confessed；　〃but　I　am　not　yet　powerful　enough　to　eliminate　poison。〃
　　　Jeggred　continued　his　vigil　over　Aliisza　but　said；　〃Perhaps　our　good　friend　the　ambassador　had　some　means　of　aiding　him。〃
　　　The　draegloth　nudged　the　satchel　at　his　feet。
　　　〃You'd　better　hope　she　did；〃　Ryld　muttered　at　the　unconscious　Pharaun；　sliding　the　pack　over　toward　Quenthel。　〃There's　nothing　else　we　can　do　for　you；　my　friend。〃
　　　Pharaun　was　sweating　profusely。　Ryld　knew　the　wizard　might　be　their　single　best　chance　to　escape　the　city。　If　they　lost　him；　they　might　very　well　be　trapped；　unless　Valas　could　find　a　way　out。
　　　Quenthel　began　rummaging　through　Faeryl's　things；　flinging　clothing　and　personal　items　to　the　side。　As　she　dug　her　way　toward　the　bottom；　Ryld　thought　he　heard　the　high　priestess　mutter　something　disparaging　about　the　ambassador　and　a　ment　about　her　being　a　waste　of　space　then　her　face　brightened　as　she　pulled　a　thick　tube　free。
　　　〃Ah　ha！〃　she　said　triumphantly。　〃Let's　hope　these　are　spells。〃
　　　She　opened　the　tube；　slid　out　a　handful　of　parchment　pages　and　unfurled　them；　scanning　their　contents　quickly。
　　　〃Oh；　how　delightful；〃　she　said。　〃Faeryl；　you　clever　girl；　where　in　the　Underdark　did　you　steal　these　from？〃
　　　Both　Halisstra　and　Danifae　crowded　around　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith；　each　of　them　trying　to　get　a　glimpse　of　what　was　on　the　pages。　The　weapons　master　could　see　looks　of　elation　on　their　faces。
　　　〃Is　there　anything　helpful？〃　Ryld　demanded。　〃Something　to　neutralize　the　poison？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know；　yet；〃　Quenthel　snapped。　〃Give　me　a　moment。〃
　　　She　continued　to　scan　the　pages；　leafing　through　them　rapidly。
　　　〃Several　of　these　could　prove　quite　helpful；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　don't　see…oh；　wait。　Yes！　Pharaun　Mizzrym；　you　are　in　luck。　Give　me　some　room；〃　she　said；　motioning　for　Ryld　to　move　out　of　the　way
　　　The　weapons　master　did　so；　sliding　off　to　the　side　as　Quenthel　knelt　beside　the　wizard。　Laying　one　hand　atop　the　wound；　the　high　priestess　began　chanting；　reading　through　the　words　on　the　scroll　in　her　hand。　There　was　a　tiny　flash　of　light　as　the　handwritten　text　vanished　from　the　page；　and　a　soft　glow　passed　through　Pharauns　body；　emanating　from　the　point　where　Quenthel's　hand　touched　him。
　　　Almost　immediately；　the　Master　of　Sorcere's　breathing　slowed；　and　he　seemed　more　relaxed。　His　eyes　were　still　closed；　but　he　was　smiling。　
　　　〃My　thanks；　Mistress　Quenthel；〃　he　said；　and　he　sounded　about　as　sincere　as　Ryld　had　ever　heard　him。　〃I　ran　into　a　spot　of　trouble　at　the　inn；　you　see。　A　couple　of　fellows　in　the　employ　of　Matron　Mother　Zauvirr　were　decidedly　unhappy　that　I　paid　the　place　a　visit。　They　caught　me　off　guard。〃
　　　〃I　find　that　terribly　difficult　to　believe；〃　Ryld　said；　eyeing　Aliisza；　who　was　still　sitting　on　the　opposite　side　of　Jeggred。
　　　〃Yes；　well；　I'm　sure　you　could　have　given　them　a　lesson　or　two　on　how　to　more　accurately　find　the　most　vulnerable　point　in　a　wizard's　defenses。〃
　　　〃All　right；〃　the　high　priestess　said；　standing　again。　〃Get　that　out　of　his　shoulder；　and　I　can　heal　him。〃
　　　She　went　over　to　her　own　pack；　where　she　tucked　the　scrolls；　back　in　their　protective　tube；　into　a　pocket。　She　began　fishing　around　in　another　section　of　the　container　and　produced　a　wand；　which　Ryld　recognized　from　before。
　　　The　weapons　master　turned　his　attention　back　to　the　broken　end　of　the　bolt。　He　checked　to　see　if　it　was　lodged　against　any　bone；　and　when　he　was　satisfied　that　it　was　not；　he　gave　a　fierce　shove；　pushing　the　head　through　Pharauns　shoulder　and　out　the　back　side。
　　　Pharaun　arched　his　back　and　cried　out　in　pain。
　　　〃Damn　it；　Master　Argith；〃　he　muttered　finally；　breathing　fast。　〃You　certainly　know　how　to　wele　a　friend　back。〃
　　　The　wizard　closed　his　eyes；　still　grimacing。
　　　〃I　think　the　greeting　was　entirely　appropriate　for　someone　who　managed　to　get　himself　shot；〃　Ryld　replied；　once　more　making　room　for　Quenthel