war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第28部分

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It　was　his　whim　that　decided　whether　or　not　they　would　ever　finish　their　course　of　study。　The　fact　that　the　majority　of　wizards　in　Menzoberranzan　were　male　was　no　coincidence；　no　accident　of　birth　or　statistics；　but　a　carefully　and　often　less　than　subtly　played　turn　in　the　great　sava　game　of　the　City　of　Spiders。　That　most　females　preferred　serving　Lolth　anyway　only　made　that　bit　of　manipulation　easier。
　　　〃He　will　radiate　an　aura　of　fear；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　continued；　〃but　you　probably　won't　be　affected　by　that。〃
　　　While　there　was　no　question　that　the　priestesses　had　and　would　always　have　dominion　over　the　city；　his　dominion　over　the　Art　was　simply　a　small　consolation…something　that　would　warm　Gromph's　heart　in　his　private　moments。　With　Lolth　silent；　withdrawn；　and　the　priestesses　scrambling　for　answers；　thrown　into　the　sort　of　chaos　only　a　demon　goddess　could　conjure　。　。　。　well；　things　had　changed。
　　　〃Once　in　each　twenty…four　hour　cycle；〃　said　the　Master　of　Sorcere；　〃he　can　kill　with　a　touch。〃
　　　The　strangest　thing；　for　Gromph；　about　the　shift　in　power　was　how　little　he　liked　it。　He　had；　after　all；　spent　a　lifetime　manipulating　the　system　to　best　serve　his　House　and　himself。　When　the　system　faltered；　he　might　have　been　in　a　position　to　unseat　his　sister　and　the　rest　of　the　matron　mothers　and　take　control　of　Menzoberranzan　himself…but　why？　What　would　he　hope　to　gain？　How　could　his　position　be　any　better？　He　enjoyed　all　the　benefits　of　House　Baenre's　position　and　Sorcere's；　but　there　was　always　someone　else　onto　whom　he　could　deflect　responsibility；　always　someone　who　could　be　manipulated。
　　　〃There　are　a　number　of　spell　effects　that　will　be　of　no　concern　to　the　lich；〃　said　the　master。　〃These　include　cold；　lightning；　poison；　paralysis；　disease；　necromancy；　polymorph；　and　spells　that　affect　or　influence　the　mind。　Best　not　even　to　bother　preparing　such　enchantments。〃
　　　Gromph　was　the　third　most　powerful　dark　elf　in　Menzoberranzan；　and　Lolth　be　damned；　he　liked　it　that　way。
　　　〃He　will　likely　be　wearing　a　robe　of　black　silk；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　continued；　〃that　will　allow　him　to　conjure　a　barrier　of　whirling　blades。〃
　　　Well；　he　might　like　to　be　second；　but　still　。　。　。
　　　〃The　crown；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　finished；　〃is　more　than　simply　a　crass　affectation。　It　can　store　and　reflect　back　offensive　spells。〃
　　　So　it　was　that　Gromph　Baenre　sat　on　the　floor　of　a　very　small；　very　dark；　and　very　secret　room　in　the　deepest　heart　of　Sorcere；　surrounded　by　a　circle　of　mages　who　were　the　most　powerful　in　the　city…among　the　most　powerful　spellcasters　in　all　the　Underdark。　The　other　mages；　Masters　of　Sorcere　all；　whispered　or　chanted　and　waved　or　gesticulated；　and　tossed　into　the　air　or　pinched　between　fingers　all　manner　of　tokens；　totems；　focuses；　and　ponents。　They　showered　the　archmage　with　protective　magic；　doing　it　at　so　fast　a　pace　they'd　stopped　even　bothering　to　tell　him　what　they　were　casting　on　him。　Gromph　had　few　doubts　that　by　the　time　they　were　done；　he'd　be　immune　to　everything。　Surely　no　one　would　be　able　to　harm　him…no　one　but　a　spellcaster　of　greater　power　than　the　Masters。
　　　And　it　was　precisely　such　an　opponent　that　Gromph　meant　to　face。
　　　〃I　should　go　with　you；　Archmage；〃　Nauzhror　Baenre　said；　his　voice　conveying　a　lack　of　real　desire　in　that　regard。
　　　〃If　any　of　you　say　anything　like　that；〃　Gromph　replied；　〃even　once　more；　I　will。　。　。〃
　　　He　let　the　threat　go　unfinished。　He　wouldn't　do　anything；　and　they　all　knew　it；　but　out　of　respect　for　the　archmage；　none　of　them　suggested　going　with　him　again。　They　were　all　smart　enough　to　know　that　Gromph　meant　to　face　an　enemy　who；　all　things　being　equal；　was　the　most　dangerous　being　in　Menzoberranzan。　The　lichdrow　was　a　spellcaster　of　extraordinary；　sometimes　almost　godlike；　power。　Of　course　they　didn't　really　want　to　face　him　in　the　way　that　Gromph　meant　to：　toe　to　toe　in　a　spell　duel　that　would　surely　find　its　place　in　drow　history。
　　　That　duel　was　something　only　the　archmage　could　fight。　In　Menzoberranzan；　it　had　e　down　to　that：　male　against　male；　wizard　against　wizard；　First　House　against　Second；　establishment　against　revolutionary；　stability　against　change；　civilization　against　。　。　。　chaos？
　　　Exactly；　Gromph　thought…though　he　would　never　say　it　out　loud。　Order　against　chaos；　and　it　was　Gromph　who　fought　for　order；　for　law；　in　the　name　of　one　of　the　purest　embodiments　of　chaos　in　the　multiverse：　Lolth；　a　goddess　with　the　heart　of　a　demon。
　　　〃Strange；〃　the　archmage　murmured　aloud；　〃how　things　work　out。〃
　　　〃Indeed；　Archmage；〃　Nauzhror　answered　as　if　he　was　reading　Gromph's　mind…and　perhaps　he　was。　〃It　is　strange　indeed。〃
　　　The　two　Baenre　wizards　shared　a　smile；　then　Gromph　closed　his　eyes　and　let　the　others　continue　their　casting。　The　protective　and　contingency　spells　were　draped　over　him　one　after　the　other。　Sometimes　Gromph　could　feel　an　itching；　warmth；　a　cool　breeze；　or　a　vibration；　and　sometimes　he　would　feel　nothing　at　all。
　　　〃Have　you　decided　where　to　face　him？〃　Grendan　asked；　pausing　briefly　between　defensive　spells。
　　　Gromph　shook　his　head。
　　　〃Somewhere　out　of　the　city？〃　Nauzhror　suggested。　〃Behind　the　duergar　lines？〃
　　　Gromph　shook　his　head　again。
　　　〃At　the　very　least；〃　said　Nauzhror；　〃let　us　send　guards　to　secure　the　arena　。　。　。　wherever　it　might　be　。。。　before　you　arrive。　They　could　remain　hidden　and　e　into　play　against　the　lichdrow　only　if　necessary。〃
　　　〃No；〃　said　Gromph。　〃I　said　I　will　go　alone；　and　I　will　go　alone。〃
　　　〃But　Archmage…〃　Nauzhror　started　to　protest。
　　　〃What；　precisely；　do　you　think　a　House　guard　could　do　for　me　against　the　lichdrow　Dyrr？〃　Gromph　asked。　〃He　would　dry　them　up　and　smoke　them　in　his　pipe…precisely　as　I　will　do　to　any　soldier　Dyrr　decides　to　bring　with　him。　Dyrr　will　face　me　on　my　terms　because　he　has　to。　He　has　to　beat　me；　and　he　has　to　do　it　in　front　of　all　Menzoberranzan。　If　not；　he　will　always　be　second；　even　if　he　manages　to　defeat　House　Baenre。〃
　　　The　masters　continued　with　their　spells；　leaving　only　Nauzhror　and　Grendan　still　considering　more　than　the　magical　practicalities　of　the　duel　at　hand。
　　　〃Donigarten；　then；〃　suggested　Grendan。
　　　〃No；〃　Gromph　said；　then　paused　while　another　spell　made　him　shudder　briefly。　〃No。〃
　　　He　looked　up　at　Nauzhror；　who　raised　an　eyebrow；　waiting。
　　　〃The　Clawrift；　I　think；〃　Gromph　said…deciding　the　second　before　he　actually　said　it。
　　　〃An　excellent　choice；　Archmage；〃　Nauzhror　said。　〃Away　from　any　property　of　value　and　away　from　most　of　the　finer　drow　of　Menzoberranzan；　of　whom　we　have　so　few　to　spare　on　the　best　day。〃
　　　A　younger　student　entered　and　quickly　set　a　small　crystal　ball　on　a　short　golden　stand　on　the　floor　in　front　of　the　archmage。　Gromph　made　no　effort　to　acknowledge　the　student　who　was　even　then　racing　from　the　room。
　　　He　looked　deeply　into　the　crystal　ball；　holding　up　a　hand　to　still　the　barrage　of　protective　castings。　The　crystal　grew　cloudy；　then　flashes　of　light　flickered　in　the　roiling　clouds　inside　the　once　perfectly　clear　globe。
　　　Gromph　brought　a　memory…image　of　the　lichdrow　into　his　mind's　eye　and　held　it　there　then　did　his　best　to　convey　that　image　into　the　globe。　It　would　find　the　lichdrow；　unless　Dyrr　expended　some　energy　in　avoiding　it。
　　　Gromph　put　his　hand　down；　and　several　of　the　more　ambitious　masters　started　casting　again…muttering　incantations　and　tracing　invisible　patterns　in　the　air…as　if　they'd　been　sitting　there　holding　the　thought。
　　　There；　Gromph　thought　as　an　image　coalesced　in　the　crystal　ball　of　the　lichdrow　striding　confidently　across　a　reception　hall　in　House　Agrach　Dyrr。　There　you　are。
　　　Gromph　recognized　the　hall。　He　had　been　there　himself　on　several　occasions；　back　before　things　started　to　dissolve　and　Houses　Agrach　Dyrr　and　Baenre　were　close　allies　and　business　associates。　He　kept　his　attention　on　Dyrr。　As　he　watched　the　lichdrow　barking　orders　to　his　House　guards　and　other　armed　drow；　Gromph　cast　a　spell　of　his　own。
　　　〃Good　afternoon；　Dyrr；〃　Gromph　told　the　image　in　the　crystal　ball。　〃It　will　be　the　Clawrift。　I　know　I　don't　have　to　tell　you　to　e　alone。　I　know　you're　alw