war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第30部分

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　　　The　spells　burst　into　being　from　the　Weave　at　the　same　instant。　A　freezing　wind　blew　from　the　lichdrow；　carrying　with　it　thousands　of　razor…sharp　splinters　of　ice。　That　shredding　storm　met　Gromph's　fireball　over　the　black　depths　of　the　Clawrift。　The　fire　blew　out　even　as　it　melted　the　ice。　The　two　effects　ate　each　other　before　either　came　close　to　touching　their　intended　targets。
　　　Well；　Gromph　told　himself　with　a　sigh；　this　is　going　to　take　a　while。
　　　
Chapter　Twelve
　　　Things　were　quiet　but　tense　on　the　ship　of　chaos。　Pharaun　tried　not　to　look　at　Quenthel。　He　couldn't　help　but　notice　that　she　seemed　unable　to　take　Reverie。　Her　shoulders　were　stiff；　and　her　viper…headed　scourge　never　left　her　hand。　The　snakes　writhed　constantly；　sliding　the　sides　of　their　arrowlike　heads　against　the　priestess's　warm　black　skin。　The　uridezu　was　surreptitiously　eyeing　her。
　　　Pharaun　found　that　curious。　He　was　the　one　who　had　bound　the　demon；　yet　Raashub　was　more　concerned　with　Quenthel。　True；　the　Baenre　priestess　was　still　nominally　〃in　charge〃　of　the　expedition；　but　her　leadership　had　always　been　more　ceremonial…at　least　in　Pharaun's　mind。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　couldn't　quite　organize　his　thoughts　on　the　matter…not　just　then　anyway…but　the　demon　was　looking　at　her　oddly。
　　　He　sighed　and　stared　out　across　the　black　water　of　the　Lake　of　Shadows　again。　He　placed　his　hand　on　the　rail　then　removed　it　when　he　felt　the　warm　pulse　of　blood　running　through　it。　The　ship　barely　moved　in　the　dead　calm　of　the　black　lake；　but　still　Pharaun　felt　as　if　he　needed　to　hold　onto　something。　His　hand　found　the　twisted　gray…yellow　rigging…looking　for　all　the　world　like　a　length　of　intestine…but　he　couldn't　hold　that　much　longer　either。
　　　The　demonic　ship　didn't　quite　figure　into　Pharaun's　esthetic。　The　wizard　brushed　the　hair　from　his　eyes　and　tried　not　to　think　about　what　he　must　look　like。　He　hadn't　bathed　in　far　too　long…hygiene　had　bee　secondary　for　them　all；　and　they　were　rapidly　beginning　to　stink。　Jeggred　was　the　worst　of　them　all　on　a　good　day；　but　the　wizard　found　himself　avoiding　Quenthel　as　well。　Still；　the　thought　of　bathing　in　the　cold；　dark　waters　of　the　Lake　of　Shadows　held　no　appeal。　Pharaun　could　well　imagine　what　might　be　living　in　that　lake's　depths；　and　he　didn't　want　to　offer　himself　up　like　a　worm　on　a　hook。
　　　The　ship　creaked　and　groaned　but　not　too　much。　Only　rarely　did　there　e　the　echo　of　a　splash　or　drip　or　other　small　disturbance　from　the　water。　Pharaun　was　beginning　to　think　it　was　the　silence　itself　that　he　found　so　unnerving。
　　　Something　hit　him　in　the　back　of　the　head　hard　enough　to　drive　him　facefirst　into　the　bonework　deck。
　　　Surprised　as　much　by　the　fact　that　he'd　been　taken　by　surprise；　Pharaun　lay　blinking　for　a　few　seconds…enough　time　for　whatever　had　hit　him　to　grab　him　by　the　ankle。　His　foot　instantly　went　numb；　then　whatever　it　was　lifted　him　bodily　off　the　deck。　Still　not　quite　having　regained　his　wits…Pharaun　hadn't　realized　at　first　that　he'd　been　hit　that　hard…the　Master　of　Sorcere　found　himself　being　spun　in　the　air　by　the　ankle。　As　he　was　whirled　through　the　air；　he　caught　glimpses　of　what　was　happening。
　　　A　party　of　uridezu　were　boarding　the　ship；　crawling　over　the　rail　dripping　with　lake　water　and　maggots。　Their　gray　skin　glistening　and　their　pink　tails　twitching；　the　rat　demons　attacked　in　force；　though　Pharaun　couldn't　get　an　accurate　count　of　them　while　being　spun　around　by　the　ankle　by　another　uridezu。
　　　The　wizard　knew　that　he'd　been　right；　that　the　first　uridezu　Raashub　had　gated　in　was　meant　to　test　them。
　　　The　demon　let　go；　and　Pharaun　was　sent　pinwheeling　through　the　air。　He　watched　the　rail　pass　beneath　him；　and　when　he　was　over　open　water　he　cast　a　spell　while　still　in　midair。　By　the　time　he　hit　the　surface　in　a　sprawling；　stinging　splash；　Pharaun　could　breathe　water。
　　　The　wizard　didn't　waste　any　time。　Swimming　and　using　the　levitating　powers　of　his　brooch　to　help　pull　him　downward；　Pharaun　dived　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　pitch…black　water。　The　lake　was　cold　enough　to　make　him　tense　and　stiff；　but　he　still　swam　as　fast　as　he　could。　All　around　him　were　the　shadows　of　living　things。　There　were　fish；　he　hoped；　and　snakes；　he　feared；　and　other　things…things　crawling　on　the　bottom。
　　　The　lakebed　was　covered　in　a　fine　silt　that　felt　oddly　alluring　to　the　touch。　Pharaun　let　himself　sink　into　it　up　to　his　neck　and　closed　his　eyes　to　mere　slits　so　that　all　anyone　might　be　able　to　see　would　be　his　black　face　against　the　uniformly　black　silt。
　　　Something　brushed　past　his　leg；　but　Pharaun　didn't　move。
　　　The　deep　water　and　the　stirred…up　silt　taxed　Pharaun's　darkvision　to　its　limits；　but　he　saw　two　uridezu　dive　into　the　water　above　him。　Secure　in　his　hiding　place；　ignoring　another　。　。　。　something　。　。　。　slipping　past　his　side；　Pharaun　watched　the　rat…demons　swim　with　surprising　agility；　their　heads　waving　back　and　forth　as　they　searched　the　lake　bed　for　the　drow　wizard。　Pharaun　waited　for　them　to　draw　closer　。　。　。　closer　。　。　。　close　enough。　He　threw　an　aura　of　faerie　fire　around　them　both。
　　　The　demons　reacted　to　the　magic　with　twitching　confusion。　The　purple　light　not　only　outlined　their　silhouettes　in　the　dark　water；　making　them　painfully　obvious；　it　also　picked　out　details　of　the　folds　of　their　skin；　their　whiskers；　and　the　knitting　of　their　worried　brows。
　　　Pharaun　kicked　once　and　rose　slowly　from　the　silt；　already　casting　a　spell。　The　uridezu　looked　over　at　him　and　swished　their　tails　in　the　water。　They　swam　quickly　away　from　each　other；　smart　enough　not　to　both　be　caught　in　the　same　spell。　Pharaun　picked　one　at　random　and　froze　the　water　around　it。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　knew　that　the　ice　would　have　no　wounding　effect　on　the　demon；　but　it　was　thick　enough　to　stop　it。　Pharaun　smiled　briefly　at　his　handiwork。　The　uridezu；　frozen　solid　in　a　thick　block　of　ice；　slowly　sank　to　the　lakebed；　leaving　a　trail　of　bubbles　in　its　path。
　　　The　second　uridezu　swam　in　fast；　a　stream　of　glowing　purple　maggots　fanning　out　behind　it。　The　tiny　worms　came　from　its　ruined　left　eye；　an　old　wound　that　had　evidently　festered　for　a　very　long　time。
　　　Pharaun　tried　to　swim　away　from　it；　but　the　rat…demon　was　faster。　It　whirled　in　the　water　and　brought　its　leathery　pink　tail　to　bear　on　the　wizard。　Pharaun　took　the　hit　with　a　grimace。　It　hurt。
　　　As　the　uridezu　twisted　around；　obviously　meaning　to　shred　Pharaun　with　its　ragged　claws；　the　Master　of　Sorcere　touched　his　steel　ring。　The　rapier　appeared　before　him；　and　Pharaun　set　it　against　the　demon　with　a　thought。　The　dancing　sword　scored　a　deep　slash；　and　the　uridezu's　attention…as　Pharaun　had　planned…was　drawn　entirely　to　defending　itself　against　the　magically　animated　blade。
　　　Content　to　let　the　rapier　keep　the　demon　busy；　Pharaun　kicked　away　from　the　duel；　pulling　his　hand　crossbow　and　a　quarrel　from　his　belt　at　the　same　time。　When　the　bolt　was　set　and　cocked；　Pharaun　called　on　the　power　of　his　brooch　to　levitate　quickly　up　and　out　of　the　lake。　The　second　his　face　broke　the　surface　he　coughed　out　lungfuls　of　fluid。　He　shot　into　the　air　a　dozen　feet　above　the　water　and　hung　there；　black　droplets　pattering　off　him　to　rain　back　down　onto　the　rippling　surface　of　the　Lake　of　Shadows。
　　　The　wizard　turned　his　attention　to　the　ship　of　chaos。　Never　had　the　vessel　seemed　so　aptly　named。　Quenthel　and　the　draegloth　fought　for　their　lives　against　the　rat…demon　boarding　party。　Before　Pharaun　could　get　the　whole　situation　sorted；　Jeggred　ripped　a　gash　in　the　belly　of　one　uridezu　that　was　deep　enough　to　spill　its　bowels　onto　the　deck。　It　crumpled　in　a　heap　of　steaming　entrails　at　the　blood…soaked　draegloth's　feet。
　　　Pharaun　counted　four　more　of　the　demons；　in　addition　to　Raashub。　The　captain　had　gathered　seven　of　his　kind。
　　　The　wizard　looked　down；　checking　on　the　progress　of　the　dancing　rapier。　The　animated　blade　slit　the　swimming　uridezu's　throat。　The　demon　shivered　then　went　limp　in　the　water；　slowly　floating　to　the　surface。　Its　scalding　blood　sent　coppery…smelling　steam　rising　into　the　air　below　the　hovering　mage。
　　　Pharaun　recalled　his　rapier。　Leveling　his　hand　cro