war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第43部分

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nd　he　had　seen　stars。　The　stars　in　the　Green　Fields　seemed　a　little　brighter　than　those　visible　from　Faerun。　Gromph　wasn't　familiar　enough　with　either　to　sense　any　difference　between　the　number　and　positions　of　the　stars　there　and　Faerun's；　but　he　knew　they　were　different。　The　Green　Fields　was　a　separate　reality　all　together。
　　　The　needle…like　plant　that　covered　the　rolling　hills　was　something　he'd　seen　before　as　well。　In　the　trade　language　of　the　World　Above　it　was　called　〃grass。〃　The　halflings　of　the　Green　Fields　called　it　〃ens〃。　There　were　other　things　he'd　seen　before　in　the　World　Above：　〃flowers；〃　〃trees；〃　and　things　like　that。　It　made　Gromph　wonder　if　there　was　an　Underdark　of　sorts　somewhere　beneath　his　feet…then　he　reminded　himself　that　he　wouldn't　be　there　long　enough　to　find　out。
　　　The　halflings　he'd　first　encountered　had　all　but　adopted　him。　A　few　of　the　little　folk　seemed　genuinely　happy　to　receive　him。　The　one　who　called　himself　Dietr　and　who　claimed　to　have　been　from　Faerun　was　suspicious　but　wanted　something…something　he　wouldn't　or　couldn't　ask　for。　However　they　approached　Gromph；　all　of　them　were　easy　and　casual　with　each　other。　They　had　a　sense　of　hospitality　and　were　determined　to　help　him。　They　brought　him　food　that　fell　into　one　of　two　categories：　heavy　and　swimming　in　fragrant　cream　sauces　or　a　confusing　variety　of　sweet；　fresh　fruit。　Neither　appealed　much　to　Gromph；　but　he　ate　enough　to　give　him　the　energy　he　needed　to　prepare　spells　and　collect　himself　for　his　return　to　Menzoberranzan。
　　　Gromph　hadn't　moved　far　from　the　spot　at　which　he'd　first　appeared。　The　Green　Fields　seemed　to　be　exactly　that：　an　endless　open　landscape　of　green　grass　and　other　plants。　Gromph　hadn't　seen　a　building　of　any　kind；　and　it　appeared　as　if　the　halflings　lived　out　in　the　open；　slowly　but　constantly　moving。
　　　When　the　light　returned；　Gromph　knew　he　would　have　to　be　on　his　way。　He　cast　the　last　in　a　series　of　divinations　that　would　help　him　not　only　return　to　the　Prime　Material　Plane　but　go　back　to　Toril；　back　to　the　Underdark　below　Faerun；　and　back　to　Menzoberranzan　herself。　It　was　no　mean　feat；　and　certainly　Dyrr　hadn't　expected　him　to　be　able　to　acplish　it；　but　then　Dyrr　hadn't　expected　him　to　break　free　of　the　imprisonment　either。　The　lichdrow's　insistence　on　underestimating　him　would；　possibly；　allow　Gromph　the　luxury　of　beating　him。
　　　The　archmage　stood；　shielding　his　eyes　from　the　pervasive　light　and　watched　Dietr　and　one　of　the　females　approaching　with　another　tray　of　fruit。　Dietr　held　a　waterskin。
　　　〃We　thought　you　might　want　breakfast；〃　Dietr　said。
　　　The　halfling　looked　at　Gromph　with　that　same　expression　of　vague　hopefulness　and　fear。　The　female　barely　seemed　to　notice　him　at　all。
　　　〃I've　had　enough　of　your　food；〃　the　archmage　said；　〃and　I'm　taking　my　leave　of　your　pointless　expanse。〃
　　　〃Pointless　expanse？〃　the　female　repeated；　her　ambivalence　all　at　once　replaced　by　anger；　〃Who　are　you　to　dismiss　the　Green　Fields？〃
　　　〃Who　are　you　to　speak　to　me　at　all？〃　Gromph　asked。
　　　He　waited　for　an　answer；　but　all　he　got　was　a　squinting　sneer　from　the　winged　female。　Dietr's　eyes　bounced　back　and　forth　between　them；　and　his　breathing　grew　shallow　and　expectant。
　　　〃Leave　me　in　peace；〃　Gromph　manded。
　　　When　the　two　halflings　didn't　immediately　turn　to　leave；　the　archmage　raised　an　eyebrow。　The　female　did　her　best　to　stare　him　down；　but　her　best　wasn't　anywhere　near　good　enough。
　　　〃You　were　alive　once；〃　Gromph　asked　her；　〃weren't　you？〃
　　　Neither　of　the　halflings　responded　right　away。
　　　〃This　one〃…Gromph　indicated　Dietr　with　a　wave　of　his　hand…〃was　a　living；　material　being　on　Faerun。　Where　did　you　live　before　you　went　to　your　Great　Beyond？〃
　　　Again　the　female　said　nothing。
　　　〃I'll　admit　to　being　curious；〃　Gromph　went　on。　〃If　you　died　on　whatever　world　you　came　from　and　your　soul　came　here　to　rest　in　peace　for　all　eternity；　what　happens　when　I　kill　you　here？　Does　your　soul　go　somewhere　else；　or　are　you　consigned　to　oblivion？　Will　one　of　your　weakling　halfling　godlings　stop　me？　Even　a　halfling　god　on　his　home　plane　can　be　an　inconvenience　I'm　sure；　but　it　might　be　amusing　to　make　the　effort　anyway。〃
　　　〃If　you　think　you　can　kill　me；　interloper；〃　the　female　sneered；　〃try　it　now　or　shut　up。〃
　　　Gromph　smiled；　and　it　must　have　been　that　expression　that　made　Dietr　finally　step　forward；　his　hands　held　out　in　a　gesture　of　weak　conciliation。
　　　〃Easy；〃　he　said。　〃Easy　there；　everybody。〃
　　　Gromph　laughed。
　　　〃That's　better；〃　said　Dietr；　a　grin　plastered　across　his　cherubic　face。　〃If　the　venerable　drow　would　like　to　leave；　then　he's　certainly　free　to　go　on　his　way。〃
　　　〃There　will　be　no　violence　here；〃　the　female　said；　her　voice　even　and　strong。　〃If　I　have　to　blast　you　to　pieces　to　ensure　that。　。　。〃
　　　〃We've　all　been　blasted　to　pieces　at　least　once；　haven't　we？〃　Dietr　said。　〃No　one　wants　to　do　that　again；　so　let's　all　be　friends。〃
　　　Gromph　took　a　deep　breath　and　said；　〃I　will　be　leaving；　but　there　will　be　residual　effects　from　the　gate；　and　you　won't　want　to　go　where　I'm　going。　Back　away　or　not；　I'll　leave　that　up　to　you。〃
　　　The　female　continued　to　stare　daggers　at　him；　but　still　she　drifted　the　slightest　bit　back　from　the　archmage。
　　　Gromph　looked　her　up　and　down。　She　was　half　his　size；　and　she　looked　ridiculous。　The　whole　world　looked　ridiculous…the　whole　world　was　ridiculous。　Dyrr　had　sent　him　there　on　purpose；　and　looking　at　the　winged　halfling　in　her　grass…infested　setting　made　Gromph　angrier　and　angrier　by　the　second。　Dyrr　was　trying　to　get　rid　of　him；　was　trying　to　dismiss　him　by　sending　him　to　that　pastoral　universe；　and　Gromph　Baenre；　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan；　would　not　be　dismissed。
　　　〃Fine；〃　Gromph　said；　and　he　began　to　cast　his　spell。
　　　He　was　only　vaguely　aware　of　the　female　moving　farther　away；　and　he　assumed　that　Dietr　was　doing　the　same　thing。　The　words　of　the　spell　came　easily　enough；　and　the　gestures　went　smoothly　from　one　to　another。　There　was　a　part　of　the　spell　that　few　of　the　experienced　casters　who'd　ever　done　it　knew　could　be　manipulated；　and　Gromph　began　to　maneuver　it。　He　wove　into　the　spell　a　subtle　modification　that　would　take　him　precisely　where　he　wanted　to　go。
　　　He　finished　and　could　feel　himself　falling　backward　out　of　the　Green　Fields…and　he　felt　a　hand　on　his　arm。
　　　There　was　light　everywhere　but　it　wasn't　too　bright。
　　　There　was　sound　ing　from　all　around　him　but　it　wasn't　too　loud。
　　　There　were　colors　in　the　air　but　they　weren't　too　vibrant。
　　　They　were　moving　in　every　direction　at　once　but　not　too　fast。
　　　They　appeared　in　Menzoberranzan；　their　feet　on　solid　rock；　their　eyes　forted　by　the　gloom　lit　by　faerie　fire。
　　　Gromph　turned　and　looked　at　the　halfling。　He　was　naked；　shaking；　his　wings　were　gone；　and　he　looked　older；　smaller；　and　weaker。　His　eyes　were　red；　his　skin　dry　and　yellow。　His　face；　twisted　in　a　rictus　of　suffering；　revealed　gray；　decaying　teeth。
　　　With　a　sigh；　the　archmage　turned　to　survey　his　surroundings。　It　was　Menzoberranzan…the　Bazaar。　He'd　made　it。　There　weren't　many　drow　in　the　streets；　and　the　few　who　were　there　recognized　the　archmage　immediately。　The　smart　ones　scattered。
　　　Nauzhror；　Gromph　thought；　sending　the　name　along　the　Weave　to　the　Baenre　wizard。
　　　After　a　tense　moment　of　silence　a　voice　echoed　in　Gromph's　mind：　Archmage。　It　is　gratifying　to　hear　you　again。　Wele　back　to　Menzoberranzan。
　　　It　was　Nauzhror。
　　　Before　he　could　reply；　Gromph　was　distracted　by　a　high…pitched　whine。　He　looked　down　at　the　desiccated　halfling。
　　　〃You　are　a　fool；〃　Gromph　said　to　Dietr。
　　　The　halfling　cowered　from　his　gaze　and　quivered。
　　　〃I　didn't　ask　you　to　e　with　me；〃　Gromph　added；　〃and　you　don't　belong　here　any　more　than　I　belonged　in　the　Green　Fields。〃
　　　〃I　wanted　。　。　。〃　the　halfling　began　then　coughed。　Dust　puffed　from　his　throat。　〃I　wanted　to　live　again。〃
　　　〃Why？〃　Gromph　asked。
　　　〃My　mother。　She　has　been　attending　seances　to　contact　me。　She　has　no　other　family　and　needs　me　to　support　her。〃
　　　Gromph　laughed。
　　　〃It's　not　funny；〃　Dietr　said。
　　　Gromph　laughed　more　th