war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第62部分

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　　　〃Go　ahead；〃　said　the　lichdrow　with　a　leering；　evil　smile；　〃try　to　fight　him　with　your　stolen　axe。　I'll　enjoy　watching　Nimor　shred　you。〃
　　　The　half…dragon　assassin　smiled　at　that；　and　Gromph　saw　him　ing　in　with　one　wild　slash　after　another；　a　flurry　of　claws　and　kicks　and　head　butts。　Gromph　had　no　idea　what　to　do。
　　　In　the　instant　that　Nimor　started　to　run　toward　him；　Gromph　realized　that　knowing　what　your　opponent　intended　to　do　might　not　be　enough。
　　　
Chapter　Twenty…three
　　　How　could　there　be　any　sense　to　a　world　that　existed；　in　a　universe　made　of　chaos？　In　a　place　where　the　only　rule　was　that　there　were　no　rules？
　　　When　they　were　there　last；　not　very　long　ago；　they　walked　enormous　strands　of　spiderweb　and　saw　nothing　alive　until　they　were　beset　upon　by　a　horde　of　feral　demons　at　the　gates　to　a　temple　sealed　by　the　face　of　Lolth　herself。　There；　a　god　tried　to　break　through　but　couldn't。
　　　Though　they　had　been　away　from　the　Demonweb　Pits　for　only　a　short　time；　much　had　changed。
　　　The　smooth　expanse　of　the　gigantic　webs　was　pitted　and　worn。　Patches　of　what　looked　like　rust　went　on　for　acres　at　a　time。　In　spots　they　had　to　climb　or　levitate　up　and　down　cliffs　of　crumbling　webbing　and　traverse　craters　big　enough　to　hold　all　of　Menzoberranzan　in　their　uneven　bowls。
　　　All　around　them　was　the　stench　of　decay；　so　intense　at　times　Pharaun　Mizzrym　thought　he　would　suffocate。
　　　The　wizard　had　been　walking　for　hours　in　uncharacteristic　silence。　None　of　the　drow　or　the　draegloth　mented　aloud　on　the　state　of　the　Demonweb　Pits。　It　was　too　difficult　to　voice　the　palpable　sense　of　despair　the　ruined　place　imbued　in　them　all。　They　stopped　occasionally　to　rest；　and　minutes　would　go　by　where　they　didn't　even　look　at　each　other。
　　　Constantly　on　their　guard　for　the　plane's　demonic　inhabitants；　at　first　they　were　all　on　a　knife's　edge；　but　as　the　hours　dragged　on　and　they　saw　nothing　alive；　let　alone　threatening；　they　soon　began　to　relax。　That　was　when　the　despair　deepened　even　further。
　　　They　walked　on　and　on　and　finally　came　to　Lolth's　temple。　The　once　imposing；　otherworldly　structure　stood　in　ruin；　infected　by　the　same　decay　as　the　universe…spanning　web。　The　obsidian　stone　had　turned　brown　and　was　crumbled　away　in　spots。　Huge　columns　of　smoke　rose　from　the　interior。　Many　of　the　great　buttresses　stood　like　shattered　stumps；　amputated　by　some　inconceivable　power。　The　surrounding　plazas　were　difficult　to　traverse；　littered　with　boulders　of　carved　stone　and　iron　rusted　and　twisted　out　of　shape。　Bones　lay　everywhere…the　bones　of　millions　stacked　in　great　piles　or　scattered　as　if　by　the　cruel　winds　alone。　The　petrified　spider…things　they　had　marveled　at　before　were　gone；　leaving　holes　in　the　floor　of　the　plaza　and　along　the　buttresses　as　if　they'd　pulled　up　their　feet　from　the　stone　and　marched　away。
　　　The　party　traced　the　same　path　they　had　taken　when　in　astral　form　and　came　once　again　to　the　entrance　to　the　temple。　The　great　stone　face　was　itself　shattered；　revealing　glimpses　of　the　visage　of　Lolth　but　only　in　tiny；　enigmatic　fragments。
　　　The　doors　swung　wide。
　　　〃It　was　the　gods；〃　Valas　whispered；　his　voice　echoing　in　a　million　tiny　pings　across　the　ruined　plaza。
　　　Vhaeraun；　who　had　e　to　kill　Lolth　because　of　their　own　rash　decision　to　lead　one　of　his　priests　there；　had　been　confronted　by　Selvetarm…Lolth's　protector…at　the　temple　gates。　Their　duel　was　a　sight　that　would　be　burned　into　Pharaun's　memory　if　he　lived　to　be　ten　thousand　years　old；　and　the　contest　had　caused　much　damage；　but。　。　。　。
　　　〃Not　this；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said；　his　own　voice　echoing；　though　in　not　quite　the　same　way。　〃This　is　different。　Older。〃
　　　〃Older？〃　the　draegloth　asked；　his　eyes　darting　from　rock　to　rock。
　　　〃He's　right；〃　said　Danifae；　who　was　crouching；　holding　the　skull　of　something　that　might　have　been　half　drow；　half　bat。　〃These　bones　are　dried　and　bleached；　almost　petrified。　The　stone　itself　is　crumbling　to　dust。　The　webs　are　rotten　and　brittle。〃
　　　〃This　place　was　razed　a　century　ago　or　more；〃　Pharaun　said。
　　　〃That's　not　possible；〃　Valas　argued；　staring　up　at　the　open　doors。　〃We　were　just　here…right　here；　and　the　doors　were　sealed；　and　。　。　。〃
　　　The　others　didn't　expect　him　to　finish。
　　　〃Lolth　has　left　this　place；〃　Quenthel　said；　her　voice　so　quiet　it　barely　managed　to　elicit　an　echo　at　all。
　　　〃She　has　left　the　Demonweb　Pits？〃　Danifae　asked。　〃How　could　that　be？〃
　　　〃She　has　left　the　Abyss；〃　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　said。　〃Can't　you　feel　it？〃
　　　Danifae　shook　her　head；　but　her　eyes　answered　in　the　affirmative。　The　two　females　shared　a　long；　knowing　look　that　raised　the　hair　on　the　back　of　Pharaun's　neck。　He　sensed　similar　reactions　from　Jeggred　and　Valas。
　　　〃That's　it　then；〃　said　the　Bregan　D'aerthe　scout。　〃We　have　e　here　to　find　the　goddess　but　instead　we　have　found　nothing。　Our　mission　is　at　an　end。〃
　　　Quenthel　turned　to　glare　at　the　scout；　who　returned　it　with　a　steady；　even　gaze。　The　vipers　that　made　up　the　high　priestess's　scourge　writhed　and　spat；　but　Valas　paid　them　no　mind。
　　　〃She　isn't　here；〃　Quenthel　said；　〃but　that　doesn't　mean　she　isn't。　。　。　somewhere。〃
　　　The　scout　took　a　deep　breath　and　let　it　out　slowly；　looking　all　around　at　the　ruined　temple。
　　　〃So　where　is　she？〃　he　asked。　〃How　much　farther　do　we　go？　Do　we　search　the　limitless　multiverse　for　her；　plane　by　plane；　universe　by　universe？　She's　a　creature　of　the　Demonweb　Pits；　and　here　we　stand　on　the　sixty…sixth　layer　of　the　gods…cursed　Abyss　and　she's　gone。　If　you　don't　know　where　she's　gone　to…and　she　could　be　anywhere…and　she　won't　tell　you　where　she　is；　maybe　we　all　have　to　accept　the　fact　that　she　doesn't　want　to　be　found。〃
　　　It　was　the　most　Pharaun　had　ever　heard　Valas　say　all　at　once；　and　the　words　made　his　heart　sink。
　　　〃He's　right；〃　said　the　Master　of　Sorcere。
　　　To　his　surprise；　Quenthel　nodded。　Danifae's　eyes　widened；　and　Jeggred　growled　low　in　his　throat。　The　draegloth　moved　slowly；　in　that　fluid；　stalking　way　of　his；　and　went　to　stand　next　to　the　former　battle…captive。
　　　〃This　is　sacrilege；〃　Danifae　whispered。　〃Heresy　of　the　worst　sort。〃
　　　Quenthel　turned　to　look　at　the　other　priestess　and　silently　raised　an　eyebrow。
　　　〃You　presume　to　allow　some…〃　Danifae　turned　to　briefly　glare　at　Valas…　〃male　to　speak　for　Lolth？　Does　he　decide　the　goddess's　intentions　now？〃
　　　〃Do　you？〃　Pharaun　couldn't　help　but　ask。
　　　Surprisingly；　Danifae　smiled　when　she　said；　〃Perhaps　I　do。　Certainly　I　have　more　claim　to　that　right　than　Master　Hune。　Capable　a　scout　as　he　is；　this　is　the　business　of　priestesses　now。〃
　　　Quenthel　stood　a　little　straighter；　though　her　shoulders　still　hunched。　Pharaun　marveled　at　how　old　she　looked。　The　high　priestess　had　aged　decades　in　the　past　tenday；　and　exhaustion　was　plain　in　her　heavy…lidded　eyes　and　blunt　temper。
　　　Pharaun　couldn't　look　at　her；　so　he　looked　down　at　the　floor　of　the　plaza。　He　scuffed　his　boot　through　brown…powdered　stone。
　　　〃I　was　wrong；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said。　He　could　feel　the　others　looking　at　him；　could　sense　their　surprise；　but　he　didn't　look　up。　〃This　didn't　happen　a　century　ago。　This　place　was　destroyed　。　。　。　no；　a　battle　was　fought　here；　and　it　was　fought　a　millennium　past　at　least。　At　least。〃
　　　〃How　can　you　say　that；　wizard？〃　asked　the　draegloth。　〃You　were　just　here。　Weren't　you？　Isn't　this　the　same　place　Tzirik　brought　you？
　　　Pharaun。　nodded　and　said；　〃It　is　indeed；　Jeggred；　but　the　fact　remains　that　what　we　see　all　around　us　is　an　ancient　ruin；　the　corpse　of　a　battlefield　that's　lain　cold　for　a　thousand　years　or　more。〃
　　　〃We　were　only　just　here；〃　said　Valas。
　　　〃We　aren't　in　the　Underdark　anymore；　Master　Hune；〃　said　Pharaun。　〃Time　might　move　very　differently　here；　in　fits　and　starts　like　distance　in　the　Shadow　Deep。　This　could　all　be　more　illusion　than　real；　the　whim　of　Lolth　or　some　other　godly　power。　It　could　be　that　we　simply　see　a　ruin　where　there　is　nothing；　see　a　ruin　where　there　is　in　fact　an　intact　temple；　or　everything　we　see　is　real　and　made　a　millennium　old　by　a　power　so　vast　that　it　can　manipulate　time　and　matter　and　the