war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第69部分

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　　　〃I'll　take　the　value　of　that　blade　out　of　your　guts；　demon；〃　Pharaun　threatened。
　　　The　glabrezu's　animal　face　twisted　into　a　feral　grin　again　as　he　rushed　through　the　air　toward　Pharaun。
　　　From　behind　him；　the　mage　heard　Valas　say；　〃You'll　leave　a　fellow　drow　to　a　filthy　demon？　You'll　leave　us　without　a　mage？〃
　　　〃Yes；〃　Quenthel　replied　with　an　utter　lack　of　regret　that　Pharaun　actually　found　refreshing。
　　　The　tanar'ri　approached　quickly；　and　Pharaun　pulled　an　old　glove　from　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi。　He　started　the　incantation　even　before　the　glove　came　out　of　the　pocket；　and　by　the　time　the　glabrezu　was　in　striking　range；　the　spell　was　done。
　　　A　hand　the　size　of　a　rothe　appeared　in　the　air　between　the　wizard　and　the　demon。　Though　Belshazu　tried　to　avoid　it；　he　couldn't。　The　hand　opened　and　pushed　him　through　the　air；　forcing　him　away　from　the　wizard　no　matter　how　hard　he　resisted　the　conjured　hand。
　　　Pharaun　turned　to　Quenthel；　who　looked　at　him　blankly　when　he　said；　〃What　I'm　about　to　do；　I　should　do　right　here　and　let　you　all　taste　it；　but　I　won't。　I'll　push　him　away　first　and　keep　you　at　a　safe　distance。　Nonetheless；　I　want　you　to　remember；　Mistress；　that　I　can　do　this　again；　and　by　all　rights　I　should　do　it　again。〃
　　　He　didn't　bother　to　wait　for　a　response…none　came　anyway…instead　he　turned　back　to　the　glabrezu　who　had　been　pushed　by　the　spell　several　paces　away　in　the　air　over　the　ruined　temple　grounds。　Pharaun　started　to　run　over　the　uneven；　debris…scattered　ground；　counting　his　paces　as　he　went。　Belshazu　ripped　and　slashed　at　the　conjured　hand　in　a　mad　flurry　of　uncontrolled；　frustrated　attacks　but　to　no　effect。　The　magic　held。
　　　When　Pharaun　had　gone　twenty　paces　away　from　the　rest　of　the　expedition；　he　stopped。　He　held　the　hand　in　the　air；　no　longer　pushing　the　glabrezu；　but　keeping　him　at　bay。　As　he　ran　he'd　gone　over　in　his　mind　again　everything　he'd　learned　about　tanar'ri　in　general　and　glabrezu　in　particular。　When　he　stopped　he　cast　a　spell…not　a　terribly　plicated　one…that　would　prevent　another　inconvenient　manifestation　of　the　tanar'ri's　natural　magic。　A　ray　of　green　light　leaped　from　Pharaun's　outstretched　hands　and　found　its　way　unerringly　to　the　floating　demon。　The　spell　would　hold　him　to　the　sixty…sixth　layer　of　the　Abyss；　preventing　the　glabrezu　from　teleporting　even　within　the　confines　of　the　plane。
　　　〃Tell　me　the…〃　the　wizard　called　out　to　the　demon；　stopping　when　Belshazu's　huge　pincer　burst　through　the　conjured　hand。
　　　Solidified　magic　burned　away　from　the　surface　of　the　black　fist　like　blood　clouding　in　water。　The　glabrezu　grinned；　grunted；　and　slashed　at　the　hand。　The　great　fingers　twitched；　their　grip　loosening。
　　　The　wizard　had　never　seen　anything　tear　through　that　spell　in　the　same　way。　The　glabrezu　was　more　powerful；　more　uniquely　talented　than　Pharaun　had　given　him　credit　for。　Even　as　those　thoughts　passed　through　his　mind；　the　drow　mage　pulled　another　spell　out　of　the　Weave。
　　　The　demon's　hideous　pincer　broke　through　one　of　the　fingers。　When　it　came　away　from　the　hand；　the　black　magic　burst　like　a　bubble　and　the　finger　was　gone。　Belshazu　pushed　at　the　quivering；　dissipating　hand　with　one　severed　leg　and　his　all…too…intact　arms。　As　Pharaun's　next　spell　began　to　form　in　the　air　above　the　demon；　Belshazu　fell　out　of　the　conjured　hand　and　onto　the　wreckage…strewn　ground。
　　　The　demon　roared　at　him；　and　it　was　all　Pharaun　could　do　to　force　himself　to　appear　unaffected　by　the　deafening；　terrifying　sound。　Belshazu　stood　but　didn't　look　up…didn't　see　the　slab　of　stone　assembling　itself　bit　by　bit　in　the　thin　air　above　him。
　　　〃Tell　me　the　truth。〃　Pharaun　slid　a　loose　strand　of　hair　away　from　his　eyes　and　asked；　〃Can　you　tell　I　haven't　washed　my　hair　in　over　a　tenday？〃
　　　The　glabrezu　growled；　roared　again；　and　leaped　into　the　air…
　　　…just　as　the　wall　of　stone　fell。
　　　The　demon　disappeared　under　it；　and　the　ground　shook。　The　wall　cracked　as　it　came　to　rest　on　the　uneven　surface。　Belshazu　lifted　the　several…ton　slab　off　him　just　enough　to　turn　his　head　and　reveal　burning　eyes　sunk　in　a　bleeding；　animal's　head。
　　　The　look　of　the　battered　creature　made　Pharaun　smile。　The　spell　he'd　had　to　move　so　far　away　from　the　others　to　cast　safely　came　to　his　lips　as　the　tanar'ri　continued　to　slowly　dig　itself　out　from　under　the　stone　slab。　When　he　pleted　the　incantation；　Pharaun　opened　his　mouth　wide　and　screamed。
　　　The　sound　came　not　from　his　lungs；　throat；　or　mouth　but　from　the　Weave　all　around　him　and　inside　him。　The　sound　rolled　up；　louder　and　louder；　then　shot　out　of　him：　a　mad；　keening　shriek　that　smashed　into　the　demon　so　hard　it　even　blew　the　massive　slab　of　stone　into　smoky　vapor；　then　blew　that　smoke　away　into　nothing。　The　sound　crashed　into　the　glabrezu；　shaking　him　and　spinning　him　into　the　air。　Bruises　exploded　on　Belshazu's　tough　red　hide；　and　his　bones　cracked　loudly　one　by　one。　The　demon　couldn't　muster　the　breath　necessary　to　scream；　though　Pharaun　reveled　in　the　obvious　fact　that　he　wanted　to。
　　　Especially　when　pieces　of　him　started　ing　off。
　　　Pharaun　kept　screaming；　continued　pushing　air　out　of　himself。　The　sound　shredded　the　glabrezu；　taking　off　skin；　plates　of　exoskeleton；　divots　of　fur；　claws；　fangs；　eyes；　then　blood　and　entrails。　The　whole　mess　whirled　in　the　air　as　if　it　were　being　stirred　in　a　great　invisible　cooking　pot；　then　all　at　once　the　spell…and　the　hideous　shrieking　scream…was　gone；　and　the　shredded　remains　of　Belshazu　fell　in　a　heap　on　the　battle…scarred　ground。　Blood　continued　to　rain　down　in　tapping　spatters　for　a　minute　after　the　last　big　piece　hit　the　ground。
　　　Pharaun　sighed；　pushed　away　his　errant　hair　again；　and　stepped　gingerly　into　the　mess。　He　kicked　pieces　this　way　and　that　with　the　toe　of　one　boot　until　his　eyes　settled　on　the　thin　platinum　band。　He　bent　and　retrieved　the　ring；　making　some　effort　not　to　touch　the　tanar'ri's　blood。
　　　〃You　owed　me　a　ring；〃　he　said　to　the　demon's　mute　remains　then　slipped　the　ring　on　a　finger　and　turned　back　to　rejoin　the　drow　who　had　been　more　than　happy　to　let　him　face　the　glabrezu　alone。
　　　
　　　〃It　looked　big　from　a　distance；〃　Pharaun　said　as　he　ran　a　hand　along　a　cold；　rusted　metal　rib。　〃It's　even　bigger　from　the　inside。〃
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　looked　up　along　the　line　of　the　gently　curving　steel　beam　and　tried　to　guess　how　far　above　his　head　it　ended…a　hundred　feet；　maybe　a　hundred　and　fifty？
　　　〃Why　was　this　just　left　here　for　a　thousand　years？〃　asked　Jeggred。　The　draegloth　was　sniffing　the　outer　surface　of　the　great　spider　fortress　and　seemed　dissatisfied。　〃It　should　have　been　cleaned　up。　Wouldn't　the　goddess　want　it　cleared　away？〃
　　　〃It　hasn't　been　here　a　thousand　years；〃　Quenthel　said。　She　was　standing　inside　a　huge　tear　in　the　side　of　the　broken　sphere；　her　arms　crossed　in　front　of　her。　〃I　told　you　all；　I　was　here。〃
　　　〃How　long　ago？〃　asked　Danifae。
　　　The　high　priestess　looked　at　her　with　open　contempt　but　answered；　〃Ten　years。〃
　　　〃Ten　years　ago；〃　Pharaun　asked；　〃was　this　thing　intact　and　moving？〃
　　　The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　nodded。
　　　〃How　were　you　here？〃　Danifae　asked。
　　　Quenthel　turned　to　Pharaun　and　said；　〃If　there　is　anyone　alive　in　here；　could　you　sense　them？〃
　　　The　wizard　glanced　at　Danifae；　who　offered　him　a　bored　shrug。
　　　〃There　are　spells；〃　he　answered　Quenthel；　〃that　will　do　that；　yes。　Do　you　think　we'll　find　someone　alive　in　here？　Lolth　herself；　perhaps？〃
　　　〃If　the　Spider　Queen　is　anywhere；〃　said　the　Baenre　priestess；　〃she'll　be　here。　This　is　her　palace。　Still；　I　don't　sense　her　presence。　I　still　can't　feel　her　here　at　all。〃
　　　Pharaun　nodded　and　looked　around　at　the　ruin　again。
　　　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　argue；　Mistress；〃　he　said　to　Quenthel；　〃but　I　find　it　impossible　to　believe　that　this　construct　was　in　operation　a　mere　ten　years　ago。　I'll　admit　I've　never　seen　materials　like　this…steel　beams　big　enough　to　hold　up　a　building；　a　magical　construct　as　big　as　House　Baenre…but　I've　seen　steel　both　old　and　new；　and　this　steel　has　been　laying　out　here　for　somewhat　longer　than　ten　years。　I　will　accept　that　you're　reluctant　to　tell　us　how　you　ca