war of the spider queen 2 insurrection-第78章

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　　　〃Jeggred！　Let's　go！〃　Quenthel　called；　moving　toward　the　doorway。
　　　The　draegloth　dropped　his　attacks　on　the　spider　and　scampered　backward。　When　he　reached　the　rest　of　them；　he　caught　hold　of　Valas；　while　Halisstra　helped　Q'arlynd　get　a　hold　of　Danifae。　Pha…raun　launched　himself　through　the　opening。　Ryld　followed　the　wizard　to　protect　him　from　whatever　might　be　on　the　other　side；　stepping　through　the　magical　frame　just　as　the　street　gave　way　and　tumbled　into　the　darkness　below　him。　He　hoped　the　others　were　right　behind　him。
　　　TWENTY
　　　The　moment　the　doorway　opened；　Pharaun　dived　through　it；　hoping　he　was　doing　the　right　thing　by　trusting　the　children　of　House　Melarn　with　his　life。　For　all　the　wizard　knew；　she　could　have　picked　that　moment　to　exact　her　revenge　upon　the　Menzoberranyr　for　all　the　injustices　they'd　inflicted　upon　her　family；　her　home；　and　herself。　She　certainly　had　a　right　to。
　　　But　the　pathway　didn't　deposit　the　wizard　into　some　scorching　furnace　or　pit　of　doom。　It　was　a　poshly　decorated　hall；　but　unfortunately　the　mage　found　himself　facing　a　huge；　slavering　lizard　with　incredibly　sharp　teeth。　The　being　spotted　him　and　advanced　eagerly；　eyeing　the　wizard　as　if　he　were　its　next　meal。
　　　Reacting　quickly；　the　mage　flung　himself　backward；　out　of　the　way　of　the　thing；　and　willed　a　spell　into　being　that　created　a　series　of　floating　balls　of　lightning。　As　the　lizard　darted　toward　him；　Pharaun　directed　the　balls　to　engage　the　creature；　sparking　as　they　did　so。　The　beast　jerked　and　backed　away；　but　Pharaun　was　relentless；　slamming　all　of　the　spheres　of　lightning　into　it。　After　the　fourth　one；　the　creature　sprawled　to　the　ground。　It　twitched　a　couple　of　times　and　lay　still。
　　　〃What　in　the　Abyss　is　that？〃　Ryld　asked；　popping　through　the　portal　with　Splitter　up　and　ready。　〃Are　we　in　the　right　place？〃
　　　〃Fortunately；　yes；〃　Pharaun　replied；　jumping　up。　A　shiver　through　the　building　caused　him　to　stumble　forward。　〃Unfortunately；　Halisstra；　having　never　been　here　before；　must　not　have　known　about　the　guard　animals　inside。　Or　else　Q'arlynd　forgot　to　warn　us。〃
　　　〃By　the　Dark　Mother！〃　Danifae　said；　spying　the　beast　as　she　leaped　through　into　the　cell。　She　had　her　morning　star　up　in　an　instant。　〃Is　it　dead？〃
　　　〃I　certainly　hope　so；〃　Valas　said；　following　close　behind。
　　　The　scout　had　his　kukris　in　his　hands；　and　he　was　looking　at　the　dead　lizard。　The　hall　shook　again；　and　part　of　a　wall　collapsed；　exposing　the　room　to　the　city　outside。　Everyone　splayed　their　legs　out　to　try　and　maintain　their　balance。
　　　One　by　one；　the　rest　of　the　team　passed　through　the　portal　to　join　them。　Jeggred　was　the　last　one　to　clear　the　gate。
　　　〃The　whole　city's　falling；〃　the　draegloth　announced。　Halisstra　let　the　doorway　wink　out　once　he　was　safely　through。　〃The　falling　stonework　must　be　making　the　entire　cavern　quake　with　its　force。〃
　　　The　fiend　sounded　too　matter…of…fact　for　the　wizard's　taste。
　　　Halisstra's　brother　was　casting　a　spell；　one　Pharaun　didn't　recognize。　He　began　to　radiate　an　aura　of　divination　magic…Pharaun's　ring　told　him　that　much…as　he　looked　around；　almost　as　if　he　was　sniffing　something　out。
　　　〃The　dormant　portal　is　this　way；〃　Q'arlynd　said；　leading　the　group　out　into　a　hallway。　〃Follow　me。〃
　　　The　entourage　followed　the　Melarn　wizard　through　several　passages；　up　a　couple　of　staircases；　and　into　a　hallway　that　obviously　hadn't　been　used　in　a　long　time。　Several　times　during　the　journey；　the　structure　shook；　but　they　were　deeper　rumbles；　vibrating　through　the　whole　of　the　Underdark。
　　　〃If　this　doesn't　work　。　。　。〃　Quenthel　began。
　　　〃It'll　work；〃　Pharaun　cut　her　off。　〃I'll　need　a　couple　of　moments　to　study　it；　but　it　will　work。〃
　　　〃You'd　better　hope　so；　wizard；〃　the　high　priestess　muttered。
　　　Q'arlynd　led　them　all　to　the　end　of　the　passage　and　stopped　before　an　open　doorway　at　the　end　of　it。
　　　〃Its　in　there；〃　he　said；　〃but　it's　magically　sealed　and　warded　with　protective　glyphs。　I　have　no　way　of　getting　through。〃
　　　Pharaun　knelt　to　study　the　opening。　The　barrier　between　the　hallway　and　the　larger　room　beyond　was　invisible　but　solid。　Pharaun　could　see　that　it　radiated　some　sort　of　magic　and　reported　such。
　　　〃If　I　had　the　proper　type　of　magic　at　my　disposal；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said；　〃I'd　be　able　to　bring　it　down　in　mere　seconds；　but　as　it　is；　I　can't　do　so　until　I've　had　a　chance　to　rest　and　regroup。〃
　　　〃Do　you　have　another　magical　doorway　at　your　disposal？〃　Quenthel　asked　Halisstra。
　　　The　priestess　shook　her　head　miserably；　reaching　out　to　steady　herself　against　a　wall　as　another　rumble　rocked　the　room　and　everyone　in　it。
　　　〃Well；　then；　wizard；　what　are　we　going　to　do？〃　the　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　asked。　〃We　can't　sit　in　here　while　you　recharge　your　magical　energies。〃
　　　〃Quite　true；〃　the　mage　replied。　〃Give　me　a　moment。〃
　　　〃Mizzrym；　we　don't　have　a　moment！〃
　　　As　Pharaun　studied　their　predicament；　the　building　shook　again；　even　more　roughly。　Everyone　was　pitched　to　the　floor；　and　behind　them　a　large　portion　of　the　ceiling　collapsed；　with　shards　of　stone　showering　down。
　　　〃Thar　is　getting　tiresome；〃　Quenthel　plained；　regaining　her　feet　with　a　horrid　scowl　on　her　face。　〃I　will　not　die　trapped　in　a　cage　like　some　animal。　Not　after　all　I've　been　through。〃
　　　Growling　deeply；　Jeggred　bounded　across　to　the　door　and　began　to　attack　the　invisible　opening；　raking　his　claws　ineffectually　against　the　barrier。　A　crackle　of　electrical　energy　raked　over　his　body；　but　it　didn't　stop　him　from　throwing　himself　at　it　again　and　again。　His　efforts　were　fruitless。
　　　〃Jeggred；　stop　it！〃　Quenthel　said　at　last。　〃You're　not　helping。〃
　　　With　another　deep…throated　growl；　the　draegloth　backed　off。
　　　〃If　we　don't　get　through　there；〃　Danifae　said　to　Pharaun；　measuring　each　word　for　emphasis；　〃we're　all　going　to　be　pulverized。　Do　something！〃
　　　〃All　right；　all　right；〃　the　mage　replied；　holding　up　a　hand；　〃The　problem　is；　we　have　no　way　to　open　the　door　from　the　inside。　The　magic　that　seals　us　out　here　keeps　me　from　using　even　a　simple　spell。　If　I　was　over　there；　I　could　simply　remove　the　barrier　manually；　but　that's　easier　said　than　done。　That's　all。　Such　a　simple　trick；　and　yet　impossible　。　。　。〃
　　　He　looked　at　them　all　miserably。
　　　〃Wait；〃　Ryld　said；　stepping　over　near　the　wizard。　〃Move　back。〃
　　　Raising　Splitter　high　over　his　head；　the　weapons　master　swung　the　blade　down　hard　against　the　barrier。　The　enchanted　weapon　sliced　into　it　with　a　flash　of　light；　and　Pharaun　saw　the　magical　emanations　from　the　seal　fade　from　view。　The　blade　had　dissipated　the　magic。
　　　〃Thank　the　Dark　Mother；〃　someone　said　as　the　entire　group　rushed　into　the　chamber　beyond。
　　　〃All　right；　wizard；　lead　us　out　of　here；〃　Quenthel　said；　sounding　desperate；　〃and　hurry！〃
　　　〃We'll　be　departed　in　a　moment；〃　Pharaun　said；　gesturing　for　Q'arlynd　to　show　him　the　way。
　　　The　Melarn　wizard　led　the　group　into　the　large　chamber；　which　looked　like　a　library；　though　all　the　shelves　were　empty。　Several　statues　lined　the　walls。　Q'arlynd　headed　toward　a　spot　on　one　wall；　near　the　back　of　the　room。　It　was　an　archway；　but　it　led　nowhere　at　the　moment；　filled　instead　with　worked　stone　blocks。　It　did；　however；　glow　with　faint　dweomers　of　transference。
　　　〃Here；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Excellent！〃　Pharaun　replied；　grinning　as　he　studied　the　spot　more　closely。　〃Now；　I'll　just　need　a　moment　to…〃
　　　The　mage's　words　were　cut　off　by　yet　another　tremor　in　the　floor。　This　was　followed　by　another；　and　another；　again　definitely　different　than　the　previous　rumbling。　Turning　to　look　over　his　shoulder；　Pharaun　groaned。　A　massive　statue　of　iron　was　striding　slowly　but　inexorably　toward　them；　and　with　each　step　the　floor　trembled　under　its　weight。
　　　〃Lolth　preserve　us；〃　Ryld　said；　dropping　into　a　defensive　crouch。　〃What　is　that？〃
　　　〃Its　a　magical　construct；〃　Pharaun　answered。　〃A　golem。　I　can't　do　anything　about　it。〃
　　　Ryld　leaped　forward　to　slice　at　the　huge　thing。　His　blade　struck　against　the　side　of　the　construct　and　skittered　off。
　　　Pharaun　shouted；　〃If　it　exhales；　don't　breathe　the　vapors！〃
　　　Jeggre