蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ill　tightening　every　second；　it　was　just　as　hard　to　withdraw　the　article　as　it　had　been　to　reach　it。　He　experimented　to　see　if　he　could　possibly　fumble　it　through　the　proper　mystical　pass。
Such　a　cramped；　tiny　motion　was　neither　easy　nor　natural　for　him。　He　was　accustomed　to　conjure　with　a　certain　flair；　making　sweeping；　dramatic　gestures。　Yet　he　had　on　occasion　practiced　making　the　signs　as　small　as　possible。　It　was　good　for　his　control　and　had　a　few　times　allowed　him　to　cast　a　spell　without　an　adversary　realizing　what　he　was　about。　So　he　had　some　hope　of　properly　manipulating　the　glove。　If　only　the　web　wasn't　so　constrictive　or　his　hand　so　dead　and　awkward。
〃Excuse　me；〃　Greyanna　said；　then　suspended　the　conversation　to　read　from　her　scroll。
It　was　of　course　divine　magic；　not　arcane；　and　Pharaun　didn't　recognize　all　the　words。　The　effect；　however；　was　unmistakable。　The　rapier　jerked　and　fell　to　the　ground　with　a　clank。　The　masked　wizard　stepped　forward　and　scooped　it　up。　Pharaun　was　content　at　least　with　the　fact　that　the　rapier's　peculiar　enchantment　would　make　it　impossible　for　Greyanna's　henchman　to　turn　the　weapon　on　him—at　least　not　for　an　hour　or　so。
Pharaun　recognized　the　mage；　whose　high；　wide　forehead　and　small；　pointed　chin　were　unmistakable。　Pharaun　had　always　thought　they　made　the　other　mage's　head　look　like　an　egg。　He　was　Relonor　Vrinn；　an　able　wizard　and　longtime　Mizzrym　retainer。　He　was　still　wearing　his　silk　sash　with　the　spell　foci　tucked　inside　and　an　eightpointed　gold　brooch　securing　it。
Scimitars　in　hand；　the　warriors　approached　the　net。　Judging　from　their　smiles；　they'd　decided　there　was　nothing　to　fear　and　were　looking　forward　to　beating　the　two　prisoners　unconscious。
Pharaun　was　not　yet　satisfied　with　his　employment　of　the　glove；　but　he　was　rather　clearly　out　of　time。　He　would　just　have　to　try　the　pass　and　see　if　it　worked。　He　shifted　the　focus　one　more　time；　meanwhile　reciting　an　incantation　under　his　breath。
A　giant　hand；　radiant　and　translucent；　appeared　beneath　the　net。　The　instantaneous　addition　of　another　object　lodged　inside　jerked　the　mesh　even　tighter。　Pharaun　knew　the　jolt　was　ing；　but　he　cried　out　anyway。
The　pain　only　intensified　when；　responding　to　the　wizard's　unspoken　mand；　the　hand　hurtled　twentyfive　feet　into　the　air；　carrying　the　net　and　its　prisoners　along。　For　a　moment；　Pharaun　feared　he　would　black　out；　but　the　pressure　eased。　As　he'd　hoped；　and　despite　the　best　sliding；　bunching　efforts　of　the　web　of　ropes；　his　own　weight　was　dragging　him　free。　He　shoved　and　thrashed　to　speed　the　process　along。
When　he　was　able；　he　looked　over　at　Ryld。　The　hulking　warrior　was　wrestling　free　of　the　net　as　well；　though　he　lost　hold　of　Splitter　doing　it。　The　great　sword　fell　point　first；　narrowly　missed　plunging　through　one　of　the　Mizzrym　warriors；　and　stuck　pommel　up　in　the　smooth　stone　surface　of　the　street。
〃We　have　to　fall；〃　said　Ryld。　〃If　we　just　float　here；　they'll　shoot　and　magic　us　to　pieces。〃
〃Let's　go；〃　Pharaun　replied。
The　masters　released　their　holds　and　plummeted。　One　of　the　soldiers　hit　Ryld　with　an　arrow；　but　the　missile　failed　to　penetrate　his　armor。　A　ball　of　flame　exploded　in　the　air；　but　Relonor　had　aimed　too　high；　and　the　blast　only　made　his　targets　flinch。　Pharaun　used　his　House　insignia　to　slow　his　descent　just　a　little。　He　thought　that　otherwise　he'd　break　his　legs。
As　a　result；　he　saw　Ryld—who　possessed　a　similar　levitating　talisman；　his　bearing　the　sigil　of　MeleeMagthere—reach　the　ground　a　moment　ahead　of　him。　The　Master　of　MeleeMagthere　tucked　into　a　ball；　rolled；　sprang　up　with　short　sword　in　hand；　and　lunged　at　the　soldier　who'd　loosed　the　arrow。　The　masked　male　leaped　backward；　dropped　his　bow；　and　whipped　his　scimitar　out　of　its　scabbard　again。　While　he　was　so　engaged；　Ryld　yanked　Splitter　out　of　the　ground。
Pharaun　landed。　Despite　his　attempt　to　cushion　the　impact；　it　slammed　up　his　legs　and　sent　him　staggering。　As　he　fought　to　recover　his　balance；　he　noticed　Relonor　swirling　his　hands　in　a　starshaped　pattern。
As　the　Master　of　Sorcere　lurched　upright；　the　other　mage　pleted　his　incantation。　A　long；　angular　reptilian　thing　sprang　from　the　palms　of　the　older　drow's　outstretched　hands　as　if　they　were　the　doorway　to　another　world。　Wreathed　in　flowing　blue　flame；　the　monster　charged　Pharaun。
Relonor　was　a　gifted　mage　but　no　marvel　as　a　tactician。　In　the　excitement　of　the　moment；　he'd　reflexively　cast　his　favorite　spell；　and　characteristically　for　a　Mizzrym　retainer；　it　was　an　illusion。　He'd　fotten　that　his　foe；　born　in　the　same　House；　might　well　recognize　the　sequence　of　mystic　passes。　Of　course；　even　if　Pharaun　hadn't；　his　silver　ring　would　have　shown　him　what　sort　of　magic　the　other　male　was　creating。
He　ignored　the　phantasm　and　reached　into　a　pocket　to　snatch　a　tiny　crystal　and　mence　a　spell。　He　ignored　the　apparition　even　when　it　lunged　so　close　he　felt　the　imaginary　but　searing　heat　of　its　halo　of　flame。
An　intense　coldness；　visible　in　the　fan　of　drifting　ice　crystals　it　instantly　created；　exploded　from　his　hand。　It　passed　right　through　the　reptile；　dissipating　the　illusion　in　the　process；　and　washed　over　Relonor。　It　painted　him　with　rime；　and　he　fell　backward。
Pharaun　grinned。　Greyanna　was　a　fool　to　accost　him　with　so　few　retainers　in　her　train。　Didn't　she　realize　that　two　masters　of　Tier　Breche　were　more　than　equal　to　the　worst　that　she　and　her　four　dolts　could　do？
The　foulwing　flapped　its　bat　like　wings　and　hopped　closer　to　the　melee。　As　its　legless　body　pounded　down　on　the　ground；　Greyanna　opened　a　leather　bag　and　flung　a　handful　of　its　contents　into　the　air。
The　falling　motes　flared　with　greenish　light　when　they　struck　the　ground。　Each　seethed　and　sparkled　upward　like　a　spore　instantaneously　growing　into　a　fungus。　In　an　instant；　a　number　of　animate　skeletons　stood　upon　the　street。　They　carried　a　miscellany　of　weapons　and　shields　but　shared　a　mon　purpose。　As　one；　they　oriented　on　the　masters　and　advanced。
Shifting　back　and　forth；　Ryld　cut　the　undead　creatures　down。　Pharaun　took　momentary　shelter　behind　his　friend；　then　the　swordsman　cried　out；　staggered；　and　dropped　his　guard。　The　skeletons　surged　forward；　and　the　twins；　who'd　been　hovering　at　the　periphery　of　the　fight；　darted　in　as　well。
Caught　by　surprise；　Pharaun　only　just　had　time　to　conjure　a　dazzling；　crackling　fork　of　lightning。　The　power　held　the　enemy　back　for　a　moment；　and　Ryld　recovered　his　balance。
〃All　right？〃　asked　the　Master　of　Sorcere。
〃Yes。〃　Ryld　chopped　a　spearwielding　skeleton's　legs　out　from　under　it。　〃Something　was　trying　to　tamper　with　my　mind；　but　it's　gone　now。〃
〃It　won't　stay　gone　unless　I　confront　the　spell　casters。〃
Pharaun　floated　up　into　the　air；　beyond　the　skeletons'　reach；　making　sure　he　would　have　a　clear　shot　at　Greyanna　and　the　others。　In　his　absence；　the　creatures　would　likely　be　able　to　surround　Ryld；　but　that　couldn't　be　helped。
Surveying　the　scene；　he　saw　that　Relonor　was　still　lying　motionless　on　his　back。　Positioned　beyond　the　melee；　Greyanna　and　her　sister　priestess　were　reading　from　scrolls。
For　a　moment；　Pharaun's　thoughts　exploded　into　a　terrifying　madness；　but　reason　quickly　reasserted　itself。　He　sucked　in　a　deep　breath；　trying　to　quell　the　residual　fear；　and　a　second　assault　wracked　his　body。　He　cried　out；　and　the　agony　passed。　Somehow　he'd　weathered　both　spells。
He　threw　a　seething　ball　of　lighting　at　Greyanna；　but　it　winked　out　of　existence　halfway　to　the　target；　unmade　by　the　priestess's　defenses。　She　and　the　other　cleric　employed　their　scrolls　again。
A　dazzling；　searing　beam　of　light　erupted　from　Greyanna's　hand。　It　slashed　across　Pharaun's　face；　and　he　closed　his　eyes　just　in　time　to　keep　it　from　blinding　him。　It　was　painful　nonetheless；　but　his　own　defenses　kept　it　from　burning　his　face　off。
The　other　priestess　flailed　at　him　with　a　sizzling　bolt　of　lightning。　As　it　was　one　of　his　own　favorite　forces　to　mand；　it　hardly　seemed　fair。　He　stiffened　with　the　shock　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　the　magic　lost　its　grip　on　him。
He　feared　the　spasm　had　cost　him　precious　time。　By　the　time　it　passed；　he　thought　the　priestesses　were　surely　in　the　process　of　casting　new　spells；　but　when　he　looked　at　the　lesser　of　the　two　she　wasn't　creating　any　magic。　She'