蛛后之战(被遗忘的国度系列英文版)-第6章

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e。　Several　priestesses　lay　battered　and　insensible　on　the　floor。　For　a　moment；　Quenthel　couldn't　make　out　what　had　caused　the　mess；　then　the　culprit　scuttled　across　her　field　of　vision　toward　another　hapless　servant　of　Lolth。
The　intruder　was　a　gigantic　spider　bearing　a　close　resemblance　to　the　gleaming　black　effigies　around　it；　and　upon　seeing　it；　Quenthel　scowled　at　an　unfamiliar　and　unwele　pang　of　doubt。
On　the　one　hand；　the　demon；　if　that　was　what　it　truly　was；　was　attacking　her　pupils　and　staff；　but　on　the　other；　it　was　a　kind　of　spider；　sacred　to　Lolth。　Perhaps　it　was　even　her　emissary；　sent　to　punish　the　weak　and　heretical。　Maybe　Quenthel　should　simply　step　aside　and　permit　it　to　continue　its　rampage。
It　sensed　her　somehow；　turned；　and　rushed　toward　her　as　if　it　had　been　looking　for　her　all　along。　Though　many　spiders　possessed　several　eyes；　this　one；　she　observed；　was　exceptional　beyond　the　point　of　deformity。　The　head　behind　the　jagged　mandibles　was　virtually　nothing　but　a　mass　of　bulging　eyes；　and　a　scatter　of　others　opened　here　and　there　about　the　creature's　shiny　black　bulb　of　a　body。
Its　peculiarities　notwithstanding；　the　spider's　manifest　hostile　intent　resolved　Quenthel's　uncertainty　in　an　instant。　She　would　kill　the　freakish　thing。
The　question　was；　how？　She　did　not　feel　weak—she　never　had　and　never　would—but　she　knew　it　was　scarcely　the　optimal　time　for　her　to　fight　such　a　battle。　On　top　of　any　other　disadvantages；　she　wasn't　even　wearing　her　mail　tunic　or　piwafwi。　She　rarely　did　within　the　walls　of　ArachTinilith。　For　the　most　part；　her　minions　feared　her　too　much　to　attempt　an　assassination；　and　she　had　always　been　confident　that　she　wouldn't　need　armor　to　disappoint　any　who　did　not。
As　she　backed　away　from　the　charging　spider；　her　slim；　gleaming　obsidian　hands　opened　the　pouch　at　her　belt；　extracted　a　roll　of　vellum；　and　unrolled　it　for　her　scrutiny；　all　with　practiced　ease　and　likewise　with　a　certain　annoyance；　for　the　magical　scroll　was　a　treasure；　and　she　was　about　to　use　it　up。　But　it　was　necessary；　and　the　parchment　was　scarcely　the　only　magical　implement　hoarded　within　those　walls。
Rapidly；　but　with　perfect　rhythm　and　pronunciation；　she　read　the　verses；　the　golden　characters　vanishing　from　the　page　as　she　spoke　the　words。　Dark；　heatless　flame　leaped　from　the　vellum　to　the　floor　and　shot　across　that　polished　surface　faster　than　a　wildfire　propagating　itself　across　a　stand　of　dead；　dry　fungus；　defining　a　path　that　led　from　herself　to　the　demon。
The　black　conflagration　washed　over　the　demon's　dainty　bladed　feet。　It　should　also　have　driven　the　manyeyed　creature　helplessly　backward；　but　it　didn't。　The　arachnid　kept　ing　nimbly　as　before；　which　was　to　say；　considerably　faster　than　the　best　effort　of　a　drow。
〃The　spirit　has　defenses　against　the　magic〃　cried　K'Sothra；　perhaps　the　least　intelligent　of　the　whip　vipers　and　certainly　the　one　most　inclined　to　belabor　the　obvious。
Quenthel　wouldn't　have　time　to　attempt　another　spell　before　the　spider　reached　her；　nor　could　she　outrun　it。　She　would　have　to　outmaneuver　it　instead。　Dropping　the　useless　sheet　of　parchment；　she　turned　and　dived　beneath　the　belly　of　one　of　the　statues。　Unless　it　had　the　power　to　shrink　or　shape　shift；　the　invader　wouldn't　be　able　to　negotiate　the　same　low　space。
She　slid　on　the　floor；　rubbing　her　elbows　hot。　One　of　the　snakes　cursed　foully　when　its　scaly；　wedgeshaped　head　rapped　against　the　stone。　She　rolled　over　and　saw　that　she　had　only　bought　herself　a　moment。　No；　the　demon　couldn't　slip　under　the　statue　but；　clustered　eyes　glaring；　it　was　rapidly　clambering　over　the　top　of　it。　Up　close；　it　had　a　foul；　carrion　smell。
Quenthel　knew　that　if　she　permitted　the　spider　to　pounce　down　on　her；　the　monster　would　hold　her　down　and　snip　her　apart　with　its　mandibles。　She　sprang　to　her　feet　and　swung　her　whip。
The　vipers　twisted　in　flight　to　bring　their　fangs　to　bear。　Those　poisonous　spikes　plunged　deep　and　ripped　downward；　tearing　gashes　in　some　of　the　demon's　bulging；　clustered　eyes　before　yanking　free。　The　ans　gushed　fluid　and　collapsed；　and　the　serpents　thrashed　in　joy。
Quenthel　could　feel　their　exultation　through　the　psionic　link　they　shared；　but　she　knew　it　was　premature。　The　spider　had　plenty　of　other　eyes；　and　the　stroke　had　only　balked　it　for　an　instant。　It　was　still　going　to　spring。
Though　caught　without　certain　of　her　protections；　Quenthel　was　at　least　wearing　the　necklace　of　dull　black　pearls。　She　reached　up；　slipped　one　of　the　enchanted　beads　from　the　specially　crafted　fine　gold　chain；　and　threw　it　at　the　spider。
White　light　blazed　around　her；　seemingly　emanating　from　all　directions　at　once。　Thanks　be　to　Lolth；　this　time　her　magic　had　an　effect。　The　spider　slipped　and　floundered。　Encased　in　an　invisible　sphere　of　magical　force　it　thrashed　about　in　panic。　The　explosion　had　opened　horrid　sores　that　speckled　the　creature's　body。　Unfortunately；　it　seemed　able　to　ignore　whatever　pain　those　wounds　caused　it　and　continued　scratching　at　the　restraining　sphere。　Bluewhite　sparks　flashed　at　the　tips　of　its　feet；　and　Quenthel　knew　it　was　using　more　than　brute　force　and　panic　to　break　free。
Speak　to　me；　Quenthel　thought；　sure　the　words　would　be　heard　in　the　spider's　mind。　She　felt　a　connection；　but　a　tenuous　one；　perhaps　attenuated　by　the　sphere　of　force。
The　sphere　faded　as　Quenthel　swung　the　whip　again；　trying　to　smash　through　the　creature's　hideous　visage　and　into　the　brain　that　presumably　lay　behind　it。　
The　spider　sprang　away　as　explosively　as　one　of　its　tiny　jumping　cousins；　arcing　high　and　landing　at　the　far　end　of　the　chamber　behind　a　rank　of　sculptures。　The　spirit　scuttled　through　the　shadows；　and　even　though　Quenthel　was　watching　intently；　in　another　second　she　lost　track　of　it。
Where　are　you？　she　sent。
The　reply　was　a　burst　of　anger　from　the　creature　no　mere　words　could　convey。　Quenthel　gave　up　trying　to　municate　with　it；　though　if　it　was　a　servant　of　Lolth；　it　should　respond　to　her。
〃You　could　get　out　now；　Mistress；〃　said　Hsiv；　the　first　imp　Quenthel　had　bound　inside　a　whip　viper。　〃From　over　there；　it　couldn't　reach　you　before　you　run　out　the　door。〃
〃Nonsense〃　she　snapped。　〃The　brute　disrupted　my　Academy；　threatened　my　person；　and　I　will　have　my　vengeance。〃
Infected　with　her　anger；　the　banded　vipers　reared　and　hissed　until　she　silenced　them　with　a　mental　mand。
One　of　the　priestesses　sprawled　on　the　floor　was　moaning　in　pain。　Quenthel　stalked　over　to　the　spider's　victim　and　kicked　her　in　the　head；　silencing　her　instantly。
The　drow　high　priestess　had　eliminated　all　extraneous　sounds；　but　it　didn't　help　her　locate　the　spider。　Save　for　the　soft　hiss　of　her　own　breathing；　the　chamber　was　silent。
Turning　slowly；　heart　pounding；　she　inspected　the　arachnid　effigies　all　around　her。　Did　that　jointed　spindle　of　a　leg　just　twitch？　Did　that　head；　coyly　turned　just　enough　that　she　couldn't　quite　get　an　adequate　look　at　it；　possess　too　many　eyes？　Had　the　figure　on　the　right　shifted　a　hair　closer　when　she　wasn't　looking？
No；　no；　and　no。　It　was　just　her　imagination；　trying　to　supply　what　observation　had　not。
She　sniffed　repeatedly；　but　that　was　no　help；　either。　The　spider's　stink　hung　in　the　air；　but　it　seemed　no　stronger　in　one　direction　than　another。
Curse　it；　the　demon　had　to　be　somewhere
Yes；　she　realized；　but　it　didn't　have　to　still　be　on　the　floor；　not　if　it　could　skitter　up　vertical　surfaces　like　its　smaller　kindred。
Assuming　the　demon　was　clinging　to　the　upper　walls　or　ceiling　it　might　have　taken　it　a　moment　to　shake　off　the　shock　of　the　flare　and　its　ugly　wounds；　but　surely　it　was　creeping　into　the　best　position　from　which　to　leap　down　on　its　adversary。
Quenthel　peered　upward。　The　artists　had　decorated　the　shadowy　highest　reaches　of　the　chamber　as　well。　The　ceiling　was　an　octagonal　web　a　crawl　with　painted　spiders；　providing　splendid　camouflage　for　the　creature。　If　it　was　in　fact　crouching　in　their　midst；　she　couldn't　see　it。
Still　scanning　the　ceiling；　the　whip　vipers　keeping　watch　as　well；　she　backed　to　one　of　the　wall　sconces　and　read　the　trigger　phrase　from　another　scroll；　whereupon　the　candle　flame　leaped　up　and　turned　a　roiling　black。　She　put　her　arm　into　the　dark　fire；　and　her　flowing　gossamer　sleeve　caught　inst