war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第58部分

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　　　〃The　s…s…spell；〃　she　said；　shivering　violently；　then　switching　to　sign　language。　I　should　cast　it　soon。
　　　Ryld's　attention；　however；　was　focused　on　a　ghostly　rider　racing　toward　them　on　one　of　the　surface　mounts…a　〃horse；〃　Ryld　suddenly　remembered　it　was　called。　The　horse's　feet　did　not　disturb　the　snow；　yet　Ryld　could　hear…faintly…the　sound　of　hooves　striking　the　ground。　The　horse　was　still　strong；　still　capable　of　running　swiftly…and　was　corporeal；　at　least　for　the　moment。　And　that　gave　him　an　idea。
　　　Grasping　the　fallen　standard…bearer's　pole；　he　wrenched　it　up　out　of　the　snow　and　stood　as　straight　as　the　wracking　pain　in　his　gut　would　allow。
　　　〃In　the　name　of　Lord　Velar；　halt！〃　he　shouted。　〃I　bear　a　message　that　must　reach　your　mander's　ears。〃
　　　For　an　anxious　moment；　Ryld　thought　his　ruse　wasn't　going　to　work。　The　standard　in　his　hands　was　ancient　and　rusted；　the　pennant　long　since　rotted　away。　But　the　officer　seemed　to　see　it　as　it　once　had　been。　Immediately；　the　ghost　pulled　up　its　mount。　Fully　corporeal；　the　dead　man　stared　down　at　Ryld。　Its　horse　mirrored　the　ghost's　apprehension　as　it　flared　its　nostrils　and…perhaps　catching　scent　of　a　dragon　that　was　long…since　dead　in　Ryld's　time…whinnied　nervously。
　　　The　undead　officer's　eyes　narrowed；　however；　as　it　glanced　between　Ryld　and　Halisstra。
　　　〃You　aren't　soldiers；〃　the　ghost　said。　〃You're　not　even　human。〃
　　　〃We're　drow；〃　Ryld　said　quickly；　silently　praying　that　his　race　had　not　been　at　war　with　those　humans　in　their　day。　〃Dark　elves　from　the　Realms　Below　who　have　e　to　fight　beside　Lord　Velar。〃
　　　〃You're　too　late。　Look　around　you。　Lord　Velar's　army　is　defeated。　The　dragons　。　。　。〃
　　　The　ghost　shuddered；　unable　to　go　on。
　　　〃Yes；　I　know。〃　Ryld　raised　his　left　hand；　drawing　the　officer's　eye　to　the　dragon…shaped　ring　of　Melee…Magthere　on　his　finger。　〃I　am　quite　familiar　with　dragons；　and　I　know　how　terrible　a　weapon　they　can　be。　I　have　knowledge　that　can　help　Lord　Velar　defeat　them…if　I　can　reach　him　in　time。　Loan　me　your　horse；　and　this　defeat　may　yet　be　turned　into　a　victory。〃
　　　Behind　Ryld；　Halisstra　stood　shivering；　her　arms　tucked　tight　to　her　chest。
　　　The　officer　gave　one　last　nervous　glance　over　his　shoulder；　then　swung　down　out　of　the　saddle。
　　　〃Take　her；〃　the　apparition　said；　thrusting　the　reins　into　Ryld's　hand。　The　ghost　drew　its　sword　and　turned　back　toward　the　direction　from　which　it　had　ridden。　〃　'Better　to　die　proud　than　live　in　shame；'　〃　it　said；　reciting　the　words　like　a　quote。
　　　The　ghost　officer　strode　away；　dissolving　into　a　swirl　of　mist　amidst　the　thickly　falling　snow。
　　　The　horse；　however；　remained。　As　it　shifted　its　weight；　its　legs　ploughed　a　furrow　in　the　snow。　Reaching　up　to　stroke　its　neck　and　steady　it；　Ryld　found　that　he　could　smell　the　sweat　and　dust　that　clung　to　its　hair。　The　animal's　body　gave　off　a　wele　heat…one　that　Halisstra；　shivering　violently；　could　use　to　stay　alive。
　　　〃Can　you　ride　it？〃　he　asked　her…a　bit　belatedly；　he　realized。
　　　Halisstra　gave　a　shiver　that　might　have　been　a　nod。
　　　〃I've　r…r…ridden　lizards。　This　beast　sh…shouldn't　b…b…be　any　more　d…difficult。　Wh…what　is　it？〃
　　　〃It's　called　a　horse。　I　saw　one　for　sale　in　the　Bazaar　in　Menzoberranzan　a　few　years　ago。　Heard　it　fetched　a　pretty　penny　but　only　lived　a　couple　days；〃　he　said；　then　realized　again　that　time　was　of　the　essence。　〃Sit　in　the　saddle；　and　I'll…〃
　　　A　wave　of　pain　flowed　through　Ryld's　gut；　forcing　him　to　gasp。
　　　Halisstra　gave　him　a　worried　look。
　　　Ryld；　irritated　by　his　lack　of　control；　forced　the　pain　out　of　his　awareness。　He　gave　Halisstra　a　tight　smile　as　he　handed　her　the　reins。
　　　〃You　ride；〃　he　said；　〃and　I'll　hold　on；　levitating　behind。　The　animal　will　be　able　to　move　faster　that　way。　With　luck；　we'll　reach　the　forest　and　make　contact　with　the　priestesses　before　the　spell　you　cast　on　me　runs　out。〃
　　　〃Not　luck；〃　Halisstra　chastised。　〃With　the　b…blessing　of　the　g…g…goddess。〃
　　　She　gave　him　a　brief　kiss…with　lips　that　seemed　as　cold　as　those　of　the　dead…then　she　climbed；　still　shivering；　into　the　saddle。
　　　
Chapter　Thirty…five
　　　An　instant　before　the　demon　reached　Pharaun；　the　spell　activated；　and　an　enormous　glowing　hand　interposed　itself　between　them。　The　hand　slammed　into　the　demon；　smashing　it　down　against　the　deck　and　dragging　it　across　the　bone…white　boards　away　from　Pharaun。　Squeaking　with　fury；　the　demon　tried　to　squirm　free；　but　the　magical　hand　was　too　strong　for　it。
　　　As　the　uridezu　struggled；　unable　to　move；　Pharaun　cautiously　approached　and　grasped　the　two　ends　of　the　broken　chain。　Holding　them　together；　he　cast　a　cantrip；　glad　that　he　had　been　forced　to　use　that　form　of　binding。　A　pentagram；　once　broken；　had　to　be　redrawn　entirely；　but　a　chain　used　in　a　binding　spell　could　always　be　restored　with　a　simple　mending…assuming　one　had　the　magic　to　actually　restrain　the　demon；　first。
　　　The　instant　the　chain　mended　itself；　Pharaun　stepped　back　and　dispelled　the　magic　hand。　The　demon　leaped　to　its　feet；　eyes　slitted　with　fury。　As　it　yanked；　futilely；　on　the　chain；　Pharaun　turned　to　look　for　Quenthel　and　Jeggred。　He　spotted　them　a　moment　later…they'd　managed　to　escape　from　the　whirlpool　by　levitating　and　were　floating　in　the　eye　of　the　storm。　Unable　to　reach　the　ship；　they　were　rapidly　being　left　behind。　Quenthel　shouted　something　at　him；　but　Pharaun　couldn't　hear　her　over　the　crash　of　waves　and　the　howl　of　the　wind。　Her　message　was　plain　enough；　however；　from　the　waving　of　her　arms。　She　wanted　Pharaun　to　use　his　magic　to　fetch　them　back　to　the　ship。
　　　Pharaun　made　a　show　of　cupping　his　ear　and　shrugged　theatrically。　Then　he　turned　away；　chuckling。　He　stared　at　the　demon；　which　once　again　had　lapsed　into　surly　submission。
　　　〃Now　then；　demon；〃　he　told　it。　〃You　said　the　mouth　was　in　the　ship's　hold？〃
　　　The　demon　snarled　and　said；　〃Go　see　for　yourself。〃
　　　Pharaun　took　a　step　toward　the　open　hatch；　watching　the　demon　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　When　it　tensed　expectantly；　he　paused。
　　　〃I　think　not；〃　he　said。
　　　Instead　he　pulled　from　his　pocket　the　jar　of　ointment　and　rubbed　a　little　of　it　on　his　eyelids。　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　he　saw　that　his　caution　had　been　well　founded。　There　was　indeed　a　hatch　on　the　deck；　but　it　didn't　open　onto　stairs　and　a　darkened　hold。　The　edges　of　the　hatch　were　actually　a　wet　pucker　of　flesh　resembling　lips。　Inside；　where　the　stairs　had　appeared　to　be；　were　rows　of　jagged　teeth。　Beyond　those；　the　hold　was　filled　with　bones　and　skulls。　Red　light　flickered　around　them；　shining　up　through　the　eye　sockets　like　the　glow　of　angry　coals。
　　　The　mouth　was　breathing；　exhaling　a　rank　smell　that　was　a　bination　of　burned　flesh　and　charred　bone；　overlaid　by　the　stench　of　rot…worse；　even；　than　Jeggred's　breath。　Wincing；　Pharaun　pinched　his　nose　shut　and　backed　carefully　away　from　it。　He　was　glad　that　he'd　had　the　good　sense　to　have　the　demon　open　the　hatch。　He　was　certain　that　if　he'd　opened　it　himself；　he　would　have　been　sucked　into　the　mouth　and　consumed…utterly。
　　　Too　bad　he　hadn't　instructed　Quenthel　to　open　the　hatch；　instead。　That　would　not　only　have　produced　an　amusing　result…but　also　a　practical　one。　In　order　for　the　demon　to　sail　the　ship　out　of　the　storm；　the　mouth　had　to　be　fed　something。
　　　Pharaun　paused。　Or　did　it？　For　all　he　knew；　a　ship　of　chaos　could　sail　for　years　on　a　single　meal。　Centuries；　even。　But　could　it　sail　from　one　plane　to　the　next　without　feeding？　That　was　something　he'd　have　to　find　out。　A　bluff　was　in　order。
　　　He　folded　his　arms　against　his　chest　and　looked　the　demon　in　the　eye。
　　　〃We've　wasted　enough　time；〃　he　told　it。　〃Get　the　ship　under　way。　Set　sail　for　Plane　of　Shadow。〃
　　　The　demon　mirrored　Pharaun's　action；　crossing　its　own　arms。
　　　〃Stupid　mortal；〃　it　said　with　a　disdainful　smirk。　〃You　know　nothing。　We　can　not　travel　that　far。　Before　the　ship　can　enter　the　Shadow；　it　must　feed。　Permit　me　to　gate　in　a　worthless　mane；　and　I　will　stoke　its　fires。〃
　　　Pharaun　returned　the　smile。　The　demon　had　unwittingly　told　him　what　he　needed　to　know。　He　wasn't　about　to　allow　it　to　cast　any　spells…　it　wouldn't　be　manes　stepping　through　the　gate；　but　another　uridezu。
　　　〃The　fires　are　stoked　enough　for　the　moment；〃　Pharaun　told　it。　〃We'll　sail　out　of　this　storm　first　and　see　about　feeding　the　ship。　Remember…the　sooner　you　plete　the　task　I've　set　for　you　and　get　us　into　the　Abyss；　the　sooner　you'll　be　free。〃
　　　For　a　few　heartbeats；　the　demon　tried　to　stare　Pharaun　down。　Then　its　whiskers　twitched；　and　it　looked　away。　It　lifted　its　foot；　indicating　the　thin　length　of　chain　that　bound　it　to　the　deck。
　　　〃Someone　must　take　the　tiller；〃　it　said。
　　　〃I'll　do　it；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　said。　〃Just　get　the　ship　moving。〃　Then；　noticing　the　sly　took　in　the　demon's　eye；　he　added；　〃And　no　tricks。　I　want　smooth　sailing…or　at　least；　as　smooth　as　possible　in　this　storm。〃　He　paused　as　spray　from　a　breaking　wave　crashed　over　him；　re…drenching　his　already　sodden　piwafwi。　He　pointed　at　his　bare　feet；　still　stuck　firmly　to　the　sloping　deck；　thanks　to　his　spell。　〃As　you　can　see；　I　don't　wash　overboard　easily。〃
　　　Pharaun　turned　and　made　his　way　against　the　wind　and　spray…one　slow；　sticky　step　at　a　time…to　the　stern　of　the　ship。　The　tiller；　he　found；　was；　like　the　test　of　the　ship；　made　of　bone。　Not　of　powdered　and　pressed　bone；　like　the　boards　that　made　up　the　deck；　but　of　a　single　bone…an　enormous　radius；　by　the　look　of　it；　nearly　ten　paces　long。　It　was　slender　and　light　enough　that　it　must　have　been　hollow；　Pharaun　decided；　as　he　twisted　it　in　its　socket。　It　probably　came　from　a　dragon's　wing。　Gripping　the　handle；　Pharaun　glanced　down　over　the　stern　and　saw　that　the　rudder　was　an　enormous　sickle　blade。
　　　〃Get　us　under　way；〃　he　shouted　at　the　demon。
　　　The　uridezu　snarled；　then　raised　clawed　hands　above　its　head。　As　it　swept　its　hands　forward　in　the　direction　of　the　bow；　the　tattered　skin　sails　above　stopped　luffing　in　the　wind　and　belled　out；　straining　at　their　lines。　The　ship　began　to　move　more　rapidly　in　its　circuit　around　the　inside　of　the　whirlpool。　The　demon　continued　to　move　its　hands；　plucking　at　the　air