war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第41部分

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　　　The　right　spell　came　to　Gromph's　mind　in　an　instant；　and　he　wasted　some　extra　energy　to　cast　it　quickly。　The　effect　was　one　he'd　felt　hundreds　of　times；　but　he'd　always　hated　it。　His　body　felt　as　if　it　were　drawing　itself　thin。　He　shivered　despite　himself　and　had　to　force　himself　to　keep　his　eyes　open　when　his　vision　blurred　a　little　and　the　world　around　him　became　both　distorted　and　somehow　brighter；　sharper。
　　　He　was　surrounded　by　the　inside　of　the　gigantic　insect。　Muscles　and　rivers　of　green　semiliquid　that　served　it　for　blood；　the　odd　line　of　sheets　the　thing　seemed　to　be　using　as　lungs；　the　husks　of　other　too…big　insects　that　it　had　recently　eaten…then　another　thick　layer　of　armorlike　chitin；　and　he　was　through　it。　He　had　passed　through　the　centipede；　his　body　more　a　part　of　the　Ethereal　than　the　Prime　Material　Plane。
　　　The　centipede　had　no　idea　what　was　going　on…how　could　it？　Gromph　knew　the　insect　wouldn't　have　been　able　to　feel　him　pass　through　it；　but　the　tasty　morsel　of　drow　flesh　it　thought　it　was　going　to　bite　and　swallow　was　somehow　behind　it。
　　　Gromph　caught　a　flash　of　movement　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　and　turned　fast　to　see　Nimor　ing　at　him　again。　The　daggers　were　gone；　and　the　assassin　had　a　few　new　cuts；　but　he　was　no　less　deadly　for　the　experience。
　　　The　centipede　turned；　moving　its　massive　body…one　that　must　have　weighed　several　hundred　tons…in　a　shockingly　quick　and　agile　twist。　Gromph's　ethereal　body　was　still　visible；　though　he　appeared　ghostly；　oddly　translucent。　The　centipede　didn't　seem　to　see　him。　Instead；　its　bulging　eyes　locked　on　Nimor。
　　　Nimor　slipped　sideways　in　the　air　again　and；　fast　as　the　insect　was；　the　assassin　slipped　past　its　jaws　in　time　to　save　his　own　life。　The　centipede　would　have　bitten　him　cleanly　in　two。
　　　Gromph　levitated　up　past　the　reach　of　the　centipede　as　his　body　faded　back　into　its　solid　form。
　　　〃Dyrr；〃　Nimor　raged；　〃mind　your　pet；　damn　you。〃
　　　Gromph　smiled　at　that；　but　Dyrr's　response　was　to　begin　another　incantation。　Nimor　might　have　been　angry　at　his　undead　ally；　but　they　were　far　from　turning　on　each　other。　The　archmage　knew　that　Dyrr's　spell　would　be　directed　at　him。　Despite　having　spent　a　little　time　in　ethereal　form；　the　globe　was　still　around　him；　so　Gromph　knew　that　Dyrr　was　going　to　be　using　powerful　magic。　The　archmage　turned　in　the　air　to　face　the　lich；　but　all　he　could　do　in　the　seconds　it　took　for　Dyrr　to　cast　the　spell　was　hope　the　defenses　he　already　had　in　place　would　be　enough　to　save　his　life。
　　　There　was　no　visible　effect　when　the　lich　finished　his　spell；　no　trail　of　light　or　clap　of　thunder；　but　Gromph　could　feel　the　magic　wrap　itself　around　him。　The　protective　globe　did　nothing　to　keep　the　spell　out；　but　other　defenses　came　into　play；　and　Gromph　concentrated　on　those。　Still；　his　body　began　to　stiffen。　The　archmage　could　feel　the　moisture　being　drawn　from　his　skin。　He　found　it　difficult　to　bend　his　elbows。　It　was　as　if　he　were　being　turned　to　stone。
　　　He　started　to　drop；　and　before　he　could　take　control　of　his　levitation　again；　the　centipede　turned　and　bit　at　him。　One　of　the　insect's　pincers　caught　the　archmage　on　the　thigh　as　he　dropped　past。　It　might　have　bitten　his　leg　off；　but　it　had　the　wrong　angle；　so　instead　it　ripped　his　skin　open　and　dragged　its　serrated　edge　deep　into　the　muscle　until　it　vibrated　against　Gromph's　thighbone。
　　　The　archmage　ground　his　teeth　against　the　pain。　Even　with　his　muscles　stiff　and　his　breath　ing　in　slow；　shallow　gulps；　he　used　the　staff　to　pull　up　into　the　air　away　from　the　centipede；　which　came　at　him　again。
　　　Blood　oozed　like　thick　mud　out　of　the　deep　gash　in　his　leg；　and　Gromph　found　it　ironic　that　it　was　Dyrr's　spell　that　seemed　to　be　saving　his　life。　The　ring　Gromph　had　been　depending　on　didn't　seem　to　be　functioning。
　　　Nimor　hit　him　again；　and　the　cold　of　the　magic　rapier　made　Gromph　stiffen　even　more。　A　breath　caught　in　his　throat；　and　his　stomach　convulsed　until　he　was　wrapped　in　a　ball　in　the　air。　He　tried　to　blink；　but　he　had　to　close　his　eyes；　pause；　then　slowly　open　them　again。
　　　He　tried　to　turn　you　to　stone；　Nauzhror　said；　his　voice　clear　in　Gromph's　groggy　mind。　You've　resisted　it　thus　far；　Archmage。　Don't　let　it　in。
　　　Gromph　turned　his　head　slowly　to　the　right…all　he　managed　from　an　attempt　to　shake　his　head。　The　globe　of　protective　magic　that　enveloped　him　disappeared；　its　energy　spent。　Gromph　saw　Dyrr　draw　himself　up；　only　a　few　yards　away。　The　lich　cast　a　quick　spell；　and　a　flurry　of　green　and　red　sparks；　each　as　long　as　an　arrow；　streaked　at　him。　Gromph　managed　to　move　his　leg　and　extend　his　arm　but　couldn't　get　his　jaw　to　open　fast　enough　to　utter　the　mand　word。　The　bolts　of　Weave　energy　smashed　into　him；　burning　him；　shocking　him；　making　him　twitch；　making　his　muscles　extend　then　contract。　The　archmage's　skin　rippled；　and　his　joints　popped。
　　　It　was　painful；　and　he　was　bleeding　in　wide；　hot　sheets　across　his　thigh；　which　was　open　to　the　bone。　He　could　move　again　but　not　fast　enough　to　avoid　the　centipede。
　　　The　insect　reared　up；　its　massive　pincers　wide　open；　and　closed　on　him　in　a　lunge。　Gromph　hung　in　the　air　barely　within　its　reach。　The　pincers　came　down　and　came　together　over　his　already　wounded　thigh。
　　　Gromph　felt　himself　tugged　down　by　the　centipede；　then　something　gave　and　he　bobbed　back　up。　Before　taking　stock　of　his　new　wound；　he　levitated　farther　up；　dimly　aware　that　he　was　trailing　something。　He　cast　a　spell　even　as　Nauzhror　and　Prath　shouted　into　his　head。　Something　was　wrong；　but　he　needed　to　finish　the　spell　before　he　could　do　anything　else。　He　had　to　get　rid　of　the　centipede　or　it　would　eat　him　piece　by　piece　while　the　damned　lich　stood　by　safely　watching。
　　　Gromph　looked　down　and　saw　a　spray　of　blood　play　across　the　centipede's　wide；　flat　head；　then　fall　through　it　as　it　faded。　The　spell　took　full　effect；　and　the　centipede　was　gone；　but　the　blood　still　fell　in　a　grisly　rain　onto　the　floor　of　the　Bazaar　far　below。
　　　Gromph　reached　down　to　his　leg　and　felt　something　hard　and　jagged。　He　cut　his　finger　on　a　sharp　edge…the　sharp　edge　of　his　own　thigh　bone。　His　leg　was　gone。　The　centipede　had　bitten　it　off。　Gromph　clenched　his　fists　in　anger　and　looked　down。　He　could　see　his　severed　leg　lying　amid　a　shower　of　blood　that　still　rained　from　his　open　wound。
　　　Sparkles　of　light　off　to　one　side　caught　Gromph's　attention。　Nimor　threw　something；　and　Gromph　instinctively　blocked　his　face；　fearing　a　spell。　Instead；　he　saw　the　hilt　of　the　winged　assassin's　enchanted　rapier　spinning　to　the　ground　far　below。　The　trail　of　sparkling　light　was　what　was　left　of　the　freezing　blade。　Gromph's　spell　had　done　more　than　banish　the　centipede。
　　　Nimor；　to　say　the　least；　was　not　happy。
　　　As　the　assassin　launched　a　string　of　invectives　his　way；　Gromph　flexed　his　muscles　and　found　that　the　stiffening　effect　was　gone。　He　was　in　pain　but　not　as　much　as　he　would　have　imagined。　His　ring　was　already　starting　to　fight　against　the　grievous　wounds　the　archmage　had　suffered。　Gromph　knew　that　he'd　survive；　but　there　was　still　the　matter　of　the　leg。
　　　Nimor　swooped　over　him　then　disappeared　into　the　darkness。　Gromph　couldn't　see　the　lichdrow。　He　dropped　slowly　to　the　floor；　ing　to　rest　in　a　pool　of　his　own　blood。　When　weight　started　to　return　to　him；　he　staggered　and　had　to　reactivate　the　staff's　levitating　power　before　he　fell　in　a　sprawl　into　the　puddle　of　cooling　gore。　He　hadn't　thought　about　trying　to　stand　on　one　foot。　Instead；　he　let　himself　hover　an　inch　off　the　ground；　bent；　and　picked　up　his　own　leg。
　　　It　was　a　curious　feeling；　holding　his　leg　in　his　hand；　but　the　archmage　brushed　it　off。　The　assassin　and　the　lich　were　obviously　regrouping　after　Gromph's　powerful　spell　had　disjoined　the　magic　all　around　him…all　the　magic　save　his　own…but　they　would　be　back。
　　　Gromph　felt　the　bone　on　his　stump　again　and　was　pleased　that　the　skin　hadn't　yet　begun　to　grow　over　it。　He　turned　the　leg　in　his　hand　and…
　　　A　blast　of　cold　air　surrounded　him；　engulfed　him；　pushed　him　back　and　down；　grinding　him　into　the　stone　floor　of　the　Bazaar　and　dragging　him　along。　Gromph's　head　smashed　into　something　that　broke；　splintered；　and　fell　all　around　him。
　　　He　shook　his　head；　and　bits　of　giant　mushroom　stem　and　glass　fell　from　his　white　hair。　He　was　half　buried　in　a　shattered　merchant's　stall；　but　all　Gromph　could　think　about　was　how　relieved　he　was　to　still　be　holding　his　leg。　His　body　was　covered　in　a　thin　layer　of　chilling　frost　that　was　already　starting　to　melt　in　the　cool　damp　air　of　the　Bazaar。
　　　The　lich；　Nauzhror　said　into　Gromph's　mind；　was　outside　the　disjunction。
　　　I　see　that；　the　archmage　answered；　letting　a　wave　of　frustration　follow　the　thought。
　　　Gromph　looked　up　and　around。　Dyrr　was　casting；　while　Nimor　arrowed　fast　through　the　air　at　the　archmage。　He　set　another　protective　globe　around　himself；　briefly　worrying　that　the　staff's　power　was　being　too　quickly　drained。　It　couldn't　keep　protecting　him　and　levitating　him　forever。
　　　The　lich　finished　his　spell；　and　Gromph　smiled　when　a　bolt　of　blinding　yellow　lighting　crackled　from　Dyrr's　hands；　arcing　through　the　air　and　splattering　in　a　shower　of　sparks　against　Gromph's　protective　globe。　Even　as　the　lightning　spent　itself　on　his　defenses；　not　even　making　Gromph's　hair　stand　on　end；　the　archmage　cast　another　defensive　spell　on　himself。　Flames　flickered　almost　invisibly　along　his　body。
　　　I　see；　Prath　said。　It　worked　on　the　huecuva；　but。　。　。
　　　Nimor　was　upon　him；　and　Gromph　tucked　his　body　into　a　ball　against　the　assassin's　attack。　The　half…dragon's　hands　were　bigger　than　they　were　in　his　drow　guise；　and　each　of　this　fingers　ended　in　a　thick；　sharp　talon　of　jet…black　ivory。　Nimor　raked　Gromph's　shoulder　with　those　formidable　claws；　but　they　skipped　harmlessly　along　the　sparking　surface　of　the　archmage's　fire　shield。　Bright　orange　flames　blazed　up　from　Gromph's　shoulder；　covering　the　assassin's　face。　Nimor　roared　in　pain　and　beat　his　wings　once　so　hard　that　stinging　shards　of　glass　from　the　ruined　merchant's　stall　whirled　around　the　archmage。　Each　time　one　of　the　little　shards　of　glass　hit　him；　a　spark　of　fire　burst　out　in　answ