war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第51部分

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　　　She　didn't　bother　finishing　the　thought；　only　concentrated　on　a　name：　Lolth。
　　　She　closed　her　eyes　again　and　let　the　name　roll　over　and　over　again　in　her　mind；　and　after　a　time；　her　body　began　to　move。　Any　god's　name　has　power；　if　you　know　how　to　use　it。
　　　When　she　opened　her　eyes　she　was　surrounded　by　ghosts。
　　　Translucent　gray　shades　floated　all　around　her；　all　of　them　with　similar　features：　the　pointed　ears；　almond…shaped　eyes；　and　thin；　aristocratic　faces　of　the　dark　elves。　There　were　a　lot　of　them…a　war's　worth…and　they　were　all　headed　across　the　Astral　Plane　toward　the　same　destination。
　　　Aliisza　drifted　in　front　of　one　of　them；　a　strong…looking　male　dressed　for　battle；　regal　in　his　armor　and　helm。
　　　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃　she　asked　the　spirit。　〃Can　you　see　me？〃
　　　The　dead　drow　looked　right　at　her　and　lifted　an　eyebrow。　He　stood　stock　still；　but　his　body　continued　to　drift　through　the　endless　expanse；　unerringly　falling　sideways　toward　its　final　destination。
　　　〃My　name　is　Aliisza；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　know　where　you　are？〃
　　　Yes；　the　drow　answered　directly　into　her　mind。　His　mouth　was　open；　but　his　lips　didn't　move。　I　can　feel　it。　I'm　dead。　I　died。　I　was　killed。
　　　〃What　is　your　name？〃
　　　I　was　Vilto'sat　Shobalar；　the　soldier　answered；　but　now　I　am　nothing。　My　body　rots　away；　my　House　forgets　me；　and　I　pass　on。　Are　you　here　to　torment　me？
　　　〃I'm　sorry？〃　the　alu…fiend　asked；　confused　by　the　drow　spirit's　sudden　change　of　subject。
　　　You're　a　demon；　he　said。　Are　you　here　to　torment　me？　For　my　failure　on　the　battlefield　or　simply　to　satisfy　your　cruel　nature？
　　　Aliisza's　hackles　rose；　and　she　couldn't　help　but　sneer　at　the　dead　drow。　He　had　obviously　mistaken　her　for　a　different　sort　of　tanar'ri　altogether；　and　she　didn't　find　it　flattering　in　the　least。
　　　〃If　I　was　here　to　torment　you；〃　she　said；　〃you'd　know　it；　mushroom　farm。〃
　　　Vilto'sat　Shobalar　turned　away　from　her　with　a　look　of　haughty　contempt　that　was　the　only　thing；　apparently；　dark　elves　took　to　the　grave。
　　　Aliisza　moved　on　along　the　line　of　dead　drow；　and　as　she　progressed　in　the　direction　of　their　travel；　moving　faster　than　the　wandering　souls；　the　density　of　the　ghosts　increased；　as　if　they　had　been　stacking　up；　one　after　another；　for　a　long　time。　Finally；　her　curiosity　getting　the　better　of　her；　she　stopped　another　drow　spirit：　a　female　dressed　in　finery　that　made　the　alu…fiend　momentarily　jealous。
　　　〃Lady；〃　she　said；　sketching　an　overwrought　bow　that　the　dead　dark　elf　seemed　to　find　insulting；　〃may　I　speak　with　you　briefly　as　you　plete　your　journey？〃
　　　There's　nothing　you　can　do　to　torment　me；　demon；　the　shade　said　into　Aliisza's　mind；　so　move　on　and　let　me　be　dead　in　peace。
　　　Aliisza　hissed　and　almost　reached　out　to　grab　the　female　by　her　throat　then　realized　that　her　hands　would　pass　through　the　priestess。　The　dead　female　would　have　no　physical　form　again　until　she　arrived　at　her　final　destination。　The　Astral　Plane　was　only　a　way　to　get　from　one　universe　to　another。　There；　the　dead　drow　were　incorporeal　ghosts。
　　　〃I'm　not　here　to　torment　you；　bitch；〃　Aliisza　said；　〃but　I　will　if　you　don't　answer　a　question　or　two。〃
　　　Lolth　has　turned　her　back　on　us；　the　priestess　replied。　What　worse　could　you　do？
　　　〃I　could　leave　you　in　the　Astral　forever；〃　Aliisza　replied…a　hollow　threat；　but　the　ghost　didn't　need　to　know　that。
　　　What　do　you　want？　the　drow　replied。
　　　〃Who　are　you；〃　she　asked；　〃and　how　long　have　you　been　here；　awaiting　Lolth's　grace？〃
　　　I　am　Greyanna　Mizzrym；　the　ghost　replied…and　Aliisza　thought　something　about　the　name　was　oddly　familiar。　I　have　no　idea　how　long　I've　been　here；　but　I　can　feel　myself　moving。　That　only　just　started。　Is　Lolth　ready　to　take　us　in？　Has　she　sent　you？
　　　〃Can　you　feel　her？〃　Aliisza　asked；　ignoring　he　dark　elf's　questions。　〃Does　she　call　you？〃
　　　The　priestess　looked　away；　as　if　listening　for　something；　then　she　shook　her　head。
　　　I'm　moving　toward　something；　Greyanna　said。　I　can　feel　it；　but　I　do　not　hear　Lolth。
　　　Aliisza　turned　to　look　in　the　direction　the　line　of　drow　souls　were　moving。　At　the　end　of　the　very　long　line　was　a　whirlpool　of　red　and　black…a　gateway　to　the　outer　planes　that　was　drawing　the　souls　in。
　　　〃That's　not　the　Abyss；〃　Aliisza　said。
　　　It's　home；　whispered　the　bodiless　soul　of　Greyanna　Mizzrym。　I　can　feel　it。　It　is。　It's　the　Demonweb　Pits。
　　　Aliisza's　heart　raced。
　　　〃The　Demonweb　Pits；〃　the　alu…fiend　repeated；　〃but　not　the　Abyss。〃
　　　Aliisza　stopped　herself　and　hung　in　the　gray　expanse　off　to　one　side　of　the　procession　of　dead　drow。
　　　〃Well；〃　Aliisza　whispered　to　an　unhearing　Lolth；　〃moving　up　in　the　world；　aren't　we？〃
　　　The　alu…fiend　closed　her　eyes　and　concentrated　on　Kaanyr　Vhok。　She　let　her　consciousness　travel　through　the　Astral　and　back　to　the　cold；　hard　Underdark。　There　she　found　her　lover's　mind　and　dropped　a　message　into　it。
　　　Something　is　happening　with　the　Demonweb　Pits；　she　sent。　It's　a　plane　unto　itself　now；　and　the　gates　are　open。　Lolth　weles　home　the　dead。　She　lives。
　　　That　was　all　she　could　say；　and　she　hoped　it　would　be　warning　enough。　Aliisza　could　have　shifted　back　to　the　Underdark　in　an　instant　and　been　by　her　lover's　side；　but　she　didn't。　She　wanted　to　stay　where　she　was；　though　she　didn't　know　why。
　　　
　　　Nimor　had　given　up　trying　to　claw　Gromph。　Instead；　he　started　to　work　on　forcing　the　archmage　to　attack　him；　but　the　drow　wouldn't　oblige。　The　feeling　Nimor　had　that　Gromph　somehow　knew　what　he　was　thinking…maybe　before　he　even　thought　it…grew　stronger　and　stronger　and　made　Nimor　start　to　second…guess　himself。　It　was　no　way　to　fight。
　　　Nimor　stepped　back　and　so　did　Gromph。　The　assassin　could　see　Dyrr　slowly　circling　them　both　from　a　safe…some　would　say　cowardly…distance。　The　assassin　was　about　to　speak　when　a　familiar　nettling　buzzed　in　his　skull。
　　　Aliisza　is　in　the　Demonweb　Pits；　the　voice　of　Kaanyr　Vhok　sounded　in　his　head。　Something　is　happening；　and　it　will　be　bad　for　us　all。　I'm　not　waiting　to　find　out　how　bad。
　　　For　the　first　time　in　a　very；　very　long　time；　Nimor's　blood　ran　cold。
　　　Gromph　twitched；　almost　gasped；　and　Nimor　couldn't　help　but　look　at　him。　Their　eyes　locked；　and　an　instant　of　understanding　passed　between　them。　Nimor　stepped　back；　and　Gromph　nodded。　The　archmage　still　kept　the　ghostly　battle…axe　in　front　of　him　but　didn't　advance。　He　breathed　heavily；　sweat　running　down　the　sides　of　his　face　and　matting　his　snow…white　hair　to　his　forehead。
　　　Again；　Nimor　was　about　to　speak；　and　again　he　was　interrupted。
　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　the　lichdrow　demanded。　〃Kill　him！〃
　　　Nimor　let　a　long；　steady　breath　hiss　out　through　clenched　teeth。　It　was　bad　enough　that　a　key　ponent　of　his　alliance　was　abandoning　the　cause；　worse　still　that　Lolth　was　somehow；　for　some　reason　he　might　never　understand；　choosing　that　moment　to　finally　return…or　do　something　that　scared　Kaanyr　Vhok；　anyway；　and　the　cambion　wasn't　the　type　to　scare　easily。　All　that；　an　opponent　he　should　have　been　able　to　dispatch　with　nary　a　thought　but　who　was　able　to　out…think　and　outfight　him　at　every　turn；　and　the　damned　lich　was　barking　orders　at　him。
　　　Dyrr　began　shouting　again；　but　Nimor　didn't　understand　what　he　was　saying。
　　　〃I　can't…〃　the　Anointed　Blade　started　to　say　then　stopped　when　he　realized　that　the　lich　was　casting　a　spell。
　　　Gromph　heard　him　too。　With　one　hand　still　holding　the　axe　in　front　of　him；　the　archmage　tapped　his　staff　on　the　pockmarked　floor　of　the　smoldering　Bazaar　and　was　instantly　enveloped　in　a　globe　of　shimmering　energy。　No　sooner　did　the　globe　appear　than　Dyrr　finished　his　muttering；　and　the　sound　of　the　lich's　voice　was　replaced　by　a　low；　echoing　buzz。
　　　Nimor；　eyes　still　locked　on　Gromph's；　blinked。　The　archmage　glanced　over　at　the　lich；　and　one　side　of　his　mouth　curled　up　into　the　beginning　of　a　smile。　Nimor　had　to　look；　and　he　knew　that　Gromph　had　no　intention　of　attacking　him　anyway。
　　　The　buzzing　sound　grew　louder；　escalating　to　an　almost　deafening　roar。　Nimor　saw　what　looked　like　a　cloud　of　black　smoke　winding　through　the　air　at　him；　and　it　was　a　few　seconds　before　he　realized　it　wasn't　smoke。　The　cloud　wasn't　a　cloud　at　all；　but　a　swarm　of　tiny　insects…perhaps　tens；　even　hundreds　of　millions　of　them。
　　　The　swarm　descended　over　Gromph；　but　they　didn't　penetrate　the　globe　that　surrounded　the　archmage。　Nimor　had　to　assume　they　were　being　directed　by　Dyrr；　so　when　the　insects　turned　on　him；　he　took　it　personally。
　　　Before　the　first　of　them　could　land　on　him；　sting　him；　bite　him；　or　do　whatever　they　were　meant　to　do　to　him；　Nimor　stepped　into　the　Shadow　Fringe。　The　act　was　second　nature　to　him。　He　was　there　in　the　Bazaar；　then　he　wasn't。　The　swarm　became　a　shadow；　the　Bazaar　a　dull　world；　barely　corporeal；　drenched　in　blackness。
　　　Nimor　looked　at　his　claws。　His　mind　was　strangely　blank；　his　mood　impossibly　serene。
　　　〃Is　that　it？〃　he　said　aloud　into　the　unhearing　shadows。　〃Have　I　lost？〃
　　　He　closed　his　eyes　and　thought　of　the　lich　。　。　。　and　stepped　back　into　the　solid　world　right　behind　him。
　　　Nimor　grabbed　the　spindly　undead　mage　from　behind　and　beat　his　wings　hard　to　pull　him　up　and　away　from　the　floor　of　the　Bazaar。　The　lich　stiffened　and　drew　in　a　breath…perhaps　to　cast　a　spell…but　was　wise　enough　to　stop　when　Nimor　pressed　one　razor…sharp　talon　into　the　lich's　desiccated　throat。
　　　〃You　might　not　bleed；　lich；〃　Nimor　whispered　into　the　lichdrow's　ear；　〃but　if　your　head　es　away　from　your　neck　。　。　。〃
　　　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Dyrr　asked；　his　voice　a　thin；　reedy　hiss。　〃You　could　kill　him。　Our　moment　is　at　hand；　and　you　turn　on　me？　Me？〃
　　　〃You？〃　Nimor　sneered。　〃Yes；　you。　I　should　kill　you　now；　but　then　you're　already　dead；　aren't　you；　lich？　All　you　did　was　waste　my　time；　and　now　the　Spider　Queen　is　rattling　in　her　cage；　and　our　time　together　is　spent。〃
　　　〃What？〃　Dyrr　asked；　honestly　confused。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　　　〃Not　that　you　deserve　to　know　it　before　I　let　Gromph　Baenre　kill　you；〃　Nimor　replied；　〃but　it's　over。〃
　　　〃No！〃　the　lich　shouted。
　　　Nimor　grunted　when　something　pushed　hard　against　h