war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第45部分

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　　　〃If　the　plane　is　infinite；　then　the　spot　we　seek　might　be　infinitely　far　away；〃　Pharaun　observed。　〃How　are　we　to　get　from　here　to　there？〃
　　　〃If　we　had　simply　materialized　at　some　random　point　in　this　reality；　you　would　be　correct；　wizard；〃　Tzirik　replied。　〃However；　the　astral　spell　is　not　a　random　means　of　travel。　We　are　not　too　far　from　what　we　seek…an　hour's　march；　perhaps　a　day's；　but　not　much　farther。　Since　we　know　that　Lolth's　domain　lies　at　the　very　nadir　of　this　place；　I　would　propose　that　we　need　only　descend　this　strand　and　continue　to　descend　each　time　we　e　to　an　intersection。　In　the　meantime；　be　alert。〃
　　　〃There　will　be　others；〃　Quenthel　added。　〃The　souls　of　the　recent　dead。　If　you　see　anyone　you　recognize　as　a　worshiper　of　the　Spider　Queen；　we　will　follow　them。〃
　　　If　Lolth　is　still　calling　them　home；　Halisstra　thought。
　　　The　others　seemed　to　be　thinking　the　same　thing。
　　　The　armored　priest　hefted　his　mace　in　his　hand；　adjusted　the　grip　of　his　shield；　and　set　off　directly　down　the　titanic　gray　strand；　shoulders　squared。　The　Menzoberranyr　exchanged　looks；　but　turned　to　follow；　picking　their　way　down　the　steeply　pitched　column　of　webbing　behind　the　Jaelre　priest。
　　　The　surface　of　the　strand　proved　surprisingly　easy　to　negotiate。　Its　surface　was　tacky；　rather　than　truly　adhesive；　and　it　was　posed　of　rough　fibers　that　provided　a　sure　footing。　It　was　springy　enough　that　it　cushioned　the　jarring　footfalls　of　the　sharply　descending　walk。
　　　At　first　Halisstra　thought　the　place　was　as　empty　as　the　silvery　seas　of　the　Astral　Plane；　since　the　vast　distances　from　strand　to　strand　of　the　webbing　gave　the　whole　place　a　sense　of　immense　vacancy。　Yet　the　farther　she　went；　the　more　she　became　conscious　of　an　active　malevolence　in　the　very　air　of　the　place；　as　if　the　entire　plane　watched　their　intrusion　and　seethed　with　anger。　Strange；　rasping　rustling　and　oddly　insectile　tittering　sounds　rode　on　the　fetid　updraft　from　below；　a　crawling　sound　of　distant　movement　and　activity　that　carried　no　small　menace　with　it。
　　　Sometimes　Halisstra　spied　motion　on　neighboring　strands；　even　though　the　sagging　gray　cables　were　miles　away　across　the　bottomless　space。　She　could　make　out　frenetic　activity　here　and　there；　the　creatures　or　objects　responsible　so　far　distant　that　it　was　impossible　to　guess　what　they　might　be。　More　than　once　she　sensed　presences　in　the　airy　voids　around　their　strand；　slow；　foul　things　that　glided　on　the　noisome　exhalations　from　below；　wheeling　and　drifting　closer　to　the　drow　travelers　as　if　sizing　up　an　easy　meal。
　　　They　began　to　pass　corpses　at　odd　intervals；　hulking　forms　of　nightmare　that　bined　the　worst　features　of　spiders　and　demons。　Great　rents　had　been　torn　in　the　chitinous　shells　of　the　monsters；　limbs　twisted　off；　hairy　thoraxes　crushed　and　oozing　sour　green　paste。　Winged　vulture…demons　lay　in　shabby　piles　of　filthy　feathers；　their　foul　beaks　agape　in　death。　Bloated；　froglike　things　hung　suspended　in　the　ropy　fibers　of　the　great　strand；　swaying　slowly　in　the　hot　stench　of　the　place。　Some　of　the　demons　still　clung　to　life；　too　horribly　damaged　to　do　more　than　quiver　and　rasp；　or　croak　dire　threats　at　the　drow　as　the　pany　carefully　climbed　down　past　them。
　　　〃This　place　is　a　charnel　house　of　devils；〃　Ryld　muttered；　holding　one　hand　over　his　nose　and　mouth。　〃Is　it　always　like　this？〃
　　　〃I　saw　nothing　like　this　on　my　previous　visit；〃　Tzirik　said。　〃What　it　means；　I　cannot　say；　but　I　would　not　care　to　meet　that　which　tears　apart　demons。〃
　　　〃It　is　not　like　I　recall；　either；〃　Quenthel　said。　Her　face　was　set　in　a　thoughtful　frown；　her　voice　quiet　and　strained。　〃Change　is　the　essence　of　chaos；　and　chaos　is　an　aspect　of　Lolth。〃
　　　〃Indeed；〃　Pharaun　said。　The　fastidious　wizard　held　a　handkerchief　to　his　nose　and　picked　his　way　around　a　huge　spider　corpse　whose　bulbous　abdomen　had　burst　entirely；　strewing　the　strand　with　its　horrid　contents。　〃It　seems　not　unlikely　that　they　did　this　to　themselves。　Demons　are　violent　creatures；　after　all。　In　the　absence　of　a　powerful；　manding　presence；　they　often　turn　on　each　other。〃
　　　〃An　absence　。　。　。〃　Halisstra　repeated。　She　frowned；　studying　the　carnage。　〃There　are　no　drow　bodies　here。〃
　　　Having　descended　a　goodly　ways；　the　neighboring　strands　were　closer；　and　the　intersections　more　frequent。　Halisstra　could　see　more　broken　forms　clinging　to　the　tattered　strands　nearby。　Whatever　battle　had　raged　there　must　have　spanned　dozens　of　strands　and　miles　of　gaping　darkness。
　　　〃The　Spider　Queen　。。。〃　said　Halisstra。　〃She　has　abandoned　the　denizens　of　her　own　plane；　just　as　she　has　abandoned　us。　Much　as　we　have　done　in　Ched　Nasad；　the　demons　of　her　realm　have　destroyed　each　other。〃　She　closed　her　eyes；　trying　to　shut　out　the　awful　sight。　The　smell　soured　her　stomach　and　left　her　light…headed　with　nausea。　〃Goddess；　what　is　the　purpose？〃　she　murmured　aloud。
　　　〃The　Spider　Queen　will　explain　her　purposes　if　she　sees　fit　to　do　so；〃　Quenthel　answered。　〃We　can　only　beseech　the　restoration　of　her　favor；　and　trust　that　we　will　find　approval　in　her　eyes。〃
　　　〃We　can　also　move　along　a　little　quicker；　and　stop　gawking；〃　Valas　Hune　called。　He　was　at　the　rear　of　the　band；　an　arrow　laid　across　the　string　of　his　double…curved　bow。　The　scout　stood　peering　up　the　strand　behind　them；　his　face　pinched　in　a　worried　frown。　〃Excuse　the　interruption；　but　we　have　pany。　Something　is　following　us　down　the　strand。〃
　　　Halisstra　followed　the　scouts　gaze　upward；　swaying　awkwardly　as　she　lost　her　balance。　She　hadn't　realized　just　how　far　they'd　descended　until　she　looked　back　up　the　massive　strand；　sloping　upward　steeper　and　steeper　into　the　darkness　overhead。　Something　was　following　them；　a　crawling　horde　of　tiny；　spiderlike　figures　that　swarmed　over　the　strand's　entire　circumference；　heedless　of　whether　they　clung　to　the　web's　top；　sides；　or　bottoms。　They　were　still　many　hundreds　of　yards　behind　the　pany；　but　even　at　that　distance　Halisstra　could　tell　that　they　were　ogre…sized　monstrosities；　and　the　alacrity　of　their　pursuit　certainly　didn't　seem　to　be　a　good　sign。
　　　〃I　don't　like　the　looks　of　that；〃　Ryld　said。
　　　〃Nor　do　I；〃　Quenthel　agreed。　〃Pharaun；　do　you　have　a　spell　prepared　that　can　bar　their　passage？〃
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　shook　his　head　and　answered；　〃Not　without　risk　of　severing　the　strand；　I　fear；　and　I　find　myself　strangely　unwilling　to　chance　that。　I　could　instead　confer　a　spell　of　flying　on　enough　of　us　to　perhaps　abandon　this　strand　and　reach　another；　or　we　could　simply　descend　to　that　strand　below　us　by　levitation。〃
　　　He　pointed　at　a　slender；　almost　wispy　web　a　long　distance　below　them　and　a　little　to　one　side。
　　　〃Save　your　magic；〃　Quenthel　decided。　〃That　strand　will　do。　Jeggred；　Ryld；　carry　Valas　and　Danifae。〃
　　　She　slid　down　the　side　of　the　great　strand　they　stood　on；　and　pushed　herself　off　into　the　darkness。　One　by　one；　the　others　followed。　Halisstra　risked　one　more　glance　at　the　scuttling　terrors　behind　them；　and　hastened　to　follow　the　Baenre　priestess。　She　scrambled　down　the　curving　side　of　the　monstrous　cable；　and　leaped　out　into　the　dark。
　　　
　　　Three　days　after　his　victory　at　the　Pillars　of　Woe　and　twenty　miles　closer　to　Menzoberranzan；　Nimor　stood　in　the　shadows　at　the　mouth　of　the　Lustrum；　a　wondrously　rich　mithral　mine。　Near　the　entrance；　a　wedge…shaped　vault　soared　upward　for　hundreds　of　feet；　widening　as　it　climbed；　but　down　on　the　cavern　floor　it　was　cramped　and　broken　with　the　shattered　remnants　of　huge　boulders。　The　miners…slaves　and　soldiers　of　House　Xorlarrin；　or　so　he　believed…had　abandoned　their　tools　and　their　homes　in　the　face　of　the　advancing　duergar　army；　carrying　off　as　much　mithral　ore　as　they　could　manage。　Nimor　gazed　up　at　the　narrow　black　rift　above　him。
　　　The　mithral　mine　was　an　interesting　bit　of　decoration；　but　it　was　only　one　of　the　reasons　he　was　there。　The　Lustrum　stood　between　the　army　of　Gracklstugh　and　the　army　of　Kaanyr　Vhok。　The　duergar　stayed　to　the　left　and　came　up　on　Menzoberranzan's　southwest　side；　while　the　tanarukks　pushed　right　and　approached　the　city　from　the　southeast。　The　drow　army　retreated　ahead　of　them；　in　full　flight　for　the　dubious　safety　of　their　home　city。　Menzoberranzan's　Mantle…the　great　halo　of　twisting　caverns　and　passageways　ringing　the　city…offered　the　invading　armies　a　thousand　paths　by　which　they　might　approach。
　　　Of　course；　the　matron　mothers　hadn't　left　their　outer　demesnes　pletely　undefended。　Nimor　glanced　down　at　the　green　shards　of　one　of　the　city's　infamous　jade　spiders；　huge　magical　automatons　of　stone　that　guarded　the　city's　approaches。　The　wreckage　of　the　one　at　his　feet　still　smoked　with　acrid　black　fumes　from　the　stonefire　bombs　that　had　destroyed　it　a　few　hours　before。　They　were　clever　and　deadly　devices；　but　without　cadres　of　magic…wielding　priestesses　to　hurl　all　sorts　of　awful　dooms　and　blights　on　invaders；　the　jade　spiders　were　not　sufficient　to　the　task　of　halting　the　two　approaching　armies。
　　　How　much　longer　until　Menzoberranzan's　great　castles　lie　shattered　like　this　device？　Nimor　mused。
　　　The　Anointed　Blade　was　interrupted　in　his　reflections　by　the　tramp　of　dwarven　boots　and　the　angry　scrape　of　iron　on　stone。　The　armored　diligence　of　Crown　Prince　Horgar　Steelshadow　approached；　escorted　by　a　double　file　of　the　duergar　lord's　Stone　Guards。　Nimor　winced　at　the　resounding　clangor　of　the　duergar　soldiers。
　　　One　would　think　they'd　get　their　fill　of　hammer　blows　and　noise　back　in　their　city；　he　thought。
　　　He　brushed　off　his　tunic　and　went　down　to　meet　his　ally。
　　　〃Well　met；　Crown　Prince　Horgar。　I　am　pleased　that　you　honored　my　request　for　a　parley。〃
　　　The　duergar　lord　threw　open　the　armored　door　in　the　side　of　his　iron　wagon；　and　stepped　down　to　the　cavern　floor。　Marshal　Borwald　followed　a　step　behind；　his　scarred　face　hidden　by　a　great　iron　helm。
　　　〃I　have　been　looking　for　you；　Nimor　Imphraezl；〃　Horgar　replied。　〃You　vanished　after　guiding　our　vanguard　to　this　maze　of　tunnels。　What　business　did　you　have　elsewhere　that　was　more　pressing　than　our　assault　on　Menzoberranzan；　I　wonder？〃
　　　Victory　had　transformed　the　crown　prince's　dour　pessimism　into　a　kind　of　ferocious　hunger　for　more　victories；　and　Horgar's　lairds　echoed　their　ruler's　attitude。　Where　before　the　sight　of　the　assassin　brought　black　scowls　and　dark　mutterings；　the　lairds　of　Gracklstugh　had　e　to　acknowledge　his　presence　with　gruff　nods　and　open　envy　of　his　successes。
　　　〃Why；　Crown　Prince；　my　business　concerned　the　uping　assault；〃　Nimor　said　with　a　laugh。　He　kicked　aside　one　of　the　jade　shards　from　the　ruined　construct。　〃Once　I'd　shown　your　men　how　to　disable　these　things　it　seemed　to　me　that　your　army　had　matters　well　in　hand；　so　I　took　the　liberty　of　reporting　to　my　superiors；　and　spying　out　how　matters　stand　in　the　city。〃
　　　The　duergar　prince　frowned；　his　brows　knitting　in　thought。
　　　〃You　felt　free　to　gamble　with　the　tanarukk　army；〃　said　Horgar。　〃They　might　have　turned　on　us　as　easily　as　upon　the　Menzoberranyr；　you　know。〃
　　　〃Under　normal　circumstances；　perhaps；　but　there　is　opportunity　in　the　air。　I　can　smell　it；　Kaanyr　Vhok　can　smell　it；　and　I　think　you　can；　too。　We　stand　at　a　fulcrum　on　which　many　great　events　might　be　made　to　turn。〃
　　　〃Empty　platitudes；　Nimor；〃　the　gray　dwarf　growled。
　　　He　folded　his　thick　arms　and　stared　into　the　darkness；　waiting。　After　a　short　time；　a　scuffling　and　snorting　drifted　through　the　darkness；　followed　by　quick　and　heavy　steps。
　　　Bearing　an　iron　palanquin　the　size　of　a　small　coach　on　their　hairy　shoulders；　a　score　of　tanarukks　loped　into　the　cavern；　bestial　eyes　aglow　with　red　hate；　axes　and　maces　gripped　in　their　powerful　fists。　The　gray　dwarves　and　the　orc…demons　glared　at　each　other；　nervously　muttering　and　fingering　their　weapons。
　　　The　door　to　the　palanquin　creaked　open；　and　Kaanyr　Vhok　slowly　straightened　out　of　the　chair。　The　half…demon　warlord　was　resplendent　in　his　armor　of　crimson　and　gold；　and　his　fine…scaled　skin　and　strong　features　bespoke　presence　and　charisma　in　a　way　that　Horgar's　duergar　churlishness　and　suspicious　manner　could　never　match。　The　alu…fiend　Aliisza　followed　sinuously；　stretching　her　wings　as　she　emerged。　Finally；　Zammzt　climbed　out　of　the　warlord's　coach。
　　　〃Well；　I　have　e；〃　Kaanyr　said　in　his　powerful　voice。　He　studied　the　assembled　gray　dwarves；　and　regarded　Nimor　as　well。　〃We　have　driven　the　dark　elves　back　to　their　city　in　disarray。　Now　how　do　we　finish　the　job？　And；　more　importantly；　how　shall　we　divide　the　spoils？〃
　　　〃Divide　the　spoils？〃　Horgar　rasped。　〃I　think　not。　You　will　not　help　yourself　to　part　of　my　prize　after　my　army　shouldered　the　brunt　of　the　hard　work　in　defeating　the　drow　at　the　Pillars　of　Woe。　You　will　be　paid　fairly　for　your　assistance；　but　do　not　presume　to　claim　a　share　of　my　victory。〃
　　　Kaanyr's　handsome　brow　creased　in　an　angry　frown。
　　　〃I　am　not　a　beggar　crying　out　for　your　largesse；　dwarf；〃　the　cambion　said。　〃Without　my　army's　approach；　you　would　still　be　fighting　your　way　toward　Menzoberranzan；　one　step　at　a　time。〃
　　　Horgar　started　to　pose　an　angry　retort；　but　Nimor　quickly　stepped　between　the　gray　dwarf　and　the　half…demon　and　raised　his　arms。
　　　〃My　lords！〃　he　cried。　〃The　only　way　the　Menzoberranyr　can　defeat　you　is　if　the　two　of　you　turn　on　each　other。　If　you　cooperate；　if　you　bine　your　efforts　intelligently；　the　city　will　fall。〃
　　　〃Indeed；〃　said　Zammzt。　The　plain…faced　assassin　stood　by　Vhok's　palanquin；　shrouded　in　his　dark　cloak。　〃There　is　little　point　in　dividing　the　spoils　of　a　city　that　you　have　yet　to　capture。　There　is　even　less　point　in　allowing　the　effort　of　dividing　the　spoils　to　prevent　the　city's　fall　in　the　first　place。〃
　　　〃That　may　be　true；〃　Kaanyr　said；　folding　his　powerful　arms　across　his　broad　chest；　〃but　I　will　not　be　forgotten　when　the　city　is　plundered。　You　brought　me　here；　assassins。〃
　　　〃You　brought　me　here；　as　well；〃　Horgar　rumbled；　〃and　you　brought　the　Agrach　Dyrr。　I　suspect　that　your　secret　House　will　be　hard…pressed　to　honor　your　promises　to　all　three　of　your　allies。　Which　of　us　do　you　mean　to　betray；　I　wonder？〃
　　　For　the　first　time；　Nimor　found　himself　wondering　if　perhaps　he　had　arrayed　too　many　enemies　against　Menzoberranzan　all　at　once。　That　was　the　nature　of　diplomacy　in　the　Underdark；　after　all。　No　alliance　outlived　its　usefulness；　not　even　by　a　heartbeat。
　　　To　his　surprise；　he　was　rescued　by　Aliisza。
　　　The　alu…fiend　draped　herself　at　Kaanyr's　side　and　said；　〃He　will　not　honor　his　promises　to　either　of　you；　as　long　as　the　city　stands。　How　can　he？　We　will　all　go　home　empty…handed　if　you　cannot　e　to　an　agreement。〃
　　　Nimor　inclined　his　head　in　gratitude；　making　a　very　conscious　effort　not　to　allow　his　eyes　to　linger　on　Aliisza　for　too　long　when　she　stood　next　to　Kaanyr　Vhok。　Somehow　he　doubted　that　she'd　shared　with　her　master　the　exact　details　of　her　visit　to　Gracklstugh；　and　he　didn't　want　to　give　the　half…demon　any　reason　to　bee　curious。
　　　〃Lady　Aliisza's　wisdom　is　as　great　as　her　beauty；〃　he　said。　〃For　the　sake　of　avoiding　argument；　I　propose　this：　To　Horgar；　five…tenths　of　Menzoberranzan's　wealth；　populace；　and　territory；　to　Kaanyr　Vhok；　three…tenths；　and　for　my　own　House；　two…tenths；　out　of　which　I