war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第27部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


inted　gold　brooch　securnoting　it。
Scimitars　in　hand；　the　warriors　approached　the　net。　Judging　from　their　smiles；　they'd　decided　there　was　nothing　to　fear　and　were　looking　forward　to　beating　the　two　prisoners　unconscious。
Pharaun　was　not　yet　satisfied　with　his　employment　of　the　glove；　but　he　was　rather　clearly　out　of　time。　He　would　just　have　to　try　the　pass　and　see　if　it　worked。　He　shifted　the　focus　one　more　time；　meanwhile　reciting　an　incantation　under　his　breath。
A　giant　hand；　radiant　and　translucent；　appeared　beneath　the　net。　The　instantaneous　addition　of　another　object　lodged　inside　jerked　the　mesh　even　tighter。　Pharaun　knew　the　jolt　was　ing；　but　he　cried　out　anyway。
The　pain　only　intensified　when；　responding　to　the　wizard's　unspoken　mand；　the　hand　hurtled　twenty…five　feet　into　the　air；　carrying　the　net　and　its　prisoners　along。　For　a　moment；　Pharaun　feared　he　would　black　out；　but　the　pressure　eased。　As　he'd　hoped；　and　despite　the　best　sliding；　bunchnoting　efforts　of　the　web　of　ropes；　his　own　weight　was　dragging　him　free。　He　shoved　and　thrashed　to　speed　the　process　along。
When　he　was　able；　he　looked　over　at　Ryld。　The　hulking　warrior　was　wrestling　free　of　the　net　as　well；　though　he　lost　hold　of　Splitter　doing　it。　The　great　sword　fell　point　first；　narrowly　missed　plunging　through　one　of　the　Mizzrym　warriors；　and　stuck　pommel　up　in　the　smooth　stone　surface　of　the　street。
〃We　have　to　fall；〃　said　Ryld。　〃If　we　just　float　here；　they'll　shoot　and　magic　us　to　pieces。〃
〃Let's　go；〃　Pharaun　replied。
The　masters　released　their　holds　and　plummeted。　One　of　the　soldiers　hit　Ryld　with　an　arrow；　but　the　missile　failed　to　penetrate　his　armor。　A　ball　of　flame　exploded　in　the　air；　but　Relonor　had　aimed　too　high；　and　the　blast　only　made　his　targets　flinch。　Pharaun　used　his　House　insignia　to　slow　his　descent　just　a　little。　He　thought　that　otherwise　he'd　break　his　legs。
As　a　result；　he　saw　Ryld…who　possessed　a　similar　levitating　talisman；　his　bearing　the　sigil　of　Melee…Magthere…reach　the　ground　a　moment　ahead　of　him。　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　tucked　into　a　ball；　rolled；　sprang　up　with　short　sword　in　hand；　and　lunged　at　the　soldier　who'd　loosed　the　arrow。　The　masked　male　leaped　backward；　dropped　his　bow；　and　whipped　his　scimitar　out　of　its　scabbard　again。　While　he　was　so　ennotgaged；　Ryld　yanked　Splitter　out　of　the　ground。
Pharaun　landed。　Despite　his　attempt　to　cushion　the　impact；　it　slammed　up　his　legs　and　sent　him　staggering。　As　he　fought　to　recover　his　balance；　he　noticed　Relonor　swirling　his　hands　in　a　star…shaped　pattern。
As　the　Master　of　Sorcere　lurched　upright；　the　other　mage　pleted　his　incantation。　A　long；　angular　reptilian　thing　sprang　from　the　palms　of　the　older　drow's　outstretched　hands　as　if　they　were　the　doorway　to　another　world。　Wreathed　in　flowing　blue　flame；　the　monster　charged　Pharaun。
Relonor　was　a　gifted　mage　but　no　marvel　as　a　tactician。　In　the　excitenotment　of　the　moment；　he'd　reflexively　cast　his　favorite　spell；　and　characternotistically　for　a　Mizzrym　retainer；　it　was　an　illusion。　He'd　forgotten　that　his　foe；　born　in　the　same　House；　might　well　recognize　the　sequence　of　mystic　passes。　Of　course；　even　if　Pharaun　hadn't；　his　silver　ring　would　have　shown　him　what　sort　of　magic　the　other　male　was　creating。
He　ignored　the　phantasm　and　reached　into　a　pocket　to　snatch　a　tiny　crystal　and　mence　a　spell。　He　ignored　the　apparition　even　when　it　lunged　so　close　he　felt　the　imaginary　but　searing　heat　of　its　halo　of　flame。
An　intense　coldness；　visible　in　the　fan　of　drifting　ice　crystals　it　instantly　created；　exploded　from　his　hand。　It　passed　right　through　the　reptile；　dissinotpating　the　illusion　in　the　process；　and　washed　over　Relonor。　It　painted　him　with　rime；　and　he　fell　backward。
Pharaun　grinned。　Greyanna　was　a　fool　to　accost　him　with　so　few　renottainers　in　her　train。　Didn't　she　realize　that　two　masters　of　Tier　Breche　were　more　than　equal　to　the　worst　that　she　and　her　four　dolts　could　do？
The　foulwing　flapped　its　bat　like　wings　and　hopped　closer　to　the　melee。　As　its　legless　body　pounded　down　on　the　ground；　Greyanna　opened　a　leather　bag　and　flung　a　handful　of　its　contents　into　the　air。
The　falling　motes　flared　with　greenish　light　when　they　struck　the　ground。　Each　seethed　and　sparkled　upward　like　a　spore　instantaneously　growing　into　a　fungus。　In　an　instant；　a　number　of　animate　skeletons　stood　upon　the　street。　They　carried　a　miscellany　of　weapons　and　shields　but　shared　a　mon　purnotpose。　As　one；　they　oriented　on　the　masters　and　advanced。
Shifting　back　and　forth；　Ryld　cut　the　undead　creatures　down。　Pharaun　took　momentary　shelter　behind　his　friend；　then　the　swordsman　cried　out；　staggered；　and　dropped　his　guard。　The　skeletons　surged　forward；　and　the　twins；　who'd　been　hovering　at　the　periphery　of　the　fight；　darted　in　as　well。
Caught　by　surprise；　Pharaun　only　just　had　time　to　conjure　a　dazzling；　crackling　fork　of　lightning。　The　power　held　the　enemy　back　for　a　moment；　and　Ryld　recovered　his　balance。
〃All　right？〃　asked　the　Master　of　Sorcere。
〃Yes。〃　Ryld　chopped　a　spear…wielding　skeleton's　legs　out　from　under　it。　〃Something　was　trying　to　tamper　with　my　mind；　but　it's　gone　now。〃
〃It　won't　stay　gone　unless　I　confront　the　spell　casters。〃
Pharaun　floated　up　into　the　air；　beyond　the　skeletons'　reach；　making　sure　he　would　have　a　clear　shot　at　Greyanna　and　the　others。　In　his　absence；　the　creatures　would　likely　be　able　to　surround　Ryld；　but　that　couldn't　be　helped。
Surveying　the　scene；　he　saw　that　Relonor　was　still　lying　motionless　on　his　back。　Positioned　beyond　the　melee；　Greyanna　and　her　sister　priestess　were　reading　from　scrolls。
For　a　moment；　Pharaun's　thoughts　exploded　into　a　terrifying　madness；　but　reason　quickly　reasserted　itself。　He　sucked　in　a　deep　breath；　trying　to　quell　the　residual　fear；　and　a　second　assault　wracked　his　body。　He　cried　out；　and　the　agony　passed。　Somehow　he'd　weathered　both　spells。
He　threw　a　seething　ball　of　lighting　at　Greyanna；　but　it　winked　out　of　existence　halfway　to　the　target；　unmade　by　the　priestess's　defenses。　She　and　the　other　cleric　employed　their　scrolls　again。
A　dazzling；　searing　beam　of　light　erupted　from　Greyanna's　hand。　It　slashed　across　Pharaun's　face；　and　he　closed　his　eyes　just　in　time　to　keep　it　from　blinding　him。　It　was　painful　nonetheless；　but　his　own　defenses　kept　it　from　burning　his　face　off。
The　other　priestess　flailed　at　him　with　a　sizzling　bolt　of　lightning。　As　it　was　one　of　his　own　favorite　forces　to　mand；　it　hardly　seemed　fair。　He　stiffened　with　the　shock　for　a　moment　or　two；　and　the　magic　lost　its　grip　on　him。
He　feared　the　spasm　had　cost　him　precious　time。　By　the　time　it　passed；　he　thought　the　priestesses　were　surely　in　the　process　of　casting　new　spells；　but　when　he　looked　at　the　lesser　of　the　two　she　wasn't　creating　any　magic。　She'd　dropped　her　suddenly　blank　scroll　on　the　ground　and　was　rooting　in　her　leather　pouch；　presumably　for　another　means　of　magical　attack。
Clasping　a　bit　of　coal　and　a　tiny　dried　eyeball　held　in　a　little　vial；　Pharaun　created　an　effect。　Power　sighed　and　rippled　through　the　air；　and　a　mass　of　darkness　appeared　around　the　female's　head；　blinding　her。
The　wizard's　thoughts　flew　apart　once　more；　then　reassembled　themnotselves。　He　rounded　on　Greyanna。　She　was　still　clutching　her　scroll；　evinotdently　still　casting　from　it。　He　began　to　conjure；　and　she；　evidently　uncertain　of　the　parchment's　power　to　protect　her；　tore　open　the　bag。
It　had　occurred　to　Pharaun　that　the　sack　might　have　more　spores　in　it；　but　he'd　assumed　they　would　produce　more　skeletons。　This　time；　though；　the　glittering　motes　burst　in　midair；　swelling　into　ugly　little　beasts　resemnotbling　a　cross　between　a　bat　and　a　mosquito。
The　stirges　swir