war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第55部分

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…looking　moner　hurried　away　in　the　opposite　direction。
Ryld　sauntered　to　the　near　edge　of　the　tent；　glanced　where　everyone　else　was　peering；　then　gave　Pharaun　a　subtle　nod；　confirming　what　the　wizard　had　already　guessed。　A　patrol　was　headed　their　way。
Pharaun　wished　the　guards　could　have　waited　just　five　more　minutes；　but　alas；　he　would　have　to　go　to　work　before　the　barber　finished　with　him。　A　tragedy；　but　it　couldn't　be　helped。
A　moment　later　the　patrol　marched　by；　casting　stern　glances　hither　and　yon；　their　tread　silent　thanks　to　their　enchanted　boots。　In　at　least　nominal　mand　was　a　priestess　of　Arach…Tinilith　armed　with　a　polished　wooden　wand。　Assisting　her　were　a　teacher　from　Melee…Magthere　and　Gelroos　Zaphresz；　one　of　Pharaun's　junior　colleagues　in　Sorcere。　It　was　unfortunate。　Possessed　of　a　store　of　jokes　and　ical　ditties；　Gelroos　was　congenial　pany。　At　least　if　Pharaun　murdered　the　other　mage　today；　he　wouldn't　have　to　worry　about　Gelroos　trying　to　assassinate　him　tomorrow。
In　addition　to　its　officers；　the　patrol　consisted　of　a　number　of　warriors…in…training；　boys　whom　Ryld　had　almost　certainly　instructed　at　one　time　or　another。　Pharaun　wasn't　particularly　worried　about　them。　His　fellow　teachers　were　the　real　threat。
The　Master　of　Sorcere　waited　until　the　guards　had　marched　past　then；　surprising　the　barber；　he　tossed　aside　the　hair…sprinkled　cloth　covering　his　chest；　stood　up；　and　handed　the　craftsman　a　gold　coin；　a　princely　overnotpayment　for　his　services。　He　touched　a　finger　to　his　lips　in　wordless　exnotplanation　of　what　he　actually　wanted　to　buy。　He　picked　up　his　piwafwi；　whose　elegance　he'd　obscured　with　a　minor　illusion；　swirled　it　around　his　shoulders；　walked　to　the　doorway　of　the　stall；　and　peeked　out。
The　patrol　had　tramped　about　twenty　yards　down　the　lane。　Any　farther　and　they'd　turn　a　corner；　so　Pharaun　had　attained　as　much　separation　from　the　enemy　as　he　was　going　to　get。　He　draped　a　fold　of　silk　across　the　lower　half　of　his　face；　then　stepped　out　into　the　open；　brandished　a　glass　marble　and　a　pinch　of　rust；　and　recited　an　incantation。　His　half…barbered　hair　stood　on　end；　and　the　air　around　him　smelled　of　ozone。　A　crackling　blue…white　spark　appeared　in　the　air　before　him；　then　shot　down　the　aisle。
When　it　reached　the　patrol；　the　flickering　point　of　radiance　exploded；　shooting　flares　of　lightning　in　all　directions。　Many　of　the　callow　young　solnotdiers　danced；　burned；　and　fell；　as　they　possessed　neither　the　spiritual　strength　nor　the　protective　talismans　that　might　have　minimized　their　innotjuries　and　kept　them　on　their　feet。　Unfortunately；　the　sizzling；　jumping　arcs　of　power　struck　a　handful　of　vendors　and　shoppers　as　well。　Pharaun　hadn't　particularly　wanted　to　harm　nonbatants；　but　the　aisle　was　simply　too　cramped。
The　rest　of　the　patrol　began　to　pivot。　The　captain　from　Melee…Magthere　was　smoking；　blackened；　and　blistered；　but　if　he　was　anything　like　Ryld；　his　burns　weren't　likely　to　slow　him　down。　Gelroos　and　the　priestess　looked　as　if　the　lightning　hadn't　even　touched　them。　The　female　was　spinnotning　around　a　hair　faster　than　the　other　two；　raising　her　baton。　Thanks　to　his　silver　ring；　Pharaun　could　tell　it　was　a　spider　wand；　a　weapon　capable　of　entangling　him　in　sticky　webbing。
He　had　no　intention　of　enduring　that　kind　of　humiliation。　He　rattled　off　a　string　of　magic　words　and　thrust　his　arm　out。　Five　slivers　of　arcane　force　leaped　from　his　fingertips；　hurtled　across　the　intervening　space；　and　slammed　into　the　cleric's　torso。　She　stumbled　backward　and　collapsed。
A　wiry　male　with　deep…set　eyes；　and　a　trace　of　a　scholar's　stoop；　Gelroos　peered　up　the　street　and　called；　〃Master　Mizzrym！〃
〃So　much　for　my　ability　to　manufacture　a　nonmagical　disguise；〃　Phanotraun　answered；　grinning；　〃but　then　we　do　know　one　another　fairly　well。〃
〃You're　allowed　to　try　to　kill　another　Master　of　Sorcere；〃　said　Gelroos。　〃That's　entirely　proper。　But　you　overstepped　when　you　struck　down　these　youths。　It　was　pointless　and　sloppy；　and　their　mothers　won't　appreciate　the　waste。　They'll　reward　me　for　taking　you　down。〃
〃Does　it　help　if　I　explain　that　all　I　do；　I　do　to　deliver　Menzoberranzan　from　twin　calamities？〃　Pharaun　asked。
Gelroos　raised　his　hands；　preparing　to　conjure；　and　the　remaining　warnotriors　charged。
〃Ah。　I　thought　not。〃
He　too　began　to　cast。
Gelroos　pleted　his　spell　a　moment　before　Pharaun　finished　his。　Crashing　and　crunching；　the　surface　of　the　lane　spat　stone　in　the　air。　It　was　like　a　geyser；　save　for　the　fact　that　the　chunks　of　rock　didn't　fall　back　to　earth。　Instead；　they　shifted　around　one　another　and　fitted　together；　formnoting　a　towering；　massive；　and　vaguely　drowlike　form；　like　a　heroic　statue　abandoned　when　the　sculptor　had　barely　begun。　Its　footsteps　shaking　the　ground；　the　creature　lurched　up　the　corridor　between　the　stalls。
Pharaun　was　mildly　impressed。　It　wasn't　easy　to　summon　and　control　an　essential　spirit　of　the　earth…nor　easy　to　fend　one　off；　either…but　the　manifestation　didn't　shake　his　concentration。　He　continued　his　recitation　without　a　flub；　meanwhile　floating　up　into　the　air　to　avoid；　if　only　monotmentarily；　the　swords　of　the　onrushing　warriors。
He　spoke　the　final　syllable　of　the　conjuration。　A　dagger　made　of　ice　flew　from　his　hand。　Gelroos　dodged　it；　but　the　conjured　blade　exploded；　pepnotpering　its　target　with　frozen　shards。　One　slashed　open　the　mage's　cheek　and　he　stumbled；　but　Pharaun　could　tell　he　wasn't　seriously　hurt。
Below　the　Mizzrym；　some　of　the　warriors　were　readying　their　crossnotbows。　Others　began　to　levitate。　By　rushing　him；　they'd　drawn　even　with　the　game　merchant's　tent；　and　Ryld　burst　from　underneath　it。　Half　an　hour　earlier；　he'd　purchased　a　scimitar　to　use　in　this　particular　battle；　but　it　was　Splitter；　rendered　visible　by　his　touch；　that　he　currently　clasped　in　his　hands。　He　must　have　decided　that；　since　Gelroos　had　already　called　out　Pharaun's　name；　it　would　be　pointless　to　try　to　conceal　his　own　identity。
The　greatsword　leaped　back　and　forth；　each　stroke　dropping　a　foe　to　the　ground。　Bellowing　for　his　minions　to　turn　and　face　the　new　threat；　Ryld's　fellow　instructor　tried　to　shove　his　way　toward　him。
Stone；　liquid　as　magma；　flowed　upward　from　the　ground　into　the　elemental's　body。　Most　of　the　rock　served　to　grow　the　creature　bigger　and　taller；　but　some　of　it　accumulated　in　the　palm　of　its　hand；　forming　a　spiky　sphere　that　it　no　doubt　intended　to　hurl　at　Pharaun。
The　wizard　snatched　a　tiny　vial　of　water　from　one　of　his　pockets。　Brannotdishing　it；　he　chanted。　He　felt　the　walls　of　the　cosmos　attenuating；　and　for　a　moment；　sensed　an　infinite　number　of　Pharaun　s　conjuring　in　adjacent　realities；　receding　away　from　him　like　reflections　in　a　mirror；　growing　subtly　less　and　less　like　himself　with　each　step。
A　pulse　of　scarlet　light　struck　him　in　the　chest。　Gelroos　must　have　connotjured　it。　The　blaze　of　pain　was　extraordinary。　Pharaun　strained　to　plete　the　last　word　of　power　and　final　mystic　pass　without　a　fumble。
He　wasn't　sure　he'd　succeeded　until　a　vacancy；　a　gap　not　in　matter　but　in　the　medium　that　underlies　it；　opened　under　the　elemental's　feet。　The　creature　cocked　back　its　arm　to　throw；　and　the　animating　force　fell　out　of　the　body　it　had　created　for　itself　and　down　the　hole。　The　wound　in　the　fabric　of　the　world　contracted　and　sealed　itself。　Rumbling　and　thudding；　the　huge　stone　form　fell　apart。
Pharaun　took　stock　of　himself。　It　didn't　look　as　if　the　red　light　had　done　more　than　scrape　and　prick　his　skin。　He　grinned　down　at　Gelroos。
〃Not　quite；　colleague。〃
〃This　time；〃　the　younger　wizard　said　through　gritted　teeth。
He　started　casting；　and　Pharaun　did　the　same。
Force　crackled　around　the　outcast　Mizzrym　but　failed　to　b