war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第81部分

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〃Very　well；〃　she　said；　〃but　if　this　is　some　sort　of　demented　jest；　you'll　suffer　for　it。〃
〃Mistress；〃　Minolin　said；　〃he　may　want　to　lead　you　into…〃
Quenthel　silenced　the　fool　with　a　cold　stare；　then　turned　back　to　Pharaun。
〃Lead　on；　Master　of　Sorcere。〃
In　point　of　fact；　the　high　priestess　didn't　have　to　walk　all　the　way　to　the　drop…off　to　tell　that　something　was　badly　wrong　in　the　city　below。　The　wavering　yellow　glare　of　firelight　and　a　foul　smoky　tang　in　the　air　alerted　her　as　soon　as　she　stepped　outside　the　spider…shaped　temple。　Heedless　of　her　dignity；　she　sprinted　for　the　edge；　and　Pharaun　scrambled　to　keep　up　with　her。
Below　her；　portions　of　Menzoberranzan…portions　of　the　stone；　how　could　that　be？…were　in　flames。　Impossibly；　even　the　Great　Mound　of　the　Baenre　sprouted　a　tuft　of　flame　at　its　highest　point；　like　a　tassel　on　a　hat。　Once　Quenthel's　eyes　adjusted　to　the　dazzling　brightness；　she　could　vaguely　make　out　the　mobs　rampaging　through　the　streets　and　plazas。
〃You　see；〃　said　Pharaun；　〃that's　why　I　ran　halfway　across　the　city；　dodgnoting　marauders　at　every　turn；　to　reach　you；　my　lady。　If　I　may　say　so；　the　sitnotuation's　even　worse　than　it　may　look。　By　and　large；　the　nobles　haven't　even　begun　reclaiming　the　streets。　They're　bogged　down　on　their　estates　fightnoting　their　own　household　goblins。　Therefore；　I　suggest　you…〃
The　mage　was　smart　enough　to　stop　talking　at　the　sight　of　Quenthel's　glare。
〃We　will　mobilize　Tier　Breche；〃　she　said。　〃Melee…Magthere　and　Arach…Tinilith　can　fight。　Sorcere　will　divide　its　efforts　between　supporting　us　and　extinguishing　the　fires。　You　will　either　find　my　brother　Gromph　or　act　in　his　stead。〃
Pharaun　bowed　low。
Quenthel　turned　and　saw　that　her　priestesses　and　novices　had　followed　her　out　onto　the　plateau。　Something　in　their　manner　brought　her　up　short。
〃Mistress；〃　said　long…eared　Viconia　Agrach　Dyrr；　one　of　the　senior　innotstructors；　rather　diffidently；　〃it　makes　perfect　sense　for　Melee…Magthere　and　Sorcere　to　descend　the　stairs；　but　。。。〃
〃But　you　ladies　have　lost　your　magic；〃　Pharaun　said。
The　sisters　of　the　temple　gaped　at　him。
〃You　know？〃　Quenthel　asked。
〃A　good　many　males　know；〃　the　mage　replied；　just　a　hint　of　impatience　peeking　through；　〃so　there's　no　point　in　killing　me　for　it。　I'll　explain　it　all　later。〃　He　turned　back　toward　the　rest　of　the　clerics。　〃Holy　Mothers　and　Sisters；　while　you　may　have　lost　your　spells；　you　have　scrolls；　talismans；　and　the　rest　of　the　divine　implements　your　order　hoards。　You　can　swing　maces；　if　it　es　to　that。　You　can　fight。〃
〃But　we've　lost　too　many　sisters；〃　Viconia　said　to　Quenthel。　〃The　demons　killed　a　couple；　and　you；　Mistress；　by　summoning　the　spiders；　slew　more。　We　don't　dare　risk　the　rest。　Someone　must　endure　to　preserve　the　lore　and　perform　the　rituals。〃
〃That's　far　too　optimistic；〃　Pharaun　said。
Viconia　scowled。　〃What　is；　boy？〃
〃The　assumption　that；　should　you　remain　up　here；　annihilation　will　pass　you　by；〃　the　wizard　replied。　〃It's　more　plausible　to　assume　that　if　the　ores　triumph　below；　they'll　climb　the　stairs　to　continue　their　depredations　up　here。　You　profess　devotion　to　Arach…Tinilith。　Surely　it　would　be　more　reverent　to　engage　the　undercreatures　in　the　vault　below　and　thus　deny　them　the　slightest　opportunity　to　profane　your　shrines　and　altars。　Siminotlarly；　it　would　be　better　strategy　to　fight　alongside　allies　than　to　wait　till　they　perish　and　you're　left　to　struggle　alone。〃
〃You're　glib；　wizard；〃　the　Agrach　Dyrr　priestess　sneered；　〃but　you　don't　know　our　efforts　are　needed。　Flame　and　glare；　they're　only　goblins！　I　think　you're　just　a　scareling。〃
〃Perhaps　he　is；〃　Quenthel　said；　〃but　how　dare　we　seek　the　Dark　Mother's　favor　if　we　decline　to　defend　her　chosen　city　in　its　hour　of　need？　Surely；　then；　we　never　would　hear　her　voice　again。〃
〃Mistress；〃　said　Viconia；　spreading　her　hands；　〃I　know　we　can　find　a　better　way　to　please　her　than　brawling　with　vermin　in　the　street。〃
Quenthel　lifted　her　hand　crossbow　and　shot　her　lieutenant　in　the　face。　Viconia　made　a　choking　sound　and　stumbled　backward。　The　poison　was　already　blackening　her　face　as　she　collapsed。
〃I　thought　I'd　already　demonstrated　that　/　rule　here；〃　the　Baenre　said。　〃Does　anyone　else　wish　to　contest　my　orders？〃
〃If　so；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃she　should　be　aware　that　I　stand　with　the　misnottress；　and　I　have　the　power　to　scour　the　lot　of　you　from　the　face　of　the　plateau。〃
Ignoring　the　boastful　wizard；　Quenthel　surveyed　her　minions。　It　apnotpeared　that　no　one　else　had　anything　much　to　say。
〃Good；〃　the　Baenre　said。　〃Let　us　rouse　the　tower　and　the　pyramid。〃









C　h　a　p　t　e　r

T　W　E　N　T　Y
T　H　｜R　E　E
With　Quenthel　in　the　lead；　the　Academy　descended　from　Tier　Breche　like　a　great　waterfall。　Some　scholars　tramped　after　her　on　the　staircase；　while　others　floated　down　the　cliff　face。　A　few；　possessed　of　magic　that　enabled　them　to　fly；　flitted　about　like　bats。
〃Perhaps　Mistress　would　care　to　bide　a　moment；〃　said　Pharaun。　At　some　point　he　had　slipped　off　to　his　personal　quarters　long　enough　to　wash　his　face；　b　his　hair；　and　throw　on　a　new　set　of　handsome　clothes。　He　returned　alone；　still　claiming　ignorance　of　Gromph's　whereabouts。　〃This　is　as　good　a　spot　as　any　to　spy　out　the　lay　of　the　land。　We're　below　some　of　the　smoke　but　still　high　enough　for　an　aerial　inspection。〃
Since　Gromph　was　still　either　unavailable　or　uninterested；　the　Mizzrym　was…with　obvious　relish…acting　in　the　Archmage　s　stead。　It　was　arguably　an　affront　to　House　Baenre　as　much　as　the　archmage；　but　Quenthel　had　given　the　order　anyway。　Until　her　brother　returned　or　the　crisis　abated；　she　needed　someone　to　speak　for　Sorcere；　and　she　was　sure　it　would　upset　Gromph　in　an　amusing　way　to　have　this　dandy　taking　his　place　for　so　important　a　task。　
She　halted；　and　her　minions　came　to　a　ragged；　jostling　stop　behind　her。　The　whip　vipers　reared　to　survey　the　cityscape　along　with　her。　From　the　corner　of　her　eye；　she　saw　Pharaun　smile　briefly　as　if　he　found　the　serpents'　behavior　ical。
〃There；〃　said　Quenthel；　pointing；　〃in　Manyfolk。　It　looks　as　if　House　Auvryndar　may　have　finished　exterminating　their　own　slaves；　but　a　mob　keeps　them　penned　within　their　walls。〃
〃I　see　it；　Blessed　Mother；〃　said　Malaggar　Faen　Tlabbar　from　the　step　behind　her。　The　First　Sword　of　Melee…Magthere　was　a　merry…looking；　round…faced　boy　with　a　fondness　for　green　attire　and　emeralds。　〃With　your　permission；　that　might　be　a　good　place　to　start。　We'll　lift　the　siege　and　add　the　Auvryndar　to　our　own　army。〃
〃So　be　it；〃　Quenthel　said
The　residents　of　the　Academy　reached　the　floor　of　the　lower　cavern；　whereupon　the　instructors；　particularly　the　warriors　of　the　pyramid；　set　about　the　business　of　forming　the　scholars　into　squads；　with　swordsmen　and　spearman　protecting　the　spellcasters。　Then　they　had　to　arrange　the　units　into　some　semblance　of　a　marching　order。
Like　every　princess　of　a　great　House；　Quenthel　had　a　working　knowlnotedge　of　military　matters；　and　she　watched　the　attempt　to　create　order　with　a　jaundiced　eye。
〃I　could　wish　for　a　proper　army；〃　she　muttered。
She　hadn't　meant　for　anyone　to　hear；　but　Pharaun　nodded。
〃I　understand　your　sentiments；　Mistress；　but　they're　all　we　have；　and　I'm　sure　that　if　we've　trained　them　properly；　we　have　a　chance。〃　He　coughed。　〃Against　the　thralls；　anyway。〃
〃Your　meaning？〃
〃The　greatest　danger　of　all　is　this　pall　of　smoke。　I　think　Syrzan；　for　all　its　cunning；　miscalculated。　If　the　mages　we　left　upstairs　don't　extinguish　the　flames；　we'll　all　suffocate；　female　and　male；　elf　and　ore　alike；　leaving　the　alhoon　a　necropolis　to　rule。　Still；　I　suppose　we　must　concentrate　on　our　task　and　not　fret　about　the　rest。〃
〃What　alhoon？〃　she　demanded。
He　hesitated。　〃It　re