war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第82部分

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〃What　alhoon？〃　she　demanded。
He　hesitated。　〃It　really　is　a　long　story；　Mistress；　and　not　crucial　at　this　moment。〃
〃I　will　decide　what　is　crucial；　mage；〃　she　said。　〃Speak。〃
Before　Pharaun　could　begin　she　saw　the　First　Sword　approaching；　prenotsumably　to　inform　her　that　the　pany　was　ready　to　set　forth。
As　they　started　to　march；　she　listened　to　the　mage's　tale　of　the　undead　mind　flayer　and　its　designs　for　Menzoberranzan。　There　was　more；　she　was　sure；　that　he　was　holding　back；　but　she　could　always　torture　it　out　of　him　later。
Along　the　way；　the　teachers　and　students　found　their　way　littered　with　mangled　dark　elf　corpses；　some　headless；　some　partially　devoured；　firelight　gilding　their　sightless　eyes。　The　rich　smell　of　blood　peted　with　the　acrid　foulness　of　the　smoke。
Or　course；　no　drow　objected　to　the　spectacle　of　violent　death；　but　the　ubiquity　of　the　ravaged　shapes；　bined　with　the　glare　of　the　flames　and　the　uncanny　sight　of　burning　stone；　made　it　seem　as　if　Menzoberranzan　itself　had　bee　a　sort　of　hell；　and　that　was；　for　Quenthel　at　least；　unnotsettling。
The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　thought　that　were　she　a　weaker　person；　she　might　have　felt　as　if　she　were　moving　through　a　nightmare；　or　internotpreted　the　carnage　as　proof　positive　that　Lolth　had　turned　her　back　on　Menzoberranzan　for　good　and　all。　She　consoled　herself　with　the　thought　that　at　least　this　time　she　was　marching　against　an　enemy　she　could　see　and　smite。
Periodically　the　scholars　saw　small　groups　of　undercreatures　looting；　slaughtering　hapless　moners；　or　even　flinging　stones　and　arrows　at　the　column。　The　younger　students　sought　to　attack　the　thralls；　and　the　teachnoters　bellowed　at　them　to　desist。　The　Academy　had　to　act　as　a　unit　and　stick　to　a　plan　if　it　hoped　to　win　the　day。
Malaggar　raised　his　hand；　signaling　a　stop。
We're　close；　I　think；　he　reported　in　the　silent　drow　sign　language。
They　stood　in　place　until　a　flying　scout；　a　brother　of　the　pyramid　posnotsessed　of　a　cloak　that　converted　into　batlike　wings；　swooped　down　and　gave　his　report。
Mistress；　Malaggar　signed；　may　I　suggest　that　ten　squads　keep　on　straight；　and　the　rest　of　us　circle　around　that　block　of　houses。　We'll　take　the　ores　from　two　sides。
Very　well；　Quenthel　replied　as　she　surveyed　her　army。　All　of　you　from　the　head　of　the　column　to　the　mouth　of　that　alley；　follow　me。　The　rest　of　you；　go　with　Master　Faen　Tlabbar。　Everyone；　quietly　as　you　can。
Hands　lifted　at　intervals　down　the　column　to　relay　the　orders　to　those　who　couldn't　see　her。
The　pany　divided；　then　Quenthel's　troops　crept　on；　toward　a　clamnotoring　mob　that　quite　possibly　outnumbered　them。　Fortunately；　the　slaves　hadn't　noticed　the　Academy's　arrival；　and　she　meant　to　take　full　advantage　of　their　ignorance。　She　quickly　arranged　her　troops　in　a　ragged　but　servnoticeable　formation；　then　bade　them　attack　as　one。
Power　howled　and　flashed；　burning；　blasting；　and　devouring　masses　of　goblins。　Darts　leaped　through　the　air　to　pierce　ores　and　bugbears。　Under…creatures　fell　by　the　score。
Yet　after　that　first　volley；　scores　remained；　and　they　flung　themselves　at　the　scholars　in　a　yammering　frenzy。　The　drow　hastily　abandoned　their　crossbows　for　swords　and　spears。　Hidden　behind　lines　of　warriors；　mages　and　priestesses　peered；　trying　to　see　what　was　going　on　in　the　midst　of　the　savage　melee　so　they　could　target　their　spells　without　harming　their　own　rades。
Quenthel　could　have　cowered　behind　her　own　rank　of　protectors…pernothaps；　as　high　priestess　and　leader；　she　should　have…but　she　thought　it　might　stiffen　the　spines　of　the　first…　and　second…year　students　if　she　led　from　the　front；　and　in　any　case；　she　wanted　to　kill　up　close　and　see　the　pain　and　fear　in　her　victims'　faces。　Her　vipers　rearing　and　hissing；　she　shoved　her　way　to　the　front。
She　slew　several　goblinoids；　and　dazzling　yellow　light　flashed　and　cracknotled　around　her。　The　fire　magic　did　her　no　harm…her　mystical　defenses　held…but　several　of　the　folk　around　her；　drow　and　undercreature　alike；　shrieked　and　fell。
For　a　moment；　everyone；　every　survivor　in　the　immediate　vicinity；　was　stunned。　Then　ores　scrambled　forward　at　the　gaps　the　blaze　had　created　in　the　drow　line；　and　scholars　darted　forward　to　fill　them。　No　one　paid　any　heed　to　the　burned　rades　beneath　their　feet；　save　to　curse　them　if　she　tripped。
Quenthel　stepped　back；　letting　a　student　warrior　from　House　Despana　take　her　place；　then　cast　about；　seeking　the　source　of　the　burst　of　flame。　She　had　a　vague　sense　that　the　magic　had　plunged　down　from　above；　so　she　looked　there　first；　at　the　upper　stories　of　the　buildings　to　either　side。
She　blinked　in　surprise。　Like　true　arachnids；　driders　were　scutding　about　the　walls　and　rooflines。　Many　such　debased　creatures　retained　their　spellcasting　abilities；　and　one　of　them　must　have　conjured　the　fire。
Quenthel　had　no　idea　how　the　thralls　and　outcasts　could　have　conspired　together；　nor　did　she　have　time　to　stop　and　ponder　the　question。　She　had　to　stop　the　driders　before　they　destroyed　her　pany　from　above。　She　levitated　upward　through　the　smoky　air；　meanwhile　looking　about　for　the　mage　who'd　created　the　flame。
Barbed　arrows　and　bolts　of　light　streaked　at　her　from　all　directions。　She　shielded　her　face　with　a　fold　of　her　piwafwi；　and　the　missiles　rebounded　or　dissolved　when　they　encountered　her　layers　of　enchanted　protection。　The　impacts　stung　but　did　no　serious　damage。
When　she'd　ascended　to　their　level；　she　recognized　certain　snarling　faces　even　with　the　fangs；　driders　whom　she　herself　had　helped　to　make。　Perhaps　it　explained　why　they'd　throw　magic　at　her　despite　the　inevitable　damage　to　the　mob　of　ores。
She　quickly　unrolled　another　scroll　and　read　the　trigger　phrase　therein。　Blades　appeared；　floating　among　the　driders　in　front　of　her；　then　began　to　revolve　around　a　central　point。　The　razor…sharp　slivers　of　metal　sped　along　so　fast　they　were　invisible；　and　their　orbits　curved　through　the　bodies　of　their　foes。　The　blades　sliced　and　pierced　the　half…spiders　without　even　slowing　down；　reducing　the　brutes　to　scraps　of　meat　and　splashes　of　blood。
Quenthel　laughed　and　started　to　twist　around　to　face　the　driders　atop　the　stalagmite　buildings　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street。　A　length　of　something　sticky　lashed　her　and　looped　tightly　about　her　torso；　binding　her　free　hand　to　her　chest。
It　was　webbing。　She　knew　that　some　driders　could　spin　the　stuff。　As　they　sought　to　reel　her　in；　she　levitated　once　more；　resisting　the　pull　like　a　fish　on　a　line。　Meanwhile；　she　struggled　to　reach　another　scroll　despite　the　constriction　of　her　arm。　The　vipers　bit　and　chewed　at　the　cable。
Pharaun　levitated　into　view；　and　sizzling　white　lightning　leaped　from　his　fingertips。　It　stabbed　one　drider；　then　leaped　to　the　next；　then　another；　until　the　twisting；　dazzling　power　linked　all　the　half…spiders　like　beads　on　a　chain。　They　danced　spasmodically　until　the　magic　ended；　then　instantly　collapsed。　Stinking　smoke　rose　from　the　remains。
Pharaun　smiled　at　Quenthel　and　said；　〃I've　often　wondered　why　the　goddess　doesn't　transform　our　misfits　into　something　harmless；〃　he　said。　〃I　suppose　driders　are　another　tool　for　culling　the　weak。〃
Ignoring　his　blather；　Quenthel　peered　down　to　see　what　was　transpiring　on　the　battlefield。
Malaggar's　contingent　had　arrived　and　was　tearing　into　the　enemy's　flank。　At　virtually　the　same　instant；　the　Auvryndar　threw　open　their　gates；　and；　mounted　on　their　lizards；　charged　forth　in　a　sortie。
Teeth　gritted；　Quenthel　pulled　the　gummy　web　off　her　person　and　floated　down　to　rejoin　her　troops　on　the　ground。　Contemptuous　of　the　ennotemies'　arrows；　Pharaun　continued　to　hang　above　the　warriors'　heads　from　which　point　it　was　no　doubt　easier　to　aim　his　ma