war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第28部分

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　　　Sculling；　he　positioned　himself　exactly　at　the　center　of　the　cage；　and　tried　again…a　shorter　hop。　Once　again；　the　cage　came　with　him。
　　　Valas　frowned。　The　cage　was　obviously　somehow　enchanted　to　contain　him　no　matter　where　he　went。　If　his　brooch　had　been　more　powerful；　he　might　have　used　its　magic　to　transport　himself　across　the　lake　in　a　series　of　short　hops…following　the　predominant　current　of　the　lake　back　to　the　waterfall　that　must　be　its　source。　But　the　brooch's　magic　was　limited。　After　two　more　hops　like　the　first　one；　it　would　fall　dormant　for　a　full　cycle。
　　　Meanwhile；　the　slime　left　by　the　tentacle　was　creeping　across　his　face　and　up　his　left　arm。　He　breathed　in　a　deep　lungful　of　water；　then　blew　it　out　through　his　nose；　clearing　his　nostrils。　How　much　longer　did　he　have？　As　least　his　mind　was　still　his　own；　and　he　suspected　that　it　was　one　thing　he　would　probably　retain。　The　drow…thing　had　exhibited　free　will。　It　had　been　able　to　warn　Valas　away　from　Zanhoriloch…for　all　the　good　that　had　done。
　　　Time　to　try　something　else；　the　scout　thought。
　　　Valas　plucked　another　of　his　magical…items　from　his　shirt：　a　short　mithral　tube　no　longer　than　his　finger。　Sculling　with　his　left　hand…the　webs　had　already　grown　up　to　the　second　knuckle…he　tapped　the　tube　against　one　of　the　bars　of　the　cage。　A　bright；　clear　note　carried　through　the　water；　but　nothing　happened。　Whatever　door　there　might　be　in　the　cage　was　not　responding　to　the　chime's　magic。
　　　Slipping　the　chime　back　to　a　pocket；　Valas　reached　for　his　last　hope；　a　brooch　set　with　a　dull　gray　stone　that　was　surrounded　by　a　dozen　tiny；　uncut　gems。　Made　by　the　deep　gnomes；　the　brooch　had　the　power　to　wrap　its　wearer　in　illusion；　giving　him　whatever　appearance　he　could　imagine。　It　didn't　actually　transform　the　wearer；　nor　did　it　have　the　power　to　manifest　more　plicated　illusions…like　making　a　drow　appear　to　be　an　aboleth；　for　example…but　it　would　allow　Valas　to　create　subtle　changes　in　his　appearance。
　　　He　twisted　the　gem　in　its　facing；　and　felt　a　warm　shiver　run　through　his　body。　Looking　down；　he　〃saw〃　webbed　hands　and　feet　and　a　fluked　tail。　The　brooch's　magic　had　worked；　giving　him　the　appearance　of　the　drow…thing。
　　　Everything　depended　on　his　guess：　that　the　magic　of　the　cage　would　be　negated；　once　his　transformation　was　plete。　Kicking　his　legs；　he　propelled　himself　up　toward　the　roof　of　the　cage；　praying　that　it　would　disappear。
　　　His　head　struck　bars　with　a　crack　that　made　sparks　dance　in　front　of　his　eyes。　Grimacing；　he　drifted　back　toward　the　center　of　the　cage。
　　　That　was　it　then。　The　brooch　had　been　his　final　hope。　Even　the　illusion　magic　of　the　deep　gnomes　was　powerless　against　the　cage　that　held　him。　He　was　trapped。　All　he　could　do　was　wait　until　his　body　caught　up　with　the　illusion　he'd　just　created。　Until　he　turned　into　a　drow…thing　himself。
　　　I　won't　let　it　happen；　he　thought。　I　deserve　a　good　clean　death。　A　soldier's　death。　Not　this。
　　　He　yanked　out　one　of　his　kukris…the　one　that　sent　a　jolt　of　magical　energy　through　whatever　it　struck。　The　magic　wouldn't　affect　him　if　he　was　holding　the　dagger…a　precaution　against　accidental　wounds…but　if　he　shoved　the　hilt　into　the　ground；　he　would　be　able　to　impale　himself　on　the　upturned　blade。　Reaching　down　for　one　of　the　bars　that　made　up　the　floor　of　the　cage；　he　used　the　dagger　to　prod　at　the　floor　of　the　lake；　but　the　ground　was　too　hard。　The　cage　had　landed　on　a　patch　of　stone。　He'd　have　to　move　it　somewhere　else。
　　　Sculling　up　to　the　top　of　the　cage；　he　peered　back　toward　the　spot　where　the　cage　had　rested　a　moment　before；　but　saw　only　a　gently　waving　expanse　of　kelp；　not　the　flattened　parch　he'd　expected。　Had　he　somehow　gotten　turned　around？　No；　he　could　see　Zanhoriloch　in　the　distance。　His　sense　of　direction　hadn't　failed　him。　Yet　he　couldn't　see　either　the　spot　where　the　cage　had　just　rested　or　the　place　where　it　had　been　when　he　first　found　himself　inside　it。　That　was　strange；　the　weight　of　the　cage　should　have　crushed　the　kelp　flat。
　　　Ah　。　。　。　there。
　　　He　spotted　a　square　patch　of　kelp　about　thirty　paces　away…which　made　no　sense。　He'd　just　been　looking　at　that　spot　a　moment　ago。　Had　the　slime　spread　over　his　eyes；　blurring　them？
　　　No。　He　could　still　see　as　clearly　as　he　ever　could。
　　　Suddenly；　he　realized　the　answer：　the　cage　was　an　illusion。　An　incredibly　powerful　illusion…one　that　manifested　in　all　of　the　senses。　Not　only　were　the　bars　of　the　cage　visible；　but　they　felt　real。　They'd　even　caused　his　chime　to　ring　when　he　struck　it　against　them…or　so　he'd　thought。　But　by　closing　his　eyes…by　concentrating　so　hard　it　almost　hurt…he　could　feel　the　rocky　ground　beneath　his　feet。　Sculling　to　hold　himself　down　against　it；　he　slid　a　foot　along　the　ground…and　encountered　no　resistance。　Instead　of　his　foot　striking　a　bar；　it　slid　along　rough；　bare　stone。
　　　Still　concentrating；　he　continued　sliding　his　feet　along　the　ground　until　they　encountered　resistance：　a　strand　of　kelp。　Its　touch　nearly　broke　his　focus；　so　close　was　the　feel　to　that　of　the　tentacle　that　had　left　the　slime　of　its　foul　touch　on　his　face。　Shuddering；　he　pressed　on　until　he　could　feel　kelp　all　around　him；　then　he　opened　his　eyes。
　　　He'd　done　it。　The　illusionary　cage　had　disappeared。　He　was　free。
　　　But　for　how　long？　He　could　no　longer　move　his　left　hand　properly。　It　had　only　two　fingers；　with　a　thick　web　of　skin　growing　between　them。　His　left　ear　felt　strange；　as　did　his　left　eye。　It　was　starting　to　squint　shut　and　the　colors　he　saw　through　it　were　somehow　wrong。　Further　confirmation　of　his　fate　came　when　he　saw　a　clump　or　something　lacy　and　white　drifting　away　from　him。　It　was　the　hair　from　the　left　side　of　his　scalp。
　　　He　glanced　back　at　Zanhoriloch　and　saw　that　the　creatures　of　that　city　were　still　going　about　their　business；　swimming　back　and　forth　between　their　stalagmite　towers；　oblivious　to　his　escape。　No　alarm　seemed　to　have　been　raised；　and　none　of　the　aboleth　came　swimming　out　to　intercept　him。　A　surge　of　joy　filled　him；　but　it　was　short…lived。　With　a　sinking　heart；　he　realized　that　his　escape　was　only　temporary。　Soon　he　would　be　a　drow…thing；　transformed　forever　into　a　water…breathing　creature。　The　entire　lake　would　be　his　prison。
　　　Even　though　he　knew　it　was　hopeless；　since　none　of　his　panions　had　healing　magic；　and　since　they'd　probably　mistake　him　for　a　monster　and　kill　him　on　the　spot。　Valas　tied　his　kukri　back　into　its　sheath　and　began　swimming　against　the　current；　He'd　pleted　the　first　part　of　his　duty　as　a　mercenary：　he'd　escaped。　Next　he　would　carry　back　to　his　panions　his　report；　even　though　it　contained　woefully　little；　save　for　a　warning　to　avoid　Zanhoriloch　at　all　cost。
　　　That　report　delivered；　he　would　get　one　of　the　others　to　kill　him。　If　they　refused；　he'd　do　the　job　himself。
　　　
Chapter　Thirteen
　　　Andzrel　Baenre；　weapons　master　of　House　Baenre；　stood　in　the　cavern　directing　his　troops。　Runners　continually　came　and　went　through　the　half…dozen　tunnels　that　connected　to　the　cavern；　carrying　news　of　the　battle　for　the　approaches　to　Menzoberranzan。　Soldiers　from　House　Baenre　were　holding　the　northern　exit　from　Ablonsh