war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第45部分

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　　　Lolth　would　surely　have　punished　a　priestess…especially　one　who　had　spurned　her　as　Halisstra　had…for　so　grave　a　transgression。　But　Lolth　was　dead。　Or　at　the　very　least；　not　watching。
　　　The　moonlight　reflected　in　the　spider's　eyes　reminded　Halisstra　of　one　thing　more：　Eilistraee　was　watching。　Or　at　the　very　least；　she　might　have　been。　Halisstra　smiled　grimly；　suddenly　realizing　why　Uluyara　and　Feliane　had　disappeared。
　　　The　spider　was　her　trial。
　　　As　the　spider　lunged　down　at　her；　Halisstra　swung　her　sword　with　all　her　strength。　Flashing　in　the　moonlight；　the　sword　described　a　clean　arc；　its　blade　exactly　in　line　with　the　spider's　bulging　eyes。　But　instead　of　connecting　with　the　meaty　thunk　Halisstra　had　expected；　the　sword　continued　to　whistle　through　the　air　until　it　slammed　into　the　ground。　The　spider　had　suddenly　disappeared。　Thrown　off　balance；　Halisstra　pitched　forward。　She　managed　to　land　on　her　knees　and　one　hand　by　dropping　the　hunting　horn。　An　instant　later　the　spider　reappeared…directly　above　her。
　　　Halisstra　rolled　onto　her　back；　swinging　the　sword　into　an　upright　position　as　she　did；　then　she　thrust　upward　at　the　belly　of　the　spider。　Just　as　it　had　done　the　first　time；　it　disappeared。
　　　〃Goddess　help　me；〃　Halisstra　groaned。　〃A　phase　spider。〃
　　　There　was　no　way　to　predict　where　the　spider　would　appear　next…but　at　least　for　the　moment；　it　was　safely　in　the　Ethereal。
　　　Halisstra　rolled　violently　to　one　side　across　the　snowy　ground；　praying　that　she'd　chosen　correctly…that　the　spider　was　moving　in　the　other　direction；　its　ethereal　legs　passing　right　through　her。
　　　Halisstra's　guess　had　been　a　lucky　one。　The　phase　spider　re…entered　the　material　plane　a　pace　or　two　away；　allowing　her　the　briefest　instant　in　which　to　spring　to　her　feet。　Then　it　rushed　forward　again。
　　　Grimly；　Halisstra　turned　to　meet　it；　knowing　that　she　was　in　a　fight　she　could　not　win…not　even　with　Seyll's　magic　sword。　All　the　spider　had　to　do　was　wait　her　out；　slipping　into　ethereal　form　each　time　she　attacked；　then　skittering　invisibly　away　to　reappear　somewhere　else　a　moment　later。　One　of　those　times　Halisstra　would　guess　wrong　and　it　would　wind　up　behind　her。　Unseen；　it　would　inject　its　deadly　poison　and　take　its　time　as　it　sucked　her　dry。
　　　There　was；　however；　one　thing　she　could　fall　back　on：　her　bae'qeshel　magic。　Her　voice　shaking　slightly；　she　chanted　a　song。　It　should　have　charmed　the　spider；　rooting　it　to　the　spot　in　fascination；　but　nothing　happened。　The　spider　appeared；　attacked；　then　disappeared　again；　forcing　Halisstra　to　constantly　whirl　and　defend　herself　with　her　sword。　She　cursed　her　luck；　under　her　breath。　Had　she　mispronounced　a　word…or　were　phase　spiders　simply　resistant　to　the　form　of　enchantment　she'd　attempted？
　　　Dodging　the　spider　once　more　she　slipped　on　a　patch　of　snowy　ground　and　fell。　The　spider　stepped　on　her　sword；　forcing　Halisstra　to　release　the　weapon　and　roll　to　the　side　to　avoid　its　jaws。　When　the　spider　disappeared　once　more；　she　sprang　to　her　feet　and　snatched　the　songsword　up　again。　To　her　dismay；　she　saw　that　the　tip　of　the　blade　had　been　snapped　off；　rendering　the　blade　useless　as　a　thrusting　weapon。　But　perhaps　there　was　still　hope。
　　　Remembering　how　she'd　used　the　songsword　to　augment　the　spell　that　had　knocked　the　stirges　from　the　sky；　she　quickly　reversed　the　weapon　and　raised　the　hilt　to　her　lips。　The　spell　might　not　be　enough　to　stun　a　creature　as　large　as　the　phase　spider；　but　at　least　she　could　try。　Her　fingers　found　the　same　holes　that　they　had　before；　and　she　blew…hard　and　long；　expecting　the　same　shrill　note…but　nothing　happened。　The　only　sound　the　hilt…flute　emitted　was　a　sour　phht。　Slushy　mud　sprayed　out　of　the　hole。
　　　Once　again；　the　spider　lunged；　and　Halisstra　leaped　away…but　more　clumsily。　Frightened；　she　realized　that　she　was　tiring。　The　long　sword　felt　heavy　in　her　hand；　its　hilt　gritty　in　her　sweating　palm。　The　next　time　the　spider　lunged　forward；　Halisstra　was　barely　able　to　twist　aside。　Its　jaws　caught　and　held　Eilistraee's　symbol；　yanking　on　the　disk　and　pulling　the　chain　tight　around　Halisstra's　waist。　Dragged　forward；　she　flailed　at　the　spider　with　her　sword。　Then　the　spider　became　ethereal　once　more；　allowing　her　to　stagger　back。
　　　If　only　she　still　had　her　clerical　magic；　she　could　have　blasted　the　creature　with　a　column　of　flame　or　held　it　at　bay　with　a　wall　of　wind。　But　those　spells；　like　the　charm　she'd　already　tried；　would　in　all　likelihood　also　have　failed。　Lolth　would　hardly　have　granted　one　of　her　priestesses　the　power　to　kill　one　of　her　beloved；　arachnid　children；　after　all。
　　　Eilistraee；　however；　would　kill　a　spider　without　the　slightest　qualm。　And　if　indeed　the　goddess　was　watching　the　battle…as　Uluyara　and　Feliane　almost　certainly　were…she　just　might　grant　her　most　recent　convert　the　magic　she　needed　to　save　her　own　life　by　restoring　her　spells　to　her。
　　　Swept　up　in　that　revelation；　that　hope；　Halisstra　nearly　missed　spotting　the　phase　spider　when　it　re…appeared　suddenly　on　a　tree　branch　above　her　and　dropped　silently　down　in　a　direct　line　with　her　head。　Only　the　slight　creak　of　the　branch　warned　her。
　　　Just　in　time　she　threw　herself　to　the　side。　Halisstra　scrambled　across　the　ground　on　hands　and　knees；　dragging　her　sword　behind　her；　then　struggled　to　her　feet　again。
　　　The　spider；　sensing　that　she　was　tiring；　walked　slowly　across　the　clearing　toward　her；　taking　its　time。　Venom　dripped　onto　the　ground　between　its　feet　as　its　jaws　opened　and　shut；　anticipating　the　meal　it　would　soon　have。
　　　Knowing　it　might　be　her　only　chance；　Halisstra　grasped　the　hilt　of　Seyll's　sword　in　both　hands　and　raised　it　above　her　head…not　in　preparation　to　swing　it　but　instead　to　point　it　at　the　moon。
　　　〃Eilistraee；　hear　me！〃　she　cried。　〃From　this　night　on；　I　forsake　Lolth　and　swear　to　be　your　humble　servant。　If　you　deem　me　worthy；　I　beseech　you。　Will　you　have　me？　If　so；　give　me　the　magic　I　need　to　prove　the　truth　of　my　words　by　slaying　this　symbol　of　Lolth。　Give　me　the　power　to　cast　spells　in　your　name…and　to　your　everlasting　glory！〃
　　　Her　words　rang　out　with　the　power　and　clarity　of　a　song　that　was　perfectly　in　tune　and　in　harmony　with　her　heart。
　　　And　she　was　answered。
　　　The　spell　Eilistraee　sent　her　looked　like　Lolth's　flame　strike；　except　that　the　vertical　column　of　divine　energy　was　silvery…white　in　color　and　seemed　to　rush　down　from　the　moon　itself。　It　struck　the　phase　spider　when　the　creature　was　no　more　than　a　pace　away　from　Halisstra；　enveloping　it　in　a　beam　of　blindingly　bright；　absolutely　silent　light。　One　moment　the　spider　was　there；　rearing　up　to　rake　impotently　at　the　magical　fire　with　its　legs　as　it　was　enveloped　in　flickering　white　flames；　the　next；　it　was　lying　in　a　crumpled　heap；　bleached　bone…white　by　the　moonlight。
　　　Eyes　wide　with　wonder；　Halisstra　nudged　the　dead　creature　with　the　broken　tip　of　her　sword。　The　spider；　burned　instantly　to　ash　by　the　cold　magical　moonfire；　broke　apart　into　pieces；　which　in　turn　collapsed；　leaving　only　an　outline　of　ash　on　the　ground。　A　moment　later；　the　wind　blew　it　away。
　　　Sensing　someone　staring　at　her；　Halisstra　glanced