war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第55部分

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　　　〃That's　not　the　only　reason；　Mistress。　There　are　。。。　oddities　there；〃　Valas　said。　〃It's　said　to　be　a　gateway　of　sorts　to　the　Plane　of　Shadow。　Anyway；　I　know　where　the　Lake　of　Shadows　is；　and　I　know　of　two　different　ways　to　reach　it　that　are　reasonably　safe。〃
　　　Finally；　Quenthel　thought　then　asked；　〃What　are　they？〃
　　　〃The　lake　is　connected　to　the　surface　by　natural　chimneys　in　the　rock…that　part　of　the　Surface　Realms　that　lies　just　above　it　is　known　for　the　bats　that　fly　out　of　the　holes　in　a　cloud　every　night。　We　could　descend　through　one　of　the　chimneys…but　that　would　mean　climbing　up　to　the　World　Above　again　and　traveling　through　the　forest。〃
　　　Quenthel　considered　that…briefly。　She　wasn't　about　to　subject　herself　to　a　cold；　snowy　trudge　through　bright　sunlight　again。
　　　〃We're　not　going　back　to　the　surface；〃　she　decided。
　　　That's　wise；　Hsiv's　voice　breathed　in　her　ear。　House　Jaelre's　warriors　will　still　be　looking　for　us。
　　　〃We　want　to　avoid　House　Jaelre's　warriors；〃　Quenthel　explained　to　Valas。　〃They　either　killed　or　captured　Ryld　Argith；　the　best　warrior　we　had。　We　don't　want　to　lose　anyone　else。〃
　　　Valas's　eyes　narrowed　slightly；　and　Quenthel　wondered　if　he　was　silently　questioning　her　order。　To　remind　him　or　his　place；　she　drew　her　whip…but　held　it　by　her　side。
　　　Ha！　K'Sothra　chortled。　That　pricked　his　pride。
　　　Valas　glanced　at　the　vipers。
　　　〃As　you　mand；　Mistress；〃　he　acquiesced。　〃We'll　keep　to　the　Underdark。　But　that　leaves　only　one　other　means　of　reaching　the　Lake　of　Shadows…and　it's　a　dangerous　one。〃
　　　〃Go　on；〃　Quenthel　prompted。
　　　〃There　is　an　ancient　portal　that　gives　access　to　a　lake。　It's　a　march　of　about　four　cycles　from　here；　northward　through　a　series　of　connecting　tunnels　and　caverns。　The　portal　was　constructed　centuries　ago；　but　I　have　heard　from　a　reliable　source　that　its　magic　is　still　active。　Reaching　it；　however；　might　prove　difficult。〃
　　　Quenthel　nodded；　unperturbed　by　Valas's　grim　tone。　Everything　in　life　was　difficult…only　those　who　rose　above　difficulties　were　worthy　of　Lolth's　favors。
　　　〃We'll　make　for　the　portal；〃　she　told　the　mercenary。　〃Pack　your　things；　everyone。　We'll　set　out　at　once。〃
　　　〃This　portal；〃　Pharaun　said　slowly。　〃What　makes　it　so　difficult　to　reach？〃
　　　〃It　lies　directly　under　the　ruins　of　Myth　Drannor。〃　Valas　said　nothing　more；　as　if　that　was　explanation　enough。
　　　〃Myth　Drannor？〃　Pharaun　groaned。　〃Not　again。　I　have　no　desire　to　stare　down　a　beholder　a　second　time。〃
　　　〃We　wouldn't　be　facing　a　beholder；　this　time；〃　Valas　said。　〃Which　is　probably　just　as　well；　since　we　don't　have　our　'best　warrior'　here　to　dispatch　it；　like　he　did　the　last　one。〃
　　　〃What　would　we　be　facing？〃　Pharaun　asked。
　　　Valas　muttered　something　too　low　for　Quenthel　to　hear；　but　Pharaun's　reply　was　loud　enough　for　her　ears　to　catch。
　　　〃Too　bad　our　spiders　have　lost　their　venom；〃　he　said；　glancing　at　Quenthel　and　Danifae。
　　　Valas　nodded　gravely。
　　　Furious　at　the　deliberate　slight；　Quenthel　drew　her　whip。　She　snapped　it；　and　the　serpents　hissed　loudly；　splattering　venom　on　a　stone　floor　that　had　been　hastily　vacated　by　Danifae。
　　　〃You　will　address　your　answers　to　me；〃　she　told　Valas。　〃House　Baenre　has　paid　for　your　services；　mercenary；　not　Sorcere。〃
　　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mistress；〃　he　said；　bowing　deeply　and　addressing　her　in　a　suitably　chastised　voice。　〃Ah　。　。　。　what　was　your　question？〃
　　　Pharaun　turned　abruptly　away；　suddenly　interested　in　placing　his　spellbooks　back　into　his　pack。
　　　What　creatures　might　we　face？　Hsiv　prompted。
　　　Quiet！　Quenthel　thought　back。　I　can　ask　my　own　questions。　Then；　out　loud；　she　added；　〃What　will　we　have　to　fight；　this　time？〃
　　　Rising　from　his　bow；　Valas　met　her　eye。
　　　〃Wraiths；〃　he　said。　〃Dozens　of　them。〃
　　　That　made　Quenthel　pause。　Wraiths　were　dangerous　creatures；　shadowy；　incorporeal。　Their　slightest　touch　could　drain　a　living　creature's　vitality　in　an　instant；　and　even　magical　healing　would　not　restore　it。　Those　drained　entirely　by　wraiths　became　undead　themselves；　rising　as　twisted　caricatures　of　their　former　selves　to　feed　on　their　own　kind。　Few　ordinary　drow　had　seen　a　wraith…let　alone　several　dozen　of　the　shadowy　creatures…and　survived　to　speak　of　it。
　　　And　that　was　what　Quenthel　had　been　reduced　to　after　all；　an　ordinary　drow。　Had　Lolth　not　been　silent；　Quenthel　could　have　used　her　magic　to　drive　the　creatures　back　from　her；　blowing　them　away　like　rags　in　a　wind；　but　without　it；　she　was　as　powerless　against　them　as　any　other　drow。　The　thought　of　facing　several　of　the　creatures　without　being　able　to　turn　them　made　her　shiver。
　　　Then　she　reminded　herself　that　the　fate　of　the　drow　race　hung　in　the　balance。　She　had　to　find　the　ship　of　chaos…it　offered　her　the　only　chance　she　had　to　reach　the　Abyss　and　find　out　what　had　happened　to　Lolth。　And　that　meant　reaching　the　Lake　of　Shadows。　Then；　once　Lolth　restored　her　magic　to　the　drow；　Quenthel　could　return　to　Menzoberranzan　in　triumph。　She　might；　perhaps；　even　depose　Triel　and　claim　the　throne　of　the　most　powerful　House　in　the　city。
　　　Yes；　Hsiv　thought。　You　were　meant　to　rule。　You　must　succeed。
　　　Ignoring　him；　Quenthel　returned　her　attention　to　Valas。
　　　〃Tell　me　more　about　the　portal；〃　she　ordered。　〃How　do　you　know　of　it？〃
　　　With　a　slight　bow；　Valas　answered；　〃I　heard　about　it　from　a　rogue…an　odd　little　fellow　who　hailed　from　Gracklstugh。　He　learned　of　a　vault　under　Myth　Drannor　that　supposedly　had　treasure　the　surface　elves　left　behind　during　their　Retreat。　He　found　a　way　to　get　there　through　the　Underdark；　but　the　vault　was　empty…except　for　the　wraiths。　They　killed　his　four　panions　and　nearly　killed　him　too；　but　he　escaped　by　leaping　into　a　portal。　It　led　to　a　narrow　ledge　overlooking　the　Lake　of　Shadows。　Fortunately；　he　wore　a　ring　that　allowed　him　to　levitate　out　of　the　cavern…otherwise　he'd　be　there　still。〃
　　　Quenthel　listened；　nodding。
　　　〃Did　any　of　the　wraiths　follow　him　through　the　portal？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃No。　According　to　the　rogue；　it　would　admit　only　living　creatures。〃
　　　Quenthel　thought　a　moment　then　asked；　〃Did　he　see　anything　that　might　have　been　the　ship　of　chaos？〃
　　　Valas　shook　his　head　and　replied；　〃Nothing　that　he　mentioned　to　me。　But　the　Lake　of　Shadows　is　wide…as　large　across　as　Lake　Thoroot…and　deep。　If　the　ship　sank；　there'd　be　nothing　to　see。〃
　　　〃This　rogue　told　you　there　were　'dozens'　of　wraiths？〃　she　asked。
　　　Valas　nodded　and　said；　〃Those　were　his　very　words。〃
　　　〃An　exaggeration；　no　doubt。　What　race　was　he？〃
　　　Valas　frowned。
　　　〃The　rogue？〃　he　asked。　〃He　claimed　to　be　human；　even　though　he　was　no　taller　than　a　duergar。〃
　　　〃Humans；〃　Quenthel　snorted。　〃A　cowardly　race。　There　were　probably　less　than　half　a　dozen　wraiths；　all　told。　With　Pharaun's　spells…and　our　magical　weapons…we'll　easily　be　able　to　fight　our　way　through。〃
　　　Valas　opened　his　mouth…perhaps　to　protest　that　even　half　a　dozen　wraiths　were　too　many…but　he　closed　it　a　moment　later。
　　　Quenthel；　meanwhile；　took　mental　stock　of　the　resources　she　had　at　hand。　Valas；　whose　speed　and　stealth　would　allow　him　to　get　behi