war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第76部分

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ter…which　means　any　spell　I　cast　won't　be　powerful　enough　to　dispel　the　storm。〃
　　　Valas　scratched　his　head；　then　said　in　a　thoughtful　voice；　〃Could　we　sail　the　ship　out　of　the　storm？〃
　　　〃Possibly；〃　Pharaun　said；　thinking　aloud。　〃Or　rather；　the　uridezu　could。　But　assuming　I'm　able　to　dispel　the　magic　that　froze　the　demon　in　time　there's　still　the　matter　of　binding　it　to　my　will。〃
　　　〃That's　easy；〃　Quenthel　spat。　〃Just　pull　the　demon　out　with　one　of　your　grasping…hand　spells。〃
　　　Pharaun　sighed。　The　spell　Quenthel　had　mentioned　was　unnecessary。　The　binding　spell　itself　would　draw　the　demon　to　the　deck。　The　problem　lay　in　the　ship　itself。　Pharaun　had　pictured　it　wrecked　on　shore　or　perhaps　resting　quietly　at　the　bottom　of　the　lake…not　half　awash　and　buffeted　by　spray　and　wind。　Drawing　a　pentagram　on　the　deck　of　the　ship　would　be　an　impossible　task。
　　　There　was　an　alternative　to　using　a　magic　diagram；　but　it　presented　its　own　problems。　He　could　render　the　demon's　image　in　miniature；　either　on　vellum　or　in　the　form　of　a　statuette。　The　latter　could　easily　be　done…he　had　wax　and　an　opal　in　his　enchanted　pockets…but　as　soon　as　he　placed　the　statuette　on　the　deck；　one　sweep　of　a　wave　would　wash　it　overboard。　And　how；　in　the　name　of　the　silent　Spider　Queen；　was　he　going　to　e　up　with　a　length　of　chain？
　　　Then　he　remembered　the　amulet　that　had　protected　Valas　from　the　wraiths。　Its　chain…having　faded　to　the　color　of　lead；　a　most　suitable　material　indeed…still　hung　around　his　neck。
　　　Pharaun　nodded　at　the　amulet　and　said；　〃I　believe　I'm　correct；　Valas；　in　assuming　your　amulet　is　no　longer　functional？〃
　　　Valas　gave　Pharaun　a　wary　frown　but　nodded。
　　　〃May　I　have　the　chain　it's　hung　on？〃　Pharaun　asked；　holding　out　a　hand。
　　　Valas　plied…taking　care　to　keep　the　amulet　hidden　inside　his　tunic　as　he　slid　it　off　the　chain。　Pharaun　could　guess　why。　Judging　by　its　sun　shape；　it　had　been　created　by　surface　elves。　And　not　just　any　surface　elves；　but　those　who　worshiped　Labelas　Enoreth；　Lord　of　Longevity。　If　Quenthel　saw　the　mercenary　wearing　it；　her　fury　would　be　unbounded。　She'd　rather　have　lost　a　valuable　ally　to　the　wraiths　than　admit　that　an　amulet　created　by　〃sunspit〃　was　anything　other　than　an　abomination。
　　　As　Valas　handed　Pharaun　the　chain；　Danifae　leaned　closer　to　the　wall　of　ice；　her　breath　fogging　in　the　chilled　air。
　　　〃Careful；〃　Pharaun　cautioned。　〃Don't　touch　the　ice　with　your　tongue。〃
　　　She　gave　him　a　disdainful　look；　then　indicated　the　storm　outside　with　a　jerk　of　her　chin。
　　　〃If　you're　going　to　try　to　bind　the　demon；　you'd　better　get　started；〃　she　told　him。　〃The　whirlpool　is　starting　to　move　away。〃
　　　Nodding；　Pharaun　squatted　and　began　his　preparations。　From　the　pockets　of　his　piwafwi　he　took　a　lump　of　beeswax　he'd　picked　up　in　Menzoberranzan；　months　before；　from　a　trader　from　the　World　Above；　and　a　black　opal　the　size　of　his　little　fingernail；　shot　through　with　veins　of　red。　He　warmed　the　beeswax　by　working　it　with　his　hands；　then　he　sculpted　the　softened　lump；　modeling　the　arms；　legs；　tail；　and　snout　of　an　uridezu　demon。　The　statuette　was　crude；　but　it　would　suffice。　Slicing　open　its　chest　with　a　fingernail；　Pharaun　pushed　the　opal　inside；　then　pinched　the　wound　shut。　He　wrapped　Valas's　chain　around　one　of　the　statuette's　legs；　securing　it　there　by　joining　two　links　together。
　　　〃There；〃　he　said；　nodding　in　satisfaction　at　the　chain　that　bit　slightly　into　the　wax　statuette's　ankle。　〃That　should　hold　him　long　enough　to　get　us　to　the　Abyss。〃
　　　
Chapter　Thirty…two
　　　As　the　worm's　mouth　closed　around　her；　Halisstra　squeezed　her　eyes　shut。　She　gasped　as　a　wave　of　acid　splattered　against　the　exposed　portions　of　her　body…her　face；　neck；　and　hands…then　regretted　it　as　the　stench　of　acid　filled　her　nostrils。　Rivulets　of　agony　trickled　through　her　hair　and　down　her　neck；　searing　her　chest　and　back　as　they　found　their　way　under　her　chain　mail　and　padded　tunic。
　　　Clinging　to　the　hilt　of　the　songsword；　she　twisted　violently　against　the　rippling；　sucking　force　of　the　worm　trying　to　swallow　her　down。　She　managed　to　get　her　feet　braced　against　the　worm's　lower　jaw；　but　when　she　tried　to　lever　the　mouth　open　her　boots　slipped。　The　worm　swallowed　her；　wrenching　her　hands　away　from　the　hilt　of　the　sword。
　　　As　the　worm's　throat　muscles　constricted；　forcing　her　down　its　throat；　Halisstra　began　to　pray。　To　open　her　burning　lips　would　mean　swallowing　acid；　which　would　further　increase　her　torment；　so　she　prayed　silently；　fervently；　begging　Eilistraee　to　help　her。　Despite　the　fact　that　she　could　feel　her　skin　erupting　into　blisters；　she　didn't　attempt　a　curative　spell…that　would　only　delay　the　inevitable…instead　she　pleaded　for　something　that　would　help　her　to　escape。
　　　The　worm　thrashed　back　and　forth；　bending　Halisstra　violently　this　way　and　that。　She　heard　dull；　muffled　thuds　that　must　have　been　Ryld　hacking　at　the　worm　with　his　sword；　but　then　the　creature　twisted　suddenly　and　they　stopped。　The　motion　forced　the　air　from　Halisstra's　lungs…and　she　dared　not　try　to　inhale。　Instead　she　forced　her　hand　down；　scraping　it　against　her　acid…slimed　chain　mail　to　touch　the　amulet　hanging　from　her　belt；　next　to　her　empty　sheath。
　　　Eilistraee；　she　prayed。　Help　me。　Send　me　a　weapon。
　　　Something　nudged　against　her　hand…something　hard　and　smooth。　Grasping　it；　Halisstra　realized　it　was　the　hilt　of　a　sword…obviously　the　weapon　of　some　other　unfortunate　victim　of　the　worm。　She　wasted　no　time　in　using　what　the　goddess　had　provided。　Forcing　her　elbow　back　against　the　pulsing　wall　of　the　worm's　gut；　she　brought　the　point　of　the　weapon　to　bear　and　felt　it　slide　into　the　worm's　flesh。　Then　she　began　to　saw。
　　　Her　entire　body　was　covered　in　acid。　The　worm's　digestive　juices　had　seeped　under　her　armor　and　clothing　and　onto　her　skin。　She　could　feel　blisters　erupting　and　could　feel　the　acid　flowing　into　the　rupturing　skin　with　each　move　that　she　made。　Head　pounding　from　a　lack　of　air；　she　sawed　desperately；　her　movements　made　short　and　jerky　by　the　fact　that　the　worm's　gut　was　pressing　her　arm　against　her　side。　Flashes　of　red　danced　before　her　eyes；　but　still　she　continued　to　saw。　It　was　either　that　or　die。
　　　The　wall　of　gut　in　front　of　her　ruptured。　Riding　a　wave　of　acid；　Halisstra　fell　through　the　wound　in　the　worm's　side；　dropping　the　sword。　She　lay　for　a　moment　on　the　hard　stone；　drawing　deep；　shuddering　breaths　and　watching　the　worm　thrash　itself　across　the　cavern。　The　creature　was　wounded　in　half　a　dozen　places：　deep　gashes　that　had　probably　been　made　by　Ryld's　greatsword。　As　the　worm　shuddered　and　at　last　died；　Halisstra　rolled　feebly　over；　out　of　the　puddle　of　acid。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　gasped；　sighting　him。
　　　As　her　pain…dulled　mind　registered　that　he　was　lying　on　his　back　on　the　cavern　floor；　she　forced　herself　into　a　sitting　position；　nearly　fainting　at　the　pain　of　her　heavy　chain　mail　as　it　rubbed　against　her　acid…burned　flesh。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　said；　her　voice　cracking。　〃Ryld！〃
　　　The　weapons　master's　chest　still　rose　and　fell　beneath　the　breastplate　he　wore；　though　the　breaths　were　shallow。　Just　below　the　edge　of　his　breastplate　his　tunic　was