war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第44部分

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little　or　no　explanation。
　　　〃You're　keeping　us　here；〃　the　draegloth　said；　giving　voice　to　what　Valas　was　thinking…and　what　the　others　were　likely　thinking　as　well。　〃You　don't　want　to　go。〃
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　turned　on　the　draegloth　and　lifted　an　eyebrow。
　　　〃Indeed？〃　said　Pharaun。　〃Well；　in　that　case　perhaps　you　can　attune　the　third　resonant　of　the　Blood　Helm　to　the　planar　frequency　of　the　Shadow　Fringe。〃
　　　There　was　a　silence　while　the　draegloth　looked　at　him　with　narrowed　eyes。
　　　〃No？〃　Pharaun　went　on。　〃I　didn't　think　so。　That　means　you're　going　to　have　to　let　me　finish　what　I　need　to　finish。〃
　　　The　wizard　looked　around　at　the　rest　of　them；　and　Valas　shrugged；　casually　meeting　his　eyes。
　　　〃This　is　not　some　mushroom…stem　raft；〃　Pharaun　said　to　them　all；　〃splashing　about　on　Donigarten　Lake。　This　vessel；　if　you　haven't　noticed；　is　alive。　It　is　a　being　of　pure　chaos。　It　has　a　certain　intelligence。　It　has　the　innate　ability　to　shift　between　the　planar　walls　from　one　reality　to　another。　You　don't　simply　paddle　something　like　this。　You　have　to　make　it　a　part　of　you　and　in　turn　make　yourself　a　part　of　it。〃
　　　He　paused　for　effect　then　continued；　〃I　am　willing　to　do　that…for　the　good　of　the　expedition　and　for　the　pure　curiosity　of　it。　It's　a　unique　opportunity　to　explore　some　fabulously　outre　magic。　What　you　must　all　remember　is　that　if　I　don't　get　it　right；　we　could　never　make　it　out　of　this　lake。　Worse　yet；　we　could　find　ourselves　scuttled　in　the　Shadow　Deep　or　lost　forever　in　the　endless　Abyss。〃
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　looked　around　as　if　he　was　waiting　for　an　argument。　None　came…even　from　Jeggred；　but　he　went　on　anyway；　〃This　time　it　will　be　different…the　Abyss；　the　journey　there；　everything。　Last　time　we　were　projected　across　the　Astral。　We　were　ghosts　there。　This　time　we'll　actually　be　there。　If　we　die　in　the　Abyss；　we　don't　snap　back　into　our　bodies。　There　will　be　no　silver　cord。　We　will　be　real　there；　and　if　we　die　。　。　。〃
　　　Valas　wondered　why　the　wizard　stopped。　Perhaps　Pharaun　didn't　know　what　would　happen　if　they　died　there。　If　you　die　in　your　own　afterlife；　is　there　an　after…afterlife？　Thinking　about　it　gave　Valas　the　beginnings　of　a　nagging　headache。
　　　〃Have　any　of　you　ever　been　to　the　Abyss　before？〃　Pharaun　asked。　〃Really　been　there；　physically？　Even　you；　Jeggred？〃
　　　The　draegloth　didn't　answer；　but　his　smoldering　look　was　enough。　None　of　them　had　been　there；　none　of　them　knew…
　　　〃I've　been　there；〃　Quenthel　said。　The　sudden　sound　of　her　voice　almost　startled　Valas。　〃I　have　been　there　as　a　ghost；　as　a　visitor；　and　as　a　。。。
　　　Danifae　took　a　few　steps　toward　Quenthel　then　sank　to　her　knees　on　the　deck　half　a　dozen　paces　away　from　her。
　　　〃What　as；　Mistress？〃　the　battle…captive　asked。
　　　〃I　was　killed；〃　the　high　priestess　said；　her　voice　sounding　as　if　it　were　ing　from　a　great　distance。　Her　vipers　grew　increasingly　agitated　as　she　went　on。　〃My　soul　went　to　Lolth。　I　served　the　goddess　herself　for　a　decade；　then　she　sent　me　back。〃
　　　Valas's　flesh　ran　cold；　and　he　found　himself　stepping　slowly　away　from　the　high　priestess。
　　　〃Why？〃　Pharaun　asked；　a　skeptical　look　on　his　face。
　　　The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　turned　and　gave　him　a　dark；　cold　stare。
　　　〃I　think　he　means；〃　Danifae　continued　for　Pharaun；　〃　why　were　you　sent　back？〃
　　　〃I've　never　heard　anything　about　this；〃　the　Master　of　Sorcere　added。
　　　〃It　was　kept　secret；〃　said　Quenthel；　〃for　a　number　of　reasons。　There　were　circumstances　concerning　my　death　and　the　one　who　killed　me　that　might　have　embarrassed　my　House。　It's　not　a　simple　thing；　attaining　a　position　like　the　one　I　hold。　Indeed　there　is　no　position　like　the　one　I　hold　。。。　in　Menzoberranzan；　at　least。　It　was　not　a　position　House　Baenre　was　prepared　to　concede　to　any　other　House。　For　ten　years　I　was　simply　'away　pursuing　studies'　or　some　other　excuse　alternating　between　ludicrous　and　clever。　Eventually　I　returned；　then　things　happened　and　I　was　elevated　to　Mistress　of　the　Academy。〃
　　　〃And　now　you're　on　your　way　back；〃　Danifae　said　in　hushed；　heavy　tones。
　　　〃It's　as　if　someone　has　a　plan　for　you；〃　said　Pharaun。
　　　No　one　said　anything　more。　Valas　walked　back　to　the　bags　and　finished　sorting　the　supplies。
　　　Danifae　stood　up　slowly。　Quenthel　wasn't　looking　at　her；　but　it　was　clear　from　her　body　language　that　the　high　priestess　had　finished　speaking。
　　　Danifae　thought　through　the　revelation　quickly　but　thoroughly。
　　　It　didn't　matter。　It　didn't　change　anything。
　　　She　turned；　scanning　the　deck　as　she　did　so。　The　others　had　gone　back　to　what　they　were　doing。　Each　of　them　was　undoubtedly　going　over　in　his　own　mind　what　Quenthel　had　said。　She　turned　her　back　to　them　and　stared　at　Jeggred。　When　the　draegloth　finally　looked　at　her；　she　signaled　him　in　sign　language；　careful　to　keep　her　hands　close　to　her　so　the　others　wouldn't　see。
　　　It　is　time；　she　told　him。
　　　The　draegloth　nodded　and　glanced　meaningfully　at　the　tattered　sails　of　human　skin　that　sagged　listlessly　in　the　still　air。　Danifae　nodded　and　began　to　ease　her　way　across　the　deck。
　　　It　took　them　both　several　minutes　to　maneuver　themselves　behind　the　sail　without　making　it　obvious　they　were　hiding。
　　　When　they　were　safely　out　of　sight；　Jeggred　signed；　Where　are　we　going；　Mistress？
　　　Danifae　smiled　and　replied；　Hunting。
　　　The　draegloth's　lips　twisted　into　a　fierce　smile。　The　half…demon　looked　hungry。
　　　Danifae　stepped　closer　to　him。　She　could　see　him　stiffen；　stand　straight…almost　at　attention。　The　former　battle…captive　stepped　closer　still　and　wrapped　one　arm　around　the　half…demon's　huge　waist。　Jeggred's　gray　fur　was　warm　to　the　touch　and　a　little　bit　oily。　He　was　surprisingly　soft。
　　　Danifae　concentrated　on　the　ring　she'd　taken　from　Zinnirit；　and　in　the　blink　of　an　eye　they　were　in　Sschindylryn。
　　　Jeggred　took　a　deep　breath　and　looked　around　at　the　dark　interior　of　the　gatehouse。
　　　〃Where　are　we？〃　he　asked。
　　　Danifae　took　his　hand　and　led　him　to　one　of　the　gates。　Not　answering　his　question；　she　busied　herself　with　the　gate　itself；　activating　it　first；　then　tuning　the　location　to　the　agreed…on　meeting　place。　The　portal　blazed　to　life　in　an　almost　blinding　torrent　of　violet　light。　Still　holding　Jeggred's　hand；　she　stepped　through。　The　draegloth　didn't　hesitate　to　follow；　and　they　stepped　out　into　a　dimly　lit　ruin。
　　　Even　if　Danifae　didn't　know　exactly　where　they　were　she　would　have　known　they　were　on　the　World　Above。　The　lighting　was　strange；　a　different　color　than　anything　found　in　the　Underdark。　The　walls　were　made　of　mud　bricks…very　old；　crumbling。　Vines　and　moss　grew　in　the　cracks　between　the　bricks；　twisting　in　and　out　of　every　crevice；　crawling　up　every　wall；　and　matting　the　floor；　eating　away　at　the　structure　the　way　plants　did　on　the　World　Above。
　　　〃It　smells　strange　here；〃　Jeggred　grumbled。　〃What　is　this　place？〃
　　　Danifae　looked　around　to　get　her　bearings。　The　dull　gray　light　seeped　in　through　dozens　if　not　hundreds　of　cracks　and　holes　in　the　decaying　walls。　On　one　side　of　the　room　a　set　of　uneven　steps　led　up　to　a　floor　above。　On　the　other　side　was　a　similar