war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第30部分

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　　　Triel；　flanked　by　her　House　wizard　and　the　priestess　currently　serving　as　her　personal　attendant；　stood　on　the　balcony　that　encircled　the　Great　Mound　at　the　point　where　stalagmite　and　stalactite　met。　From　far　below；　at　the　base　of　the　Qu'ellarz'orl　plateau；　came　the　clash　of　troops　in　battle。　A　band　of　tanarukks　had　somehow　slipped　past　the　troops　she'd　ordered　into　the　tunnels　and　had　reached　the　mushroom　forest。　The　wide　caps　of　the　mushrooms　prevented　Triel　from　seeing　much；　but　every　now　and　then　one　of　the　puffballs　would　explode　as　a　sword　or　axe　struck　it；　filling　the　air　with　a　cloud　of　luminescent　blue　spores。
　　　Among　the　batants；　Triel　could　pick　out　the　silver　uniforms　of　her　own　troops。　The　House　Baenre　pany　under　Andzrel；　together　with　a　pany　from　House　Barrison　Del'Armgo；　were　fighting　a　containing　action；　preventing　the　tanarukks　from　advancing　farther　into　the　main　cavern。　As　the　foot　soldiers　repeatedly　charged　the　tanarukks；　trying　to　drive　them　back　through　the　fence；　two　squadrons　of　House　Baenre's　mounted　troops　made　an　assault　on　the　enemy　flanks；　their　lizards　scurrying　along　the　walls。
　　　The　enemy　was　gradually　forced　back　against　the　wall　of　the　great　cavern。　But　just　when　Triel　was　certain　they　would　either　be　shoved　back　into　the　tunnel　like　a　cork　into　a　bottle　or　smashed　flat　where　they　stood；　the　tanarukks　closest　to　the　tunnel　mouth　parted。　Triel　strained　forward；　expecting　to　see　a　tanarukk　general　stride　through　the　gap　in　their　ranks；　but　what　emerged　instead　from　the　tunnel　mouth　made　her　chuckle。
　　　It　was　a　jade　spider。　Three　times　the　height　of　a　drow；　the　magical　construct　was　one　of　those　that　guarded　each　of　the　entrances　to　Menzoberranzan。　Made　from　magically　treated　jade；　it　moved　with　fluid　grace。　It　was　as　captivating　in　its　beauty　as　it　was　deadly。
　　　〃Now　we'll　see　some　fun；〃　said　the　plump　wizard　standing　next　to　Triel。
　　　Triel　acknowledged　him　with　a　curt　nod。　She　didn't　much　care　for　Nauzhror；　her　first　cousin　once　removed。　He　had　only　been　promoted　to　the　position　of　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan　because　Gromph　was　missing；　but　he　wore　the　archmage's　robes　with　a　stuck…up　snobbishness；　as　if　he'd　earned　them。　Triel　instead　directed　her　ment　to　Wilara；　the　priestess　who　stood　on　her　left。
　　　〃The　spiders　will　put　the　fear　of　Lolth　into　them；〃　she　chuckled。
　　　Wilara　laughed　politely　along　with　her　mistress。　Her　laughter　ended　abruptly　a　moment　later；　however；　when　the　jade　spider；　instead　of　attacking　the　tanarukks；　strode　through　the　gap　they'd　created　in　their　ranks。
　　　〃What　in　the　Spider　Queen's　name。　。　。　。〃　the　priestess　whispered。
　　　Wilara's　unfinished　question　was　answered　a　moment　later　as　the　spider　crashed　headlong　into　the　House　Baenre　soldiers。　Plucking　one　of　them　from　the　ground　with　its　mandibles；　it　scissored　the　soldier　in　half。　Then；　letting　the　pieces　fall　to　either　side；　it　continued　to　race　forward；　smashing　its　way　through　mushrooms　and　drow　alike。
　　　〃Lolth　help　us；〃　Nauzhror　said　in　a　strangled　voice。　〃They've　managed　to　get　control　of　one　of　the　constructs。〃
　　　As　the　jade　spider　advanced；　the　drow　fell　back　in　confusion。　One　or　two　prostrated　themselves　before　it…only　to　receive　the　same　treatment　as　the　first　soldier。
　　　The　spider　continued　its　relentless　advance；　and　soon　several　drow　lay　in　bloody　heaps　behind　it。　Within　moments；　the　spider　had　carved　a　gap　through　both　the　mushroom　forest　and　the　troops…a　gap　the　tanarukks　were　quick　to　exploit。
　　　〃Attack；　curse　you！〃　Triel　cried　as　the　enemy　surged　forward。
　　　The　drow　soldiers　were　too　far　away　to　have　heard　her；　but　thankfully　one　of　their　officers…probably　Andzrel；　judging　by　the　black　armor　and　cloak…rallied　them。　They　fell　upon　the　tanarukks　from　either　side　and　quickly　closed　the　gap　the　spider　had　opened。　But　even　as　the　enemy　was　driven　back　once　more　toward　the　cavern　wall；　the　jade　spider　continued　to　advance。　Leaving　the　struggling　foes　and　the　mushroom　forest　behind；　it　scaled　the　slope　that　led　from　Qu'ellarz'orl　up　to　the　House　Baenre　pound。　It　moved　swiftly　and　in　a　few　moments　more　was　at　the　barrier。
　　　It　hesitated　just　outside　the　high　fence　that　enclosed　the　pound　as　if　contemplating　the　magic　that　flowed　through　the　barrier's　glowing　silver　strands；　then　it　turned　toward　one　of　the　stalagmites　to　which　the　fence　was　attached。　As　the　House　guard　on　the　balconies　above　watched　in　confusion；　the　construct　scaled　the　stone　as　easily　as　a　living　spider；　climbing　to　a　point　just　above　the　fence。　It　leaped　down　over　the　barrier；　then　began　moving　toward　the　center　of　the　pound。
　　　Triel's　eyes　narrowed　as　she　saw　where　it　was　headed。　The　jade　spider　was　making　its　way　to　House　Baenre's　central　structure…the　great　domed　temple　of　Lolth。
　　　Wilara　gasped　as　she；　too；　calculated　the　spider's　course。
　　　〃They　dare　attack　our　temple？〃　the　priestess　cried。
　　　Nauzhror；　with　a　sidelong　look　at　Triel；　exploded　with　appropriate　rage。
　　　〃The　insolence！〃　the　interim　archmage　fumed。　〃May　Lolth's　webs　strangle　them！〃
　　　His　familiar…a　fist…sized；　hairy　brown　spider…scuttled　from　one　of　his　shoulders　to　the　other；　disturbed　by　the　mage's　violent　motion。
　　　Triel　pursed　her　lips；　saying　nothing。　The　temple　might　be　the　target；　but　an　attack　on　it　was　not　the　enemy's　chief　aim。　There　was　little　a　single　jade　spider…or　even　a　dozen　of　them　for　that　matter…could　do　to　harm　the　building　itself。　Triel　was　sure　that　the　incursion　was　intended　to　be　a　demonstration；　made　where　all　could　see　it；　that　Lolth　had　turned　her　face　away　from　her　chosen　people。　The　spider　would　have　to　be　stopped…but　anyone　doing　so　outside　the　doors　of　a　building　consecrated　to　Lolth　would　incur　the　goddess's　wrath。
　　　In　ordinary　times；　at　least。
　　　Triel　longed　to　cry　out　to　Lolth；　to　plead　for　the　goddess　to　tell　her　what　to　do；　but　she　knew　what　the　answer　would　be：　silence。　The　Matron　Mother　of　the　First　House　was　on　her　own…and　if　the　jade　spider　wasn't　stopped；　Menzoberranzan's　weakness　would　be　plain　for　all　to　see。　The　males　of　House　Baenre；　fighting　so　valiantly　to　force　the　enemy　back　into　the　tunnels；　might　falter。　If　they　became　convinced　that　Triel　and　the　other　ranking　females　had　lost　Lolth's　favor　for　some　fault　of　their　own　or　that　the　goddess　had　turned　away　from　all　drow　forever；　they　might　even　turn　against　their　matron　mothers。
　　　That　could　not　be。
　　　〃The　enemy　knows　our　weakness；〃　Triel　said　in　a　tense　voice。　〃They　must　believe　that　Lolth　has　fallen　silent　forever　and　hope　to　make　it　plain　for　all　to　see。〃
　　　Beside　her；　Wilara　stiffened。　Then　amazingly；　she　contradicted　her　matron　mother。
　　　〃No；〃　the　priestess　said；　shaking　her　head　and　causing　the　long　braid　that　hung　down　her　back　to　ripple　like　a　snake。　〃The　goddess　will　answer。　She　must。〃
　　　The　vipers　in　Triel's　whip　hissed　their　annoyance；　but　Triel　ignored　them。　Under　the　circumstances；　she　could　allow　Wilara's　outspokenness。
　　　〃Lolth　may　awaken　yet；〃　she　said；　speaking　as　much　to　steady　herself　as　for　the　lesser　priestess's　benefit。　〃My　sister　Quenthel　has　not　yet　given　up；　so　neither　should　we。　But　in　the　meant