war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第64部分

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outstretched　hands　encountered　only　air。　Nimor　seemed　to　have　pleted　his　〃escape〃　into　the　Shadow　Plane。
　　　〃Andzrel！〃　Gromph　called。　〃Can　you　see？　Where's　Nimor？〃
　　　Someone　moved　closer　to　him。　A　gnarled　hand　touched　his　arm。
　　　〃I　can't　see　very　well。〃　Andzrel's　voice　came　from　right　next　to　Gromph。　〃But　my　darkvision's　starting　to　e　back。　Nimor's　gone。　What　about　you？〃
　　　Gromph's　eyes　were　streaming　with　tears。　He　seemed　to　be　having　trouble　seeing　Andzrel…seeing　anything。
　　　〃I'm　。　。　。　still　blind。　That　flash　of　light　seems　to　have　had　a　greater　effect　on　me　than　it　did　you…perhaps　because　the　magic　protecting　Nimor　recognized　the　spell　inside　the　prism　as　mine　and　turned　it　back　on　me　directly。　No　matter。　It　should　be　a　simple　matter　to　restore　my　sight；〃
　　　Gromph　touched　a　finger　to　each　eye　and　cast　a　spell　that　should　have　dispelled　his　blindness…but　though　he　felt　the　tingle　of　magic　under　his　eyelids；　his　darkvision　did　not　return。　He　was　as　unable　to　see　in　the　dark　cavern　as　any　creature　from　the　Surface　Realms。
　　　And　that　worried　him。　With　Lolth's　priestesses　unable　to　contact　their　goddess；　finding　a　restorative　spell　would　be　difficult。
　　　〃So　where　is　Nimor　now？〃　Andzrel　asked。
　　　〃In　the　Plane　of　Shadow；〃　Gromph　answered。　〃And　you　know　what　that　means。〃
　　　〃Actually；　no；　I　don't；〃　Andzrel　answered。　〃My　apologies；　Archmage。〃
　　　Gromph　chuckled　and　said；　〃It　means　he's　stuck　there。　In　order　to　plete　his　shadow　walk；　Nimor　needs　either　a　patch　of　shadow…if　you're　in　the　World　Above…or　darkness　to　step　into。　A　deep　patch　of　darkness。　That's　something　he　isn't　going　to　find　any　time　soon；　with　a　prism　stuck　to　his　hand　that　glows　with　the　light　of　the　sun。〃
　　　〃Well　that's　one　piece　gone　from　the　sava　game；〃　Andzrel　said　in　a　satisfied　voice。　〃What's　next？〃
　　　〃Back　to　Menzoberranzan；〃　Gromph　said。　〃You　lead；　and　I'll　follow。〃
　　　
　　　Gromph　stood　at　the　base　of　Narbondel；　one　hand　on　the　natural　pillar's　cold　stone。　It　loomed　large　in　Kyorli's　eyes。　The　rat　peered　up　at　the　darkened　pillar　from　her　perch　on　Gromph's　shoulder；　whiskers　tickling　his　ear。　Behind　him；　Gromph　could　hear　Nauzhror　muttering　to　himself。　The　younger　wizard　had　relinquished　the　archmage's　robes　to　Gromph　with　great　reluctance　and　had　insisted　on　being　present　at　the　lighting　ritual。　Like　a　spider；　he　sensed　that　Gromph　had　a　weakness…even　though　he　hadn't　discovered　what　it　was　yet。
　　　Turning　to　face　the　pillar；　Gromph　lifted　both　hands　above　his　head。　As　he　chanted　the　words　to　his　spell　he　felt　a　familiar；　tingling　rush　of　power　flow　into　his　hands。　When　the　magic　reached　its　zenith；　he　slapped　both　of　them　against　Narbondel；　directing　the　magic　into　it。　The　cold　stone　warmed　under　his　palms　and　a　faint　crackling　filled　the　air。　Like　flames　climbing　a　burning　curtain；　the　magical　heat　and　light　slowly　began　to　rise　through　Narbondel。　Gromph　couldn't　see　it　with　his　own　eyes；　but　through　Kyorli's　he　saw　a　muted　version　of　it；　a　circle　of　light　emitting　sparks　of　every　color　from　deepest　red　to　brightest　purple；　rising　slowly　against　black　stone。　A　beautiful　sight…and　one　that　would　inspire　hope　in　those　who　yet　held　the　enemy　at　bay　in　the　Dark　Dominion；　when　they　returned　from　the　tunnels。
　　　By　memory；　Gromph　turned　in　the　direction　of　House　Agrach　Dyrr。
　　　〃Can　you　see　that；　lichdrow？〃　he　whispered。　〃I've　escaped　your　imprisonment。　Soon；　I'll　be　ing　for　you。〃
　　　Later；　Gromph　sat　in　his　private　office　in　Sorcere；　drumming　his　fingers　on　the　desk　in　front　of　him。　Kyorli　sat　on　his　shoulder；　Gromph　still　needed　the　rat's　eyes　in　order　to　see。　He　had　consumed　a　potion　that　should　have　restored　his　eyesight　fully；　but　all　he　could　see　was　a　series　of　shadows　and　blurs。　Had　it　been　a　bination　of　his　own　permanency　spell　and　the　magic　that　protected　Nimor　that　had　wreaked　such　destruction？　With　time　and　research；　he　would　know　the　answers…but　with　two　armies　still　hovering　on　the　outskirts　of　Menzoberranzan；　time　was　a　luxury　he　didn't　have。
　　　A　tickling　at　the　back　of　his　neck　alerted　him　to　the　fact　that　someone　was　watching　him…something　that　should　have　been　impossible　within　the　magically　warded　walls　of　his　office。　It　seemed　to　be　ing　from　the　axe　he'd　hung　on　the　wall…the　one　his　forgotten　illithid　visitor　had　left。　For　a　moment；　Gromph　wondered　it　the　observer　was　one　of　the　souls　trapped　within　it；　but　when　he　bade　Kyorli　to　turn　and　take　a　look；　he　saw　no　movement；　no　face　in　the　axe　blade。
　　　As　the　archmage　turned　away　from　the　axe；　a　familiar　voice　whispered　at　him　from　out　of　the　thin　air…the　voice　of　the　one　drow　Gromph　had　ensured　would　be　able　to　penetrate　the　wards　of　his　office…
　　　Going　to　Lake　of　Shadows；　Pharaun's　voice　whispered　in　his　mind。　Aboleth　said　ship　of　chaos　is　sunk　there　with　uridezu。　Will　sail　ship　to　Abyss　and　appeal　to　Lolth　directly。
　　　At　twenty…five　words；　the　message　was　precisely　at　the　limit　of　the　sending　spell　Pharaun　had　used　to　contact　Gromph。　The　archmage　sat　in　silence；　contemplating　his　reply。　It　needed　to　be　equally　brief。　。　。　and　informative。
　　　〃Your　mission　is　more　urgent　now。　We　need　Lolth。　Duergar　and　tanarukks　besiege　Menzoberranzan。　Lichdrow　Dyrr　is　a　traitor。〃　Gromph　paused；　then　added　in　a　wry　voice；　〃An　uridezu？　I　wish　you　luck。〃
　　　The　sense　of　being　watched　vanished；　leaving　Gromph　sitting　alone　in　his　office。　Slowly；　he　shook　his　head；　wondering　if　that　would　be　the　last　time　he'd　ever　hear　from　Pharaun。
　　　
Chapter　Twenty…seven
　　　Uluyara　listened　in　silence　as　Halisstra　described　what　she　had　seen　in　Reverie。　When　she　finished；　Uluyara　whispered　a　brief　prayer；　then　raised　a　hand　reverently　to　the　night　sky。　Lowering　it；　she　stared　hard　at　Halisstra；　her　red　eyes　reflecting　the　moonlight。
　　　〃Lost；　all　these　years；〃　she　said。　〃Our　best　scryers；　joined　in　spell…song；　could　not　find　the　Crescent　Blade…and　now　a　novice　thinks　she　can　succeed　where　they　failed。〃
　　　Halisstra；　hearing　a　tone　she　didn't　like　in　Uluyara's　voice；　bristled。
　　　〃I'm　only　repeating　what　Seyll　said；〃　she　countered。　〃This　was　no　hallucination。　I'm　sure　it　was　her　spirit　who　spoke　to　me。　I　think　she　was　trying　to　tell　me　that　I'm　going　to　have　to　face　down　Quenthel　Baenre　in　bat　and　that　I'll　need　this　Crescent　Blade…whatever　it　is…to　defeat　her　when　I　do。〃
　　　Uluyara　stared　into　Halisstra's　eyes；　as　if　weighing　her　words。
　　　〃If　this　is　an　excuse　to　delay　rejoining　your　former　panions；〃　Uluyara　said；　〃you　might　have　picked　something　a　little　less　dramatic　than　a　search　for　the　Crescent　Blade。　I'd　rather　you　were　honest　with　me　and　simply　tell　me　you're　not　ready　yet。　If　you've　changed　your　mind；　or　are　afraid…〃
　　　〃Afraid？　How　dare　you！　I　am　the　First　Daughter　of　a　noble　House！〃　Halisstra　spat。
　　　Then　she　remembered　who　she　was　talking　to…and　remembered　that　her　House　was　no　more…and　she　threw　herself　onto　the　ground　at　Uluyara's　feet。
　　　〃My　apologies；　Dark　Lady；〃　she　whispered；　tensing　in　expectation　of　the　lash　that　would　have　immediately　scoured　her　shoulders；　had　it　been　one　of　Lolth's　high　priestesses　to　whom　she　had　spoken　so　boldly。　〃I　was　of　a　noble　House　a