war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第1章

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　shadowy　chaos；　where　nothing　was　quite　what　it　seemed；　and　everything　was　inevitably　more　treacherous　and　dangerous。　But　this；　the　crystalline　glimmer　of　a　single　silken　strand；　shone　brightly；　caught　her　eye；　and　showed　her　all　that　it　was　and　all　that　would　soon　be；　and　all　that　she　was　and　all　that　she　would　soon　be。
The　glimmer　of　light　in　the　dark　Abyss　promised　renewal　and　greater　glory　and　made　that　promise　all　the　sweeter　with　its　hints　of　danger；　mortal　danger　for　a　creature　immortal　by　nature。　That；　too；　was　the　allure；　was；　in　truth；　the　greatest　joy　of　the　growth。　The　mother　of　chaos　was　fear；　not　evil；　and　the　enjoyment　of　chaos　was　the　continual　fear　of　the　unknown；　the　shiftnoting　foundation　of　everything；　the　knowledge　that　every　twist　and　turn　could　lead　to　disaster。
It　was　something　the　drow　had　never　e　to　fully　understand　and　apnotpreciate；　and　she　preferred　that　ignorance。　To　the　drow；　the　chaos　was　a　means　for　personal　gain；　there　were　no　straight　ladders　in　the　tumult　of　drow　life　for　one　to　climb。　But　the　beauty　was　not　the　ascent；　she　knew；　if　they　did　not。　The　beauty　was　the　moment；　every　moment；　of　living　in　the　swirl　of　the　unknown；　the　whirlpool　of　true　chaos。
So　this；　then；　was　a　movement　forward；　but　within　that　movement；　it　was　a　gamble；　a　risk　that　could　launch　the　chaos　of　her　world　to　greater　heights　and　surprises。　She　wished　she　could　remain　more　fully　conscious　to　witness　it　all；　to　bask　in　it　all。
But　no　matter。　Even　within；　she　would　feel　the　pleasure　of　their　fear；　the　hunger　of　their　ambition。
That　glimmer　of　the　silk　edge；　cutting　the　gray　perpetual　fog　of　the　swirling　plane；　brought　a　singular　purpose　to　this　creature　of　shifting　whims　and　reminded　her　that　it　was　time；　was　past　time。
Never　taking　her　gaze　off　that　glimmer；　the　creature　turned　slowly；　windnoting　herself　in　the　single　strand。　The　first　strand　of　millions。
The　start　of　the　metamorphosis；　the　promise。








C　h　a　p　t　e　r　


O　N　E



Gromph　Baenre；　Archmage　of　Menzoberranzan；　flicked　a　long；　obsidian…skinned　finger。　His　office　door；　a　black　marble　rectangle　incised　all　over　with　lines　of　tiny　runes；　swung　noiselessly　shut　and　locked　its　self。
At　least　certain　that　no　one　could　see　him；　the　drow　wizard　rose　from　the　white　bone　desk；　faced　the　back　wall；　and　swirled　his　hands　in　a　plex　pattern。　A　second　doorway　opened　in　the　stippled　calcite　surface。
His　dark　elf　vision　unimpaired　by　the　lack　of　light；　Gromph　stepped　into　the　blackness　beyond　the　new　exit。　There　was　no　floor　there　to　receive　his　tread；　and　for　a　moment　he　fell；　then　he　invoked　the　power　of　levitation　granted　by　the　House　Baenre　insignia　brooch　that　he　was　never　withnotout。　He　began　to　rise；　floating　up　a　featureless　shaft。　The　cool　air　tingled　and　prickled　against　his　skin　as　it　always　did；　and　it　also　carried　a　rank；　unnotpleasant　smell。　Evidently　one　of　the　creatures　native　to　this　peculiar　pseudoplane　of　existence　had　been　nosing　around　the　conduit。
Sure　enough；　something　rattled　above　his　head。　The　rank　smell　was　suddenly　stronger；　pungent　enough　to　make　his　scarlet　eyes　water　and　sting　his　nose。　Gromph　looked　up。　At　first　he　saw　nothing；　but　then　he　discerned　a　vague　ovoid　shape　in　the　darkness。
The　Archmage　wondered　how　the　beast　had　gotten　inside　the　shaft。　Nothing　ever　had　before。　Had　it　torn　a　hole　in　the　wall；　oozed　through　like　a　ghost；　or　done　something　stranger　still？　Perhaps…
It　plummeted　at　him；　putting　an　end　to　his　speculations。
Gromph　could　have　effortlessly　blasted　the　creature　with　one　of　his　wands；　but　he　preferred　to　conserve　their　power　for　genuine　threats。　Innotstead；　he　coolly　dismissed　the　force　of　levitation　lifting　his　body　and　alnotlowed　himself　to　drop　back　down　the　shaft。　The　fall　would　keep　him　away　from　the　beast　for　long　enough　to　cast　a　spell；　and　he　didn't　have　to　worry　about　hitting　the　ground。　In　this　reality；　there　was　no　ground。
The　bejeweled　and　sigil…adorned　Robes　of　the　Archmage　flapping　around　him；　he　snatched　a　vial　of　venom　from　his　pocket；　set　it　alight　with　a　spurt　of　flame　from　his　fingertip；　and　recited　an　incantation。