war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第128章

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〃I　am　respectful；〃　Faeryl　wheezed。　〃That's　why　I　give　the　truth　even　when　it　might　be　easier　to　lie。〃
Triel　peered　up　at　her　son　and　said；　〃Princess　Zauvirr　will　not　distract　you　from　your　duties。〃
Jeggred　inclined　his　head。　〃No；　Mother。〃
〃But　at　such　times　as　I　do　not　require　you；〃　the　matron　continued；　〃you　may　use　the　spy　as　you　see　fit。　If　she　tells　you　anything　of　interest；　pass　it　along；　but　the　point　of　your　efforts　is　chastisement；　not　interrogation。　I　doubt　she　has　anything　all　that　important　to　confide。　We　already　know　who　our　enemies　are。〃
〃Yes；　Mother。〃　The　half…demon　crouched；　leered　into　Faeryl's　face；　and　said；　〃I　can　make　the　fun　last。　You'll　see。〃
He　stuck　out　his　long；　pointed　tongue　and　licked　blood　from　her　face。　The　member　was　as　rough　as　a　beast's。
The　figure　in　the　chapel　doorway　had　a　bulbous　head　with　huge；　pronottruding　eyes；　dry；　wrinkled　hide；　and　four　wriggling　tentacles　surnotrounding　and　obscuring　the　mouth。　It　had　gnarled　three…fingered　hands；　a　body　with　contours　and　proportions　different　than　those　of　a　drow；　and　an　assortment　of　talismans　and　amulets　burning　with　strange　enchantments。　Syrzan；　Pharaun　had　no　doubt；　was　a　member　of　the　psionically　gifted　species　called　illithids。　Specifically；　it　was　one　of　the　few　such　creatures　to　follow　the　path　of　wizardry　and　ultimately　transform　itself　into　an　undead　entity　known　as　an　alhoon。　The　thing　was　surely　prodigiously　powerful；　immune　to　the　ravages　of　time；　and　still　entirely　capable　of　reading　the　masters'　minds　and　discerning　the　treachery　therein。
Like　Pharaun；　Ryld　had　sprung　up　from　his　bench。　The　hulking　warrior　flung　himself　at　Houndaer；　no　doubt　in　an　attempt　to　get　his　weapons　back。　Pharaun；　who　thought　he　needed　his　spell　ponents　just　as　badly；　scrambled　after　his　friend。
The　weapons　master　threw　a　punch；　knocked　Houndaer　backward　off　his　bench；　and　snatched　up　Splitter。　He　whirled；　looking　for　the　next　threat；　and　almost　whacked　his　fellow　teacher　with　the　blade。
Pharaun　reached　for　his　cloak；　then　realized　Houndaer's　unassuming　panion　was　singing　a　wordless　arpeggio。
Had　Pharaun　already　been　wearing　the　piwafwi　with　all　its　protective　enchantments；　he　might　have　resisted　the　song；　but　instead　its　power　stabbed　into　his　mind。　He　laughed　convulsively；　uncontrollably；　and　stagnotgered　backward。　Finally；　he　fell　to　his　knees；　his　stomach　muscles　clenchnoting　and　aching。
He'd　suspected　the　nondescript　little　male　was　more　than　he'd　seemed；　a　formidable　batant　employing　a　bland　appearance　to　throw　his　adnotversaries　off　guard；　and　he'd　been　right。　The　〃craftsman〃　was　in　reality　a　bard；　a　spellcaster　who　worked　his　wonders　through　the　medium　of　music。
Teeth　gritted；　Pharaun　shook　off　the　pulsion　to　laugh。　Gasping；　he　lifted　his　head　and　looked　around。　The　bard　was　simultaneously　drawing　his　enchanted　dagger　and　starting　another　song；　this　time　pitched　falsetto。　Houndaer　was　on　his　feet　battling　Ryld；　their　swords　ringing。　At　the　end　of　the　room；　Tsabrak；　shifting　his　eight　legs　in　agitation；　aimed　an　arrow　at　Pharaun；　while　in　the　doorway　the　alhoon　simply　stood　with　only　its　mouth　tentacles　moving；　seemingly　content　to　let　its　patriots　do　the　fighting。
Pharaun　threw　himself　sideways。　The　arrow　missed　him　and　clacked　and　skipped　across　the　floor。　The　mage　slapped　the　stone；　and　a　wall　of　sheltering　darkness　sprang　up　between　him　and　the　foe。　Moving　with　a　practiced；　silent　grace；　he　scrambled　on。
Something　clamped　down　on　Pharaun's　mind；　smothering　his　will　and　robbing　him　of　the　ability　to　move。　The　undead　mind　flayer　hadn't　been　idle　after　all。　Syrzan　had　simply　utilized　its　psionic　strength　in　preference　to　its　wizardry　and　thus　hadn't　needed　to　whirl　its　three…fingered　hands　in　arcane　passes。　The　wall　of　shadow　no　impediment；　the　Prophet　had　reached　out；　found　Pharaun's　intellect；　and　struck　a　crippling　blow。
The　barricade　of　darkness　disappeared。　Syrzan　must　have　employed　a　bit　of　countermagic　to　dispel　it　and　in　so　doing；　afforded　Pharaun　a　view　of　the　space　beyond。　Rather　to　his　surprise；　Houndaer　was　still　alive；　pernothaps　because　Tsabrak　had　discarded　his　bow