war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第159章

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As　it　turned　out；　the　slave　rebellion　was　pandemic；　and　the　trek　wasn't　altogether　easy。　He　considered　going　to　ground　in　some　castle　or　house；　but　when　he　saw　the　flames　gnawing　stone；　he　knew　he　had　to　get　back。
Dirty；　sore；　and　coughing；　he　eventually　made　it　home；　and　when　he　rose　to　the　top　of　the　limestone　wall；　he　saw　something　that　lifted　his　spirnotits；　albeit　only　a　little。
Eight　Masters　of　Sorcere　stood　in　the　open　air；　chanting；　gesturing；　atnottempting　a　ritual；　while　an　equal　number　of　apprentices　looked　on。　The　wizards　had　fetched　much　of　the　proper　equipment　out　of　the　tower。　That　was　something；　Gromph　supposed；　but　the　incantation　was　a　usenotless　mess。
The　Baenre　reached　out　and　hauled　himself　onto　solid　ground　and　his　hands　and　knees；　another　irksome　affront　to　his　dignity。
He　rose　and　shouted；　〃Enough！〃
The　teachers　and　students　twisted　around　to　gawk　at　him。　The　chantnoting　died。
〃Archmage！〃　cried　Guldor　Melarn。　He　was　supposedly　without　peer　in　the　realm　of　elemental　magic；　though　it　couldn't　be　proved　by　his　pernotformance　thus　far　that　night。　〃We　were　worried　about　you！〃
〃I'm　sure；〃　said　Gromph；　striding　closer。　〃I　noticed　all　the　search　parnotties　you　sent　out　looking　for　me。〃
Guldor　hesitated。　〃Sir；　the　mistress　of　the　Academy　manded…〃
〃Shut　up；〃　said　Gromph。　He'd　e　close　enough　to　see　that　the　teachnoters　were　standing　in　a　plex　pentacle；　written　in　red　phosphorescence　on　the　ground。　〃Pitiful。〃
He　extended　his　index　finger　and　wrote　on　the　air。　The　magic　words　and　sigils　reshaped　themselves。
〃My　lord　Archmage；〃　said　Master　Godeep。　〃We　drew　this　circle　to　exnottinguish　the　fires　below。　If　you　break　it…〃
〃I'm　not　breaking　it；〃　said　Gromph；　〃I'm　fixing　it。〃　He　turned　his　gaze　on　one　of　the　apprentices；　some　moner　youth；　and　the　dolt　flinched。　〃Fetch　me　a　bit　of　fur；　an　amber　rod；　and　one　of　the　little　bronze　gongs　the　cooks　use　to　summon　us　to　supper。　Runf
〃Archmage；〃　said　Guldor；　〃you　see　we　already　have　all　the　necessary　foci　for　fire　magic。〃　He　gestured　to　a　brazier　of　ruddy　coals。　〃I'm　whispering　to　the　flames　below；　manding　them　to　dwindle。〃
〃And　making　more　smoke　in　the　process。　That's　just　what　we　need。〃　Gromph　kicked　the　brazier　over；　scattering　embers　across　the　rock。　〃Your　approach　isn't　working；　elementalist。　I　should　exile　you　to　the　Realms　that　See　the　Sun　for　a　few　decades；　then　you　might　figure　out　what　it　takes　to　extinguish　a　fire　of　this　magnitude。〃
The　male　came　sprinting　back　with　the　articles　Gromph　had　requested。　The　Baenre　whispered　a　word　of　power；　and　the　pentacle　changed　from　red　to　blue。
〃Right；　then；〃　he　said　to　the　wizards。　〃I　assume　you　can　tell　where　you're　meant　to　stand；　so　do　it　and　we'll　begin。　I'll　say　a　line；　you　repeat　it。　Copy　my　passes　if　you're　up　to　it。〃
For　a　properly　schooled　wizard；　magic　was　generally　easy。　He　relied　on　an　armamentarium　of　spells；　many　devised　by　his　predecessors；　a　few；　pernothaps；　invented　by　himself。　In　either　case；　they　were　perfected　spells　that　he　thoroughly　understood。　He　knew　he　could　cast　them　properly；　and　what　would　happen　when　he　did。
An　extemporaneous　ritual　was　a　different　matter。　Relying　on　their　arcane　knowledge　and　natural　ability；　a　circle　of　mages　tried　to　generate　a　new　effect　on　the　fly。　Often；　nothing　happened。　When　it　did；　the　power　often　turned　on　those　who　had　raised　it　or　discharged　itself　in　some　other　manner　contrary　to　their　intent。　Yet　occasionally　such　a　ceremony　worked；　and　with　his　station；　his　wealth；　and　his　homeland　at　stake；　Gromph　was　resolved　to　make　this　one　of　those　times。
After　the　mages　chanted　for　fifteen　minutes；　power　began　to　whisper　and　sting　through　the　air。　The　archmage　tapped　the　beater　to　the　gong；　sounding　a　clashing；　shivering　tone。　At　once　a　vaster　note　answered　and　obscured　the　first；　a　booming；　grinding；　deafening　roar。　Gromph's　subornotdinates　flinched；　but　the　Baenre　smiled　in　satisfaction；　because　the　noise　was　thunder。
Perched　high　in　the　side　cavern；　the　residents　of　Sorcere　had　an　excelnotlent　view　of　what　transpired　next。　The　air　at　the　top　of　the　great　vault；　alnotready　thick　with　smoke；　grew　denser　s