war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第24章

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aegloth。　They　swarmed　onto　him　faster　than　he　could　kill　them；　though　he　was　dispatching　the　rodents　four　at　a　time。
　　　Pharaun　ran　quickly　through　possible　spells；　stepping　forward　a　few　paces　toward　Quenthel。
　　　The　uridezu　smashed　her　on　the　back　with　its　tail。　The　high　priestess's　face　was　forced　into　the　bone…hard　deck。　Blood　sprayed；　but　not　much；　and　she　took　the　strong　hit　with　a　grunt。
　　　Pharaun　was　impressed。　Something　made　him　set　aside　his　first　choice　of　spell。
　　　Too　much；　he　thought；　for　only　one　。　。　。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　looked　over　at　Raashub。　The　demon　captain's　eyes　were　darting　rapidly　between　Quenthel　and　the　newer。
　　　He's　testing　us；　Pharaun　thought。　The　wily　bastard　gated　in　one　of　his　kind　and　is　setting　it　against　us　so　we　can　show　off；　reveal　our　strengths　and　weaknesses。
　　　Raashub　might　have　been　bound；　but　he　was　a　demon　still；　and　there　was　always　fight　left　in　a　demon…it　always　had　a　way　out。
　　　The　other　uridezu　clawed　at　Quenthel's　legs；　opening　deep　gashes；　and　she　kicked　back　at　it。　The　demon　danced　out　of　reach　of　her　boots。　The　high　priestess　extended　a　hand　back　over　her　head；　but　she　still　couldn't　reach　her　whip。　The　vipers　seemed　panicked　and　weren't　able　to　coordinate　their　movements　well　enough　to　crawl　to　her。
　　　Pharaun　pronounced　a　quick　set　of　rhyming　syllables　and　made　a　fast　motion　with　his　right　hand。　Pushed　by　his　magic；　the　viper　whip　slid　along　the　deck　a　few　inches；　well　within　Quenthel's　reach。
　　　As　the　high　priestess's　fingers　closed　around　the　handle　of　the　scourge；　Pharaun　laughed　inwardly。　The　spell　he'd　used　was　no　more　than　a　cantrip；　a　transmutation　so　simple　any　first　year　student　at　Sorcere　could　master　it。　It　would　tell　Raashub　nothing　about　the　limits　of　his　power。
　　　The　uridezu　hissed　at　Quenthel；　backing　farther　away　from　her；　his　tail　twitching　behind　him；　and　his　claws　flickering　in　anticipation。　The　demon　obviously　thought　he　was　well　out　of　reach　of　the　whip。　He　was　wrong。
　　　The　five　vipers　that　prised　Quenthel's　scourge　were　five　feet　long；　giving　the　weapon　considerable　reach。　The　high　priestess　was　still　on　the　deck　and　didn't　bother　to　stand。　She　lashed　the　whip　behind　her；　her　jaw　set　tightly　and　her　eyes　wild　with　rage。　When　she　brought　the　weapon　forward；　the　snakes　whipped　outward　to　their　full　length。　The　uridezu　flinched；　though　he　seemed　confident　enough　that　he　was　still　out　of　the　weapon's　range。　The　vipers　extended　farther；　though；　drawing　themselves　out；　stretching　thinner　and　thinner；　farther　and　farther；　adding　another　few　feet　to　their　length。
　　　The　uridezu　didn't　register　what　was　happening　nearly　fast　enough　to　avoid　the　vipers。　All　but　one　of　them　sank　needle…sharp　fangs　into　the　rat…demon's　flesh。　As　the　whip　lashed　back；　they　dug　long；　bleeding　furrows　in　the　uridezu's　leathery　hide。
　　　The　demon　screamed；　high…pitched　and　loud　enough　to　rattle　Pharaun's　eardrums。
　　　Anything　else　would　have　been　dead。　Each　viper　possessed　a　deadly　venom；　wickedly　potent。　Quenthel；　wild　with　a　battle…frenzy　Pharaun　had　never　imagined；　much　less　seen　from　her；　wouldn't　have　let　the　snakes　hold　a　drop　of　venom　back。　It　would　have　been　enough　to　drop　a　rothe。
　　　The　victim　of　that　venomous　lash　wasn't　a　dumb　food　beast；　it　was　an　uridezu；　and　Pharaun　had　studied　demons　long　enough　to　know　the　traits　that　all　of　them　shared。　Poison　would　never　affect　one。　The　whip　had　wounded　the　captain　but　hadn't　killed　him。　Pharaun　knew　he　could　take　more　than　that。　Even　a　demon　as　relatively　weak　as　an　uridezu…and　the　rat…creatures　were　hardly　the　sturdiest　of　their　kind…could　withstand　extremes　of　cold　and　heat　and　muster　innate　magical　abilities　such　as　the　darkness　he　had　used　to　ambush　Quenthel。　Uridezu　could　call　on　their　rodent　cousins；　as　the　one　Pharaun　faced　had　set　them　against　Jeggred。　There　was　something　about　the　bite　of　the　uridezu　that　Pharaun　knew　he　should　remember；　but　that　wasn't　ing　to　him。　Of　course；　like　all　tanar'ri；　lightning　only　passed　through　them。
　　　Even　as　that　thought　crossed　his　mind　Pharaun　had　a　hand　on　a　wand　that　would　have　unleashed　lightning　bolts。　Knowing　that　was　useless；　the　Master　of　Sorcere　shifted　his　hand　an　inch　over　and　drew　a　different　wand。
　　　Pharaun　hesitated　and　watched　Quenthel　hop　nimbly　to　her　feet　and　face　the　uridezu。　The　demon　hissed　at　her；　but　Quenthel　made　no　sound　or　sign　she'd　heard　it。　The　high　priestess　cracked　her　whip　at　the　demon　again；　and　three　of　the　five　snakes　bit　deeply　into　the　rat…demon's　chest。　The　creature　lashed　out　at　the　snakes　with　one　set　of　razor…sharp　claws；　but　the　vipers　withdrew　in　time；　and　the　talons　slashed　through　empty　air。
　　　Ignoring　that　failure；　the　uridezu　whirled；　whipping　at　the　drow　priestess　with　its　heavy；　fast…moving　tail。　Quenthel　brought　the　buckler　in　her　left　hand　up　to　meet　the　tail。　The　appendage　hit　her　with　enough　force　that　Pharaun　was　sure　her　arm　would　snap；　but　instead　she　managed　to　bat　the　tail　away。
　　　The　uridezu　recovered　more　quickly　than　Quenthel；　though；　and　the　tail　reversed　and　dropped　lower；　clipping　the　priestess　in　the　ribs。
　　　Pharaun　could　hear　the　breath　driven　from　her　lungs。　She　stepped　to　the　side；　almost　staggering。　The　demon；　a　feral　smile　spread　across　its　face；　stepped　in。　It　meant　to　bite　her　and　rake　her　with　its　claws　at　the　same　time。
　　　Pharaun　drew　a　breath　to　pronounce　the　mand　word　for　his　wand　even　as　the　demon　attacked…and　took　Quenthel's　buckler　full　in　the　face。　There　was　a　loud；　wet　crack！　and　blood　splashed　out　from　between　the　buckler　and　the　uridezu's　nose。　The　demon's　hands　flailed　harmlessly　in　front　of　Quenthel　and　each　of　the　five　vipers　took　their　pick　of　the　demon's　most　sensitive　spots　in　which　to　sink　their　fangs。　The　uridezu　howled　in　agony。
　　　Well；　Pharaun　thought；　not　bothering　to　activate　the　magic　in　his　wand；　looks　like　she's　got　this　well　in…
　　　His　eyes　settled　on　Raashub；　and　Pharaun　stopped。　The　bound　uridezu　was　looking　at　him；　his　eyes　running　down　the　length　of　the　wand。　Anticipation　was　plain　on　the　demon　captain's　face。
　　　Pharaun　looked　at　his　wand　then　back　at　Raashub。　Their　eyes　locked；　and　Raashub　smiled　at　him。
　　　With　a　smile　of　his　own；　Pharaun　slid　the　wand　back　into　his　pack　where　it　belonged。　Raashub　hid　his　disappointment　well；　turning　his　attention　back　to　Quenthel　and　his　fellow　uridezu。
　　　Pharaun　made　the　decision　to　help　Jeggred。　Raashub　would　know　what　the　draegloth　was　capable　of；　and　if　Pharaun　could　deal　with　the　swarming　rats　and　allow　Jeggred　to　help　Quenthel；　the　unbound　uridezu　could　be　dispatched　quickly　and　without　Pharaun　having　to　take　a　more　active…and　more　revealing…role　in　the　fight。
　　　As　Pharaun　came　to　that　decision；　a　loud　series　of　cracking　and　popping　noises　drew　his　attention　back　to　Quenthel。　The　Mistress　of　Arach…Tinilith　pulled　up　a　whole　section　of　railing。　Bone　and　cartilage　separated　from　the　deck；　snapping　off　like　dried　mushroom　stems。　Her　whip　was　in　her　belt；　the　uridezu　was　staggering　in　front　of　her　with　blood　pouring　from　its　ruined　snout；　and　she　lifted　the　ten…foot　length　of　railing　over　her　head。
　　　Pharaun　quickly　prepared　a　spell　to　aid　Jeggred；　and　Quenthel　attacked。　The　high　priestess　brought　the　section　of　railing　down　on　the　uridezu　fast　and　hard。　The　demon；　not　quite　blinded　by　its　bleeding　nose；　skittered　away　from　the　attack　and　managed　to　leap　out　of　range　at　the　last　second。　The　railing　crashed　onto　the　deck　and　shattered；　sending　bone　fragments　whirling　through　the　air。　Several　of　them　bounced　off　Pharaun's　spell…wards　and　shields；　and　he　watched　a　couple　of　them　slice　into　two　of　the　rats　that　covered　Jeggred。
　　　Quenthel　growled　in　nearly　incoherent　rage；　and　Pharaun　found　the　noise　unsettling…unbeing　to　the　Mistress　of　the　Academy。
　　　Pools　of　blood　were　collecting　where　the　railing　had　smashed　into　the　deck。　The　ship　of　chaos　itself　was　bleeding。　The　wizard　wasn't　sure　if　he'd　be　able　to　repair　it；　and　any　further　damage　might　delay　or　even　prevent　their　voyage。　However；　Pharaun　didn't　want　to　say　anything　out　loud；　and　Quenthel　wasn't　looking　at　him　so　he　couldn't　sign　to　her　to　stop　damaging　the