war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第31章

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the　hovering　mage。
　　　Pharaun　recalled　his　rapier。　Leveling　his　hand　crossbow；　he　looked　back　at　the　ship　of　chaos。　Quenthel　held　one　uridezu　at　bay　with　her　whip　while　another　rushed　her　from　behind。　Pharaun　couldn't　get　a　clear　shot；　so　he　paused；　and　that　was　all　the　time　it　took　for　the　uridezu　behind　her　to　bite　Quenthel　in　the　neck。
　　　Blood　welled　up　around　the　deep　wound；　and　the　high　priestess　gnashed　her　teeth　in　pain。　With　a　hard；　sharp　jerk　of　her　shoulder；　Quenthel　knocked　the　demon　away。　From　a　distance　it　was　difficult　for　Pharaun　to　see；　but　he　was　sure　the　uridezu　left　a　few　teeth　in　the　mistress's　neck。
　　　Movement　from　Jeggred　caught　Pharaun's　eye。　The　draegloth　advanced　on　Raashub。　A　wave　of　panic　coursed　through　the　Master　of　Sorcere。　Attack　or　no　attack；　they　needed　Raashub　to　pilot　the　ship。　Jeggred　had　been　itching　to　kill　the　captain　since　they'd　first　claimed　the　vessel；　and　the　boarding　action　was　excuse　enough　for　him　to　finally　make　good　on　his　many　threats。
　　　Pharaun；　fully　aware　of　the　irony　of　the　situation；　threw　a　spell　that　set　a　wall　of　invisible　force　between　the　uridezu　captain　and　the　advancing　draegloth。　Jeggred　hit　the　wall　hard；　setting　him　back　on　his　heels　for　a　moment。　Raashub　cowered　away　from　the　draegloth　then　started　to　sniff　the　air　in　front　of　him；　as　puzzled　by　his　unexplained；　last…second　reprieve　as　was　Jeggred。
　　　Quenthel　threw　an　elbow　at　the　uridezu　that　had　bitten　her；　but　the　demon　was　able　to　avoid　the　blow。　Quenthel's　attacks　were　spasmodic　and　haphazard；　and　Pharaun　knew　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　the　two　uridezu　she　faced　managed　to　kill　her。
　　　The　Master　of　Sorcere　made　his　way　quickly　through　a　spell　and　sent　its　energy　flowing　out　from　him　to　the　uridezu　that　had　bitten　Quenthel。
　　　An　enormous；　disembodied　black　hand　faded　into　existence　from　the　thin　air；　and　Pharaun　took　control　over　it　with　a　thought。　The　uridezu　that　were　harrying　Quenthel　stepped　back　from　the　hand　but　too　slowly　for　the　demon　that　had　bitten　her。　The　hand　closed　around　the　creature　and　began　to　squeeze。
　　　Taking　stock　of　the　situation　again；　Pharaun　saw　that　Jeggred　had　moved　on　to　another　uridezu；　leaving　Raashub　to　grovel　behind　the　wall　of　force。
　　　The　wizard　had　only　to　will　the　spell…hand　to　squeeze　as　hard　as　it　could　and　he　could　leave　it　to　its　own　devices。　As　the　uridezu　trapped　in　the　hand　started　gasping　for　air；　Pharaun　tightened　his　finger　around　the　trigger　of　his　hand　crossbow　and　sent　the　bolt　whizzing　through　the　air。　The　missile　slammed　into　the　other　demon's　chest。　It　paused　and　turned　to　look　at　the　source　of　the　projectile。
　　　The　uridezu　in　the　hand　had　its　mouth　wide　open；　but　no　sound　came　out。　All　the　air　had　been　squeezed　from　its　lungs。　Pharaun　reloaded　his　hand　crossbow；　and　the　conjured　hand　squeezed　even　tighter。　The　demon's　eyes　bulged；　and　Pharaun　couldn't　help　but　watch。
　　　The　wizard　launched　another　bolt　at　the　demon　that　was　still　managing　to　dodge　the　high　priestess's　whip。　The　missile　slammed　home；　pushing　the　uridezu　toward　Quenthel。　The　rat…man　was　staggered　but　far　from　dead…which　was　more　than　Pharaun　could　say　for　the　creature　in　the　hand。　Its　body　bulged　past　the　breaking　point　then　burst　in　a　torrent　of　blood　and　tissue。　A　few　agonizing　seconds　later　and　it　was　dead。
　　　Pharaun　reloaded　his　hand　crossbow　again　and　watched　the　uridezu　his　last　bolt　had　pushed　toward　Quenthel。　The　high　priestess　advanced　quickly；　scourge　in　one　hand；　the　other　wrapped　into　a　tight　fist。
　　　The　Mistress　of　the　Academy　hit　the　uridezu　that　faced　her　so　hard　its　head　burst　into　several　large　pieces　that　fell　pletely　away　from　its　shoulders。　The　rat…demon's　glistening　gray…and…yellow　brain　came　free　and　went　skipping　out　across　the　still　surface　of　the　lake。　Pharaun　knew　that　her　strength　was　ing　from　a　magic　item；　and　he　made　a　mental　note　to　stop　being　surprised　by　feats　of　strength　from　the　priestess。
　　　Movement　and　light　from　below　him　caught　Pharaun's　attention。　The　uridezu　he'd　frozen　in　place　had　finally　managed　to　break　free；　and　it　was　moving　with　great　whips　of　its　ratlike　tail。　It　swam　up　and　toward　Pharaun；　who　was　still　hovering　and　dripping　above　the　water。
　　　Pharaun　cast　a　spell　that　let　him　push　the　advancing　demon　back　down　into　the　water。　The　Master　of　Sorcere　continued　pushing　until　the　uridezu　slipped　beneath　the　layer　of　silt。　He　pushed　harder　until　the　creature　finally　hit　the　rocky　lake　bed；　four　feet　under　the　drifting　sediment。　He　pressed；　crushing　the　monster　into　the　lake　bed。　He　could　feel　the　thing's　back　break　but　kept　pressing　still。
　　　
　　　Aliisza　held　her　breath　watching　the　drow　fight　off　the　uridezu。　The　rat…demons　weren't　necessarily　the　most　impressive　foes；　but　all　things　considered　the　dark　elves　made　a　fine　show　of　it。　Pharaun　was　especially　alluring；　hanging　in　midair　over　the　water；　so　wet　and　intense。　It　made　Aliisza　all　tingly。
　　　The　invisible　alu…fiend　drifted　in　the　air　over　the　regal　female　drow；　who　had　been　paralyzed　by　the　bite　of　the　uridezu　she'd　dispatched　in　a　messy　and　uncreative　way。
　　　Another　of　the　rat…demons　swayed　before　the　paralyzed　priestess；　its　fangs　bared　and　dripping　with　toxic　spittle。　It　giggled　in　a　shrill；　excited　way　as　it　inched　ever　closer　to　the　helpless　drow　female。
　　　A　low　rumble　drew　Aliisza's　attention　to　the　draegloth。　The　half…demon　growled　in　the　face　of　another　rat…demon　then　slashed　the　thing　across　the　midsection　with　the　razor　claws　of　one　hand。　The　demon　bounced　back　on　its　heels　only　barely　far　enough　to　avoid　having　its　guts　opened　onto　the　deck。　A　hiss　exploded　from　the　uridezu's　quivering　lips；　and　its　tail　lashed　around　at　the　draegloth。　The　half…drow；　half…demon　behemoth　avoided　the　appendage　with　surprising　agility。
　　　The　captain　of　the　ship　of　chaos　rattled　his　chain　but　remained　bound　to　the　deck。　Aliisza　sensed　the　presence　of　an　invisible　wall　separating　the　captain　from　the　rest　of　them。　It　was　as　if　the　air　had　turned　solid　there。　She　could　see　the　magic　shimmering　in　her　Weave…sensitive　eyesight。
　　　Aliisza　didn't　particularly　care　what　became　of　the　uridezu　captain　or　the　uncouth；　unappealing　draegloth；　but　she　couldn't　stand　the　thought　of　the　attractive；　impressive　drow　priestess　being　eaten　alive　while　paralyzed　by　a　creature　as　lowly　as　an　uridezu。　The　alu…fiend　began　to　drain　the　life…force　from　that　particular　rat…creature　while　still　hanging　invisible　in　the　air。
　　　The　uridezu　looked　around。　It　could　feel　that　something　bad　was　happening　to　it。　Maybe　it　felt　cold；　or　weak；　dizzy；　sick。　Aliisza　was　killing　it；　and　it　had　to　know　it　was　dying。　The　rat…demon　drew　its　arms　around　itself；　and　Aliisza　sensed　that　it　was　on　its　way　back　to　the　Abyss…but　something　kept　it　there　on　the　ship。　Aliisza　could　see　that　magic　too；　binding　it　to　the　very　air　around　them。　Only　Pharaun　could　have　been　responsible　for　that。
　　　The　fact　that　the　dark　elf　wizard　had　that　power　made　Aliisza　uneasy。
　　　She　wondered　where　the　invisible　wall　had　e　from　when　she　heard　a　horrid　ripping　sound　and　had　to　dodge　an　arc　of　dark…red　blood。　The　draegloth　ripped　the　arm　off　the　uridezu　that　was　stupid　enough　to　stand　up　to　him。　Aliisza　didn't　like　the　smell　of　the　rat…demon's　blood　。。。　at　least　not　as　much　as　the　draegloth　seemed　to。
　　　The　half…demon　picked　up　the　uridezu's　arm　and　lifted　it　behind　him　until　it　bounced　off　the　invisible　wall。　That　startled　the　draegloth…no；　not　startled；　annoyed　him。　Aliisza　realized　someone　was　trying　to　separate　the　uridezu　captain　and　the　draegloth。
　　　That　had　to　be　Pharaun's　handiwork。　As　the　draegloth　beat　the　rat…demon　to　death　with　its　own　arm；　Aliisza　sorted　out　why　the　wizard　might　be　trying　to　protect　the　captain。
　　　She　whispered　a　quick　spell　and　rose　higher　into　the　air　so　that　no　one　but　Pharaun　would　be　able　to　hear　her。　She　had　to　stop　draining　the　life…force　from　the　last　survivor　of　the　demonic　boarding　party；　but　the　draegloth　had　already　begun　stalking　toward　it。
　　　〃Pharaun；〃　she　whispered　over　the　intervening　yards；　her　voice　ing　to　the　drow　wizard　as　a　whisper　in　his　ear。
　　　She　saw　the　mage　react　and　cont