war of the spider queen 5 annihilation-第50章
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Disappointing； Nauzhror mented。 That was an impressive spell。 And effective。
Nimor wasn't flying quite as fast； and he was still bleeding。 Gromph had to keep his attention shifting back and forth between the assassin； the lich； and his own next spell； so he didn't actually see Nimor heal himself； but he did…enough to keep himself alive。
Gromph was nearly finished with his next incantation when Nimor blew darkness at him…it was the only way the wizard could think to describe it。 The assassin drew in a breath and exhaled a cone…shaped wave of roiling blackness。 Gromph tried to drop away from the darkness； but he couldn't。 The twisting void washed over the archmage。 It was as if all the warmth were drawn out of him。 He shivered； and his breath stopped in his throat。 His spell was ruined； cut off in mid…word； the Weave energy unraveling。
Part of the layers of defensive magic that he and the Masters of Sorcere had cloaked him in protected Gromph from the full extent of the freezing darkness's power。 If not； Gromph would have shriveled to a dead husk。
〃I was right；〃 Gromph said to Nimor； trying not to gasp。 〃It was a shadow dragon； wasn't it？〃
〃More than one shadow dragon； Archmage；〃 Nimor replied…and Gromph thought the assassin was trying not to gasp himself； 〃and more than one drow。〃
The half…dragon assassin drew a needle…thin rapier that glowed blue…white in the gloom of the abandoned Bazaar。
Caution； Archmage； Prath warned。
Gromph winced at the idiocy of his inexperienced nephew。 The archmage was always ready for anything…though he wasn't fast enough to dodge out of the way of the rapier as it slashed across his chest。
Nimor had disappeared from where he'd been hovering； several paces away and appeared right next to Gromph and a little above…perfectly in a blind spot。 All of that had happened in the precise same instant。
The assassin was gone again just as fast。
The slash in Gromph's chest burned； the wound crisp and jagged。 He looked down at the cut。 Frost lined the wound； and the blood that oozed from it was cold when it touched his skin。 Gromph shivered。
Something hit Gromph from behind； and he grunted and doubled over when the air was smashed out of his lungs。 It was a painful second or two before he was able to draw in another breath。 Dyrr had hit him with something…a spell or a weapon…from behind。
The spell didn't pass through all of your defenses； Archmage； Nauzhror told him。 If it had； you would have been disintegrated。
〃Good for me；〃 Gromph muttered under his breath； then he spoke the mand word that brought the defensive globe from the staff。
Circled again in protective magic； Gromph turned in the air； trying to catch sight of at least one of his foes。 He saw Nimor flying at him with that freezing rapier poised for another slash。 Behind the assassin and off to one side； the lichdrow was moving his free hand through the air； his fingers leaving streaks of crackling white light behind them。
Pain blazing in his chest and back； Gromph twisted in the air when a cone of twinkling white light shot forth from the lichdrow's extended hands； threatening to engulf him in a blast of freezing air and cutting ice。
The archmage managed to twist out of the way of the spell； but he lost sight of the assassin in the process。 Gromph braced himself for another icy slash from the rapier； but it didn't e。
The assassin had to dodge the cone of cold as well； Master； Prath said。
Gromph took advantage of the respite and drew two slim； platinum…bladed throwing daggers from a sheath in his right boot。 Even as he drew the knives up along the length of his body； he spoke the words of a spell that would enchant the weapons to a greater keenness。 The spell would make them fly truer as well； and farther； and he was sure they would pierce at least some of his target's magical defenses。
Gromph got his arm up to throw and finished the spell。 When he turned to find his target； the pain was gone。 The ring was working still； healing him almost as fast as the assassin and the lich could wound him。
A fraction of a heartbeat before Gromph could throw his ensorcelled daggers； Nimor appeared next to him again。 The rapier made a shrill whistling sound as it whipped through the air； drawing a frosted white line across Gromph's right side。 The pain was extraordinary； and Gromph's fingers twitched along with most of the other muscles of his body。 He almost dropped the two daggers but didn't。
He's gone； said Prath。
Gromph had expected that。
I think it might be the ring； Nauzhror said。
The ring？ Gromph sent back。
That allows him to slip from one place to another in an instant； Nauzhror explained。
Gromph had expected to fight Dyrr alone and had expected to fight him spell to spell。 The archmage had to admit； at least to himself； that he was unprepared for hand…to…hand bat and that in that regard at least； Nimor was likely superior。
He put those thoughts out of his mind when he heard Dyrr casting another spell。 He turned to look at the lich。
Dyrr had a strange look in his eyes； as if something was going to happen； but he wasn't sure exactly what。 Gromph didn't like that look at all。
He's summoning something； Nauzhror said。
By the time the last syllable of Nauzhror's warning sounded in Gromph's head； the lich's spell had done its work。 Lurching out of thin air； a set of insectoid legs slammed down onto the rock floor of the Bazaar…then another set； and another and another and another。 The insect's head was wider than Gromph was tall； maybe even twice as wide。 On either side of its grotesque mouth was a curved； jagged…edged pincer。 Two bulbous； multifaceted eyes scanned the abandoned expanse of the marketplace as the rest of the huge beast drew itself out of the Weave。
It was a centipede the size of a whole caravan of pack lizards； and behind it； Dyrr was laughing； and Nimor was flying at Gromph again。
One at a time； the archmage told himself。
He worked another spell on the pair of enchanted throwing daggers。 The centipede lurched at Gromph； but it was moving slowly； still unsure of its surroundings and the extent of the lich's control over it。 That gave Gromph time to finish the spell and throw the daggers。 He didn't bother to aim。 He tossed them in Nimor's general direction and let the spell do the rest。 The daggers whirled through the air； their paths twisting around each other in a perfect beeline for the winged assassin。
With impressive agility； Nimor slipped sideways in the air in an attempt to avoid the daggers； but once set on their course； nothing so simple would deter them。 The assassin had to twist in the air again； swatting at the blades with his rapier。 The flash of steel…Nimor's thin blade and both daggers…became a whirling blur around the assassin。
Well played； Master； Prath mented。 That should keep him occupied。
Again ignoring his nephew； Gromph called on the levitating power of his staff to launch himself straight up in the air。 The centipede's hideous sideways jaws crashed together an inch below the soles of his boots； and it immediately drew back for a second lunging attack。 Gromph； hoping he was well above the monstrous insect； twisted and rolled in the air； his eyes taking in every detail of the Bazaar and the surrounding stalagmites as he went。
The archmage stopped； hanging in the air between the confused centipede and the hovering lich。
〃You don't like my new pet？〃 the lichdrow taunted。 〃All he wants is to give you a little kiss。〃
〃I don't…〃 Gromph started； but the air was pushed from his chest once again when Dyrr； his staff held in front of him； used its power to thrust Gromph away。
The archmage could feel the giant insect behind him； looming like a stalactite fortress。 Dyrr drew himself up higher in the air and the repulsion pushed Gromph down and away…directly into the centipede's greedy jaws。
The right spell came to Gromph's mind in an instant； and he wasted some extra energy to cast it quickly。 The effect was one he'd felt hundreds of times； but he'd always
