war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第67章

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d　lump；　modeling　the　arms；　legs；　tail；　and　snout　of　an　uridezu　demon。　The　statuette　was　crude；　but　it　would　suffice。　Slicing　open　its　chest　with　a　fingernail；　Pharaun　pushed　the　opal　inside；　then　pinched　the　wound　shut。　He　wrapped　Valas's　chain　around　one　of　the　statuette's　legs；　securing　it　there　by　joining　two　links　together。
　　　〃There；〃　he　said；　nodding　in　satisfaction　at　the　chain　that　bit　slightly　into　the　wax　statuette's　ankle。　〃That　should　hold　him　long　enough　to　get　us　to　the　Abyss。〃
　　　
Chapter　Thirty…two
　　　As　the　worm's　mouth　closed　around　her；　Halisstra　squeezed　her　eyes　shut。　She　gasped　as　a　wave　of　acid　splattered　against　the　exposed　portions　of　her　body…her　face；　neck；　and　hands…then　regretted　it　as　the　stench　of　acid　filled　her　nostrils。　Rivulets　of　agony　trickled　through　her　hair　and　down　her　neck；　searing　her　chest　and　back　as　they　found　their　way　under　her　chain　mail　and　padded　tunic。
　　　Clinging　to　the　hilt　of　the　songsword；　she　twisted　violently　against　the　rippling；　sucking　force　of　the　worm　trying　to　swallow　her　down。　She　managed　to　get　her　feet　braced　against　the　worm's　lower　jaw；　but　when　she　tried　to　lever　the　mouth　open　her　boots　slipped。　The　worm　swallowed　her；　wrenching　her　hands　away　from　the　hilt　of　the　sword。
　　　As　the　worm's　throat　muscles　constricted；　forcing　her　down　its　throat；　Halisstra　began　to　pray。　To　open　her　burning　lips　would　mean　swallowing　acid；　which　would　further　increase　her　torment；　so　she　prayed　silently；　fervently；　begging　Eilistraee　to　help　her。　Despite　the　fact　that　she　could　feel　her　skin　erupting　into　blisters；　she　didn't　attempt　a　curative　spell…that　would　only　delay　the　inevitable…instead　she　pleaded　for　something　that　would　help　her　to　escape。
　　　The　worm　thrashed　back　and　forth；　bending　Halisstra　violently　this　way　and　that。　She　heard　dull；　muffled　thuds　that　must　have　been　Ryld　hacking　at　the　worm　with　his　sword；　but　then　the　creature　twisted　suddenly　and　they　stopped。　The　motion　forced　the　air　from　Halisstra's　lungs…and　she　dared　not　try　to　inhale。　Instead　she　forced　her　hand　down；　scraping　it　against　her　acid…slimed　chain　mail　to　touch　the　amulet　hanging　from　her　belt；　next　to　her　empty　sheath。
　　　Eilistraee；　she　prayed。　Help　me。　Send　me　a　weapon。
　　　Something　nudged　against　her　hand…something　hard　and　smooth。　Grasping　it；　Halisstra　realized　it　was　the　hilt　of　a　sword…obviously　the　weapon　of　some　other　unfortunate　victim　of　the　worm。　She　wasted　no　time　in　using　what　the　goddess　had　provided。　Forcing　her　elbow　back　against　the　pulsing　wall　of　the　worm's　gut；　she　brought　the　point　of　the　weapon　to　bear　and　felt　it　slide　into　the　worm's　flesh。　Then　she　began　to　saw。
　　　Her　entire　body　was　covered　in　acid。　The　worm's　digestive　juices　had　seeped　under　her　armor　and　clothing　and　onto　her　skin。　She　could　feel　blisters　erupting　and　could　feel　the　acid　flowing　into　the　rupturing　skin　with　each　move　that　she　made。　Head　pounding　from　a　lack　of　air；　she　sawed　desperately；　her　movements　made　short　and　jerky　by　the　fact　that　the　worm's　gut　was　pressing　her　arm　against　her　side。　Flashes　of　red　danced　before　her　eyes；　but　still　she　continued　to　saw。　It　was　either　that　or　die。
　　　The　wall　of　gut　in　front　of　her　ruptured。　Riding　a　wave　of　acid；　Halisstra　fell　through　the　wound　in　the　worm's　side；　dropping　the　sword。　She　lay　for　a　moment　on　the　hard　stone；　drawing　deep；　shuddering　breaths　and　watching　the　worm　thrash　itself　across　the　cavern。　The　creature　was　wounded　in　half　a　dozen　places：　deep　gashes　that　had　probably　been　made　by　Ryld's　greatsword。　As　the　worm　shuddered　and　at　last　died；　Halisstra　rolled　feebly　over；　out　of　the　puddle　of　acid。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　gasped；　sighting　him。
　　　As　her　pain…dulled　mind　registered　that　he　was　lying　on　his　back　on　the　cavern　floor；　she　forced　herself　into　a　sitting　position；　nearly　fainting　at　the　pain　of　her　heavy　chain　mail　as　it　rubbed　against　her　acid…burned　flesh。
　　　〃Ryld；〃　she　said；　her　voice　cracking。　〃Ryld！〃
　　　The　weapons　master's　chest　still　rose　and　fell　beneath　the　breastplate　he　wore；　though　the　breaths　were　shallow。　Just　below　the　edge　of　his　breastplate　his　tunic　was　torn…a　round　bloodstain　told　her　that　it　was　a　puncture　wound。　The　worm　had　injected　him　with　its　venom。
　　　He　needed　her　magic…and　quickly…but　she　could　not　aid　him　without　first　healing　herself。　Time　was　of　the　essence；　so　she　used　bae'qeshel　magic；　a　darksong　that　would　close　her　wounds。　The　worst　of　her　pain　was　relieved…though　it　returned；　in　lesser　form；　a　moment　later　as　the　acid　that　had　soaked　into　her　clothing　began　to　eat　at　her　skin　again。　As　rapidly　as　she　could；　she　stripped　off　her　chain　mail　and　pulled　off　her　soggy　tunic　and　boots。　Her　tunic　came　off　easily；　peeling　away　in　wet；　rotted　chunks。　As　she　stripped　down；　she　noted　that　the　spell　had　knitted　her　ruptured　skin　back　together　but　had　left　a　pattern　of　overlapping　burn　marks。　Startled　by　the　sight　of　them；　she　began　to　raise　a　hand　to　her　face…then　immediately　dropped　it　as　she　heard　Ryld　softly　moan。　It　was　no　time　for　vanity。
　　　Scrambling　across　the　floor　to　him；　she　laid　a　hand　over　the　site　of　his　wound　and　felt　a　shudder　pass　through　the　flesh　under　the　blood…soaked　tunic。　Closing　her　eyes；　she　chanted　her　prayer。
　　　Eilistraee；　aid　him。　Slow　the　poison　that　rushes　through　his　veins。　Grant　him　just　a　little　time；　yet；　to　live。
　　　She　lifted　her　free　hand；　imagining　herself　outside；　under　a　clear　sky；　reaching　up　toward　the　moon。　When　she　felt　the　familiar　tingle　of　magic　she　swept　her　hand　down；　placing　her　palm　upon　the　hand　that　still　covered　Ryld's　wound。　She　felt　a　rush　of　magical　energy　flow　through　her　and　into　Ryld…energy　as　cool　and　as　bright　as　the　moon。　As　the　last　of　it　drained　out　of　her　she　shivered；　suddenly　cold　and　exhausted。
　　　Halisstra　knelt；　anxiously　watching　Ryld's　slow；　labored　breathing；　wondering　if　her　spell　had　worked。　Uluyara　had　been　right…Halisstra　had　been　mad　to　think　she　could　find　the　Crescent　Blade；　when　the　bined　efforts　of　Eilistraee's　faithful　had　failed。　Halisstra　wondered　if　the　ghost　that　had　led　her　to　the　worm　hole　had　truly　been　Mathira　Melarn。　It　seemed　more　likely　that　it　was　just　some　malevolent　spirit　seeking　to　lead　others　to　experience　the　same　gruesome　death　that　it　had。　Stupidly；　like　a　rothe　being　led　to　slaughter；　she　had　followed　the　ghost　to　the　edge　of　the　worm　hole；　then　entered；　despite　her　realization　that　it　would　be　a　purple　worm　she'd　be　confronting　and　not　a　dragon　after　all。　She　had　proceeded　anyway；　blind　faith　causing　her　to　believe　that　the　Crescent　Blade　would　be　inside　the　worm's　lair。
　　　If　it　was；　she　hadn't　seen　it。　In　the　moments　before　Ryld　had　startled　her；　breaking　her　spell；　Halisstra　had　gotten　a　good　look　at　the　cavern　floor。　She'd　even　gotten　the　worm　to　shift　this　way　and　that；　enabling　her　to　search　beneath　it。
　　　She'd　seen　nothing。
　　　Sighing；　she　stared　down　at　Ryld。　In　pursuing　her　quest；　she'd　e　close　to　forfeiting　her　own　life。　That；　she　had　no　quarrel　with。　As　a　drow；　and　a　former　servant　of　Lolth；　she　was　used　to　such　sacrifices　being　demanded　of　her　and　all　around　her。　The　goddess　consumed　her　followers　like　flies；　then　cast　their　empty　husks　away。　But　Halisstra　had　expected　more　of　Eilistraee。　A　little　mercy…if　not　for　her；　then　for　innocents　like　Ryld。　She　hadn't　expected　her　quest　to　cost　him　his　life　as　well。
　　　Then　she　saw　a　slight　change。　Ryld's　face；　which　had　been　swiftly　draining　of　color　a　few　moment　before；　seemed　slightly　darker；　less　gray。　She　could　see　his　breathing　begin　to　steady；　though　it　still　sounded　wet　and　tight。　The　spell　had　worked…there　was　still　hope。
　　　〃Eilistraee；　forgive　me；〃　she　quickly　whispered。　〃Forgive　me　for　doubting　your　mercy。〃
　　　Squatting；　she　hooked　one　hand　under　Ryld's　shoulders；　the　other　under　his　hips；　intending　to　carry　him；　if　need　be；　all　the　way　up　to　the　surface；　then　back　across　the　Cold　Field　to　the　nearest　town。
　　　Eilistraee　willing；　she　would　be　able　to　locate　one　of　the　priestesses…someone　who　knew　a　healing　spell　that　would　flush　the　poison　pletely　from　his　body…before　the　poison…delaying　spell　she'd　cast　ran　out。
　　　As　she　started　to　lift　Ry