war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第73部分

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ve　before　the　astonished　Menzoberranyr。
　　　Halisstra；　who　had　seen　many　terrible　things　at　Lolth's　altars；　recoiled　in　horror。　With　a　cold；　distant　part　of　her　mind；　she　noted　that　the　flesh　and　bone　torn　out　of　Tzirik　simply　faded　away；　just　as　his　armor　had。
　　　It's　not　happening　here；　she　realized。　Tzirik　is　being　murdered；　but　back　in　Minauthkeep。
　　　One　final　obscene　blow　seized　the　contents　of　Tzirik's　chest　cavity　and　literally　strewed　them　abroad。　The　Jaelre　priest　sank　to　his　knees　as　his　eyes　rolled　up　in　his　head。　From　some　immense　distance　a　shining　silver　cord　appeared；　tethered　to　the　priest's　back。　It　recoiled　sharply　into　his　astral　body　with　a　psychic　force　that　plucked　at　Halisstra's　very　soul；　and　Tzirik　was　gone；　as　if　he　had　never　existed。
　　　〃Gods　。。。〃　Valas　managed　to　say；　then　he　grunted　in　shock。
　　　All　of　them　felt　it　at　the　same　instant…a　violent　wrenching　of　their　psyches　that　rent　the　stone　plain　and　the　black　temple　into　a　thousand　silvery　shards。
　　　Halisstra　opened　her　mouth；　a　scream　of　terror　welling　up　inside　her；　but　before　she　could　draw　another　breath　she　was　yanked　away　into　oblivion。
　　　
　　　Halisstra　awoke　with　a　start；　sitting　bolt　upright　from　the　musty　old　divan　in　Tzirik's　hidden　chamber。　It　took　her　a　moment　to　understand　that　she　was　alive。　The　experience　of　having　her　soul　wrenched　from　the　Demonweb　Pits　back　to　Faerun　in　an　instant　by　Tzirik's　destruction　was　not　something　she　cared　to　repeat。　It　took　her　a　moment　longer　than　that　to　understand　that　she　was　no　longer　in　any　physical　pain。
　　　Where　she　did　ache；　though；　was　in　her　heart。　A　great；　hot　hurt　throbbed　in　the　center　of　her　being；　a　grief　so　keen　and　vast　that　Halisstra　could　not　imagine　anything　that　could　swallow　it。
　　　She　pressed　her　hand　to　her　chest　as　if　to　smooth　out　the　ache　beneath　her　breastbone；　and　slowly　looked　around。　The　others　in　the　pany　were　rising；　too；　all　variously　dazed　or　groggy　from　their　experience。　To　her　right；　Tzirik　lay　still　on　his　couch；　his　body　torn　apart。　Blood　splattered　the　walls　of　the　chamber；　and　awful　pieces　of　the　Jaelre　cleric　lay　discarded　on　the　floor。　Beside　the　priest's　ruined　corpse　squatted　Jeggred；　licking　blood　from　his　white　fur。　A　pair　of　Jaelre　warriors　lay　close　at　hand；　their　throats　torn　out。
　　　〃Mistress？〃　the　draegloth　asked　Quenthel。　〃What　happened？　What　did　you　learn？〃
　　　Quenthel's　eyes　fell　on　Tzirik's　corpse　and　the　dead　Jaelre　guards　nearby；　and　she　scowled。
　　　〃What　in　the　goddess's　name　were　you　thinking？〃　she　asked　the　draegloth。　〃Why　did　you　slay　him？〃
　　　〃The　guards？　They　seemed　likely　to　object　to　my　work　on　the　heretic；〃　answered　Jeggred。
　　　〃No；　not　them；〃　the　priestess　said；　〃Tzirik！〃
　　　Jeggred's　eyes　narrowed；　and　a　low　growl　began　in　his　throat。　The　half…demon　straightened　and　paced　around　the　couches　toward　Pharaun；　clenching　his　claws。
　　　〃Wizard；　if　you　caused　me　to　fail　in　my　duty　to…〃
　　　〃Pharaun　。　。　。〃　Quenthel　said；　frowning　as　she　struggled　to　collect　her　thoughts。　It　didn't　take　her　long。　Recollection　dawned　in　her　eyes；　and　she　wheeled　to　glare　at　the　Master　of　Sorcere。　〃You　abandoned　us　in　the　middle　of　the　Demonweb　Pits；　when　we　needed　you　the　most。　Explain　yourself！〃
　　　〃I　deemed　it　necessary；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃We　were　in　mortal　danger；　but　we　could　not　flee　without　Tzirik's　plicity；　and　it　seemed　clear　to　me　that　Tzirik　had　no　intention　of　going　anywhere。　The　best　method　for　escape　I　could　contrive　was　to　direct　a　sending　to　Jeggred；　and　instruct　him　to　slay　Tzirik's　material　body。　As　the　priest　is　the　one　who　cast　the　spell　of　astral　travel；　his　death　ended　it　for　all　of　us…rather　more　abruptly　than　I　would　have　liked；　but　I　could　think　of　no　other　options。　I　told　Jeggred　you　ordered　it；　since　I　was　not　certain　he　would　kill　the　cleric　simply　because　I　asked　him　to。〃
　　　〃Your　cowardice　ripped　us　away　from　the　one　place　we　had　a　hope　of　winning　our　answers；〃　Quenthel　growled。
　　　〃No；〃　said　Halisstra。　〃Pharaun's　prudence　engineered　our　escape　from　an　impossible　situation；　in　the　one　manner　that　had　any　hope　of　working。〃
　　　〃What　is　the　point　of　escaping；　when　we　failed　to　plete　our　quest？〃　the　Baenre　demanded。
　　　〃Answers？　There　were　no　answers　to　be　had；　Quenthel；〃　Halisstra　said。　〃We　could　have　abased　ourselves　before　her　until　the　end　of　time；　and　the　Spider　Queen　could　not　have　cared　less。　The　quest　was　pointless…and　it　was　a　quest　you　were　never　certain　of　anyway。　Or　were　there　storehouses　to　raid　in　the　Abyss？〃
　　　〃I　let　your　blasphemy　and　pridefulness　pass　in　the　Demonweb　Pits；　girl；　but　I　will　not　do　so　again；〃　Quenthel　said。　〃If　you　speak　to　me　again　in　such　a　manner；　I　will　have　your　tongue　torn　out　at　the　roots。　You　will　be　punished　for　your　lack　of　faith；　Halisstra　Melarn。　The　Spider　Queen　will　visit　unimaginable　torments　upon　you　for　your　lack　of　respect。〃
　　　〃At　least　that　would　be　a　sign　that　she　lives；〃　Halisstra　replied。
　　　She　stood　and　began　to　gather　her　belongings。　In　the　stone　halls　beyond　their　chamber；　she　could　hear　distant　shouts　of　alarm　and　the　clatter　of　many　feet　ing　nearer。　It　seemed　almost　beneath　her　notice。
　　　〃The　Jaelre　are　ing；〃　Danifae　said。　〃They　might　have　something　to　say　about　the　evisceration　of　their　high　priest。〃
　　　〃I　would　prefer　not　to　have　to　cut　my　way　out　of　this　castle；〃　Ryld　offered。　〃I've　had　my　fill　of　fighting　today。〃
　　　With　a　low　growl；　Quenthel　tore　her　attention　away　from　Halisstra　and　studied　the　small　chamber。　She　chewed　her　lip　in　agitation；　as　if　wrestling　with　an　idea　she　didn't　like；　then　she　muttered　a　curse　and　turned　to　Pharaun。
　　　〃Do　you　have　a　spell　that　can　get　us　out　of　here？〃
　　　Pharaun　smirked；　obviously　pleased　that　Quenthel　had　been　forced　to　resort　to　his　powers　so　quickly　after　condemning　his　actions。
　　　〃It's　a　bit　of　a　stretch；　but　I　think　I　can　teleport　us　all　at　once；〃　he　said。　〃Where　do　we　wish　to　go？　I　can't　bring　us　safely　into　the　Underdark；　but　other　than　that。　。。。〃
　　　〃Anywhere　but　here；〃　Quenthel　replied。　〃We　need　time　to　consider　what　we've　seen　and　learned；　and　what　we　must　do　next。〃
　　　〃The　cave　mouth　the　portal　from　the　Labyrinth　led　to；〃　Valas　said。　〃It's　several　days'　march　from　here；　and　not　heavily　traveled。
　　　〃Fine；〃　Quenthel　snapped。　〃Take　us。〃
　　　〃Join　hands；　then；〃　Pharaun　said。
　　　He　placed　his　own　hand　over　Ryld's　and　Halisstra's；　and　spoke　a　short　phrase　just　as　the　first　blows　sounded　on　the　panel　of　the　secret　door。　In　the　blink　of　an　eye　they　stood　on　the　cold；　mossy　ground　of　the　cave　mouth　in　the　forest　clearing。　It　was　close　to　dawn。　The　skies　to　the　east　were　pearly　gray；　and　cold　dew　lay　heavy　around　their　feet。　The　glen　was　as　empty　and　cheerless　as　it　had　been　the　first　time　the　pany　camped　there；　a　little　more　than　a　tenday　past。　Most　of　the　snow　had　melted　off；　and　icy　water　trickled　into　the　sinkhole　and　ran　out　of　sight　beneath　the　hill。
　　　〃Here　we　are；〃　the　wizard　announced。　〃Now；　if　nobody　minds　too　much；　I　believe　I　am　going　to　find　the　most　fortable　spot　I　can　in　the　cavern　below　and　sleep　like　a　damned　human。〃
　　　He　clambered　down　the　slippery　rocks　without　waiting　for　a　response。
　　　〃Take　your　rest　later；　wizard；〃　Quenthel　called　after　him。　〃We　must　determine　what　we　need　to　do　next；　the　meaning　of　the　things　we　saw…〃
　　　〃What　we　saw　has　no　meaning；〃　Halisstra　said；　〃and　what　we　do　next　does　not　matter。　I'm　with　Pharaun。〃
　　　She　summoned　up　the　strength　to　leap　lightly　from　boulder　to　boulder；　descending　back　into　the　forting　and　familiar　darkness　of　the　cavern　below。
　　　Behind　her　Quenthel　fumed　and　Jeggred　rumbled　in　displeasure；　but　Ryld　and　Valas　shouldered　their　packs　and　followed　Pharaun　down　into　the　cave。　Danifae　turned　to　the　Baenre　priestess　and　rested　one　hand　on　her　shoulder。
　　　〃We　are　all　troubled　by　what　we've　seen；〃　the　battle　captive　said；　〃but　we're　exhausted。　We'll　all　think　more　clearly　when　we　have　had　some　rest；　and　perhaps　then　the　goddess's　will　might　be　more　plain　to　us。〃
　　　Grudgingly；　Quenthel　nodded　in　assent；　and　the　rest　followed　into　the　cave。　Halisstra　and　Pharaun　had　already　thrown　themselves　down　on　the　pebbled　floor　of　the　cavern　a　few　dozen　yards　from　the　entrance；　shucking　their　packs　and　leaning　back　against　the　walls。　The　rest　of　the　Menzoberranyr　filed　in　slowly　and　picked　out　their　own　spots；　collapsing　wherever　they　happened　to　stop　moving。
　　　Seyll's　bloodstained　armor　seemed　unbearably　heavy　on　Halisstra's　shoulders；　and　the　hilt　of　the　Eilistraeean's　sword　jammed　painfully　into　her　ribs。　She　was　too　tired　to　find　a　better　position。
　　　〃Will　no　one　tell　me　what　happened　in　the　Demonweb　Pits？〃　Jeggred　railed。　〃I　have　waited　in　that　empty　stone　room　for　days；　guarding　your　sleeping　bodies　faithfully。　I　deserve　to　hear　what　happened。〃
　　　〃You　will；〃　Valas　answered。　〃Later。　I　don't　believe　any　of　us　rightly　know　what　to　make　of　it。　Give　us　time　to　rest；　and　to　reflect。〃
　　　Rest？　Halisstra　thought。
　　　She　felt　as　if　she　could　sleep…sleep　in　the　unconscious　and　helpless　manner　of　a　human…for　a　tenday　and　not　feel　healed　of　the　fatigue　she　carried。　Her　mind　refused　to　reflect　any　longer　on　why　Lolth　had　abandoned　her；　yet　she　had　something　in　her　heart　that　demanded　examination；　a　grief　that　would　not　permit　her　the　refuge　of　the　Reverie　until　she　had　found　some　way　to　let　it　out。
　　　With　a　sigh；　she　pulled　her　satchel　close　and　opened　it；　taking　out　the　leather　case　of　her　lyre。　She　carefully　unsheathed　the　heirloom；　running　her　fingers　over　the　rune…carved　dragonbone　arms；　touching　the　perfect　mithral　wire。
　　　At　least　I　still　have　this；　she　thought。
　　　In　the　silence　of　the　forest　cave；　Halisstra　played　the　dark　songs　of　the　bae'qeshel；　and　softly　gave　voice　to　her　unbearable　grief。