war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第131部分

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　had　no　idea　what　he　was　saying。　He　shook　his　head　and　pointed　to　his　ears；　which；　though　useless；　were　far　from　numb。　They　throbbed　and　bled。　His　insides　hurt　as　well；　and　the　pain　made　him　want　to　destroy　Syrzan　all　the　more。
Pharaun　levitated；　only　to　find　himself　mere　feet　from　something　the　illithilich　must　have　conjured　while　its　fellow　age　was　floundering　about　below。　It　was　a　huge；　phosphorescent；　disembodied　illithid　head；　with　mouth　tentacles　longer　than　the　drow　was　tall。　The　members　writhing；　the　squidlike　construct　flew　forward。　Up　close；　it　smelled　fishy。
Pharaun　snatched　a　white　leather　glove　and　a　chip　of　clear　crystal　from　his　cloak　and　menced　a　spell。　A　tapered　tentacle　tip　whipped　around　his　forearm；　tugged；　and　nearly　spoiled　the　final　manipulation；　but　he　pulled　free　and　pleted　the　pass　successfully。
An　immense　hand　made　of　ice　appeared　beside　the　mind　flayer's　head。　It　wrapped　its　fingers　around　it；　dug　its　talons　in；　and　held　the　thing　immobile。
The　only　problem　was　that　the　phantom　illithid　head　was　still　blocking　Pharaun's　view。　He　simultaneously　wove　a　spell　and　bobbed　lower　until　he　saw　Syrzan。
On　the　final　word　of　the　incantation；　white　fire　erupted　from　the　alhoon's　desiccated　flesh　。　。　。　fire　that　died　a　second　later。　The　magic　should　have　transformed　the　undead　wizard　into　an　inanimate　corpse；　but　the　only　effect　had　been　to　singe　its　shabby　robe　a　little。　Pharaun　reflected　that　despite　several　attempts；　he　had　yet　to　injure　or　even　jostle　his　adversary。　If　the　dark　elf　hadn't　known　better；　he　might　have　wondered　if　Syrzan　was　not　in　fact　the　better　arcanist。
Much　as　the　Mizzrym　disliked　hand…to…hand　bat；　perhaps　a　change　of　tactics　was　in　order。　He　snatched　a　delicate　little　bone；　dissected　from　a　petty　demon　he'd　killed　in　a　classroom　demonstration；　and　started　to　conjure。
Syrzan　swung　its　arm　and　hurled　a　dozen　flaming　arrows。　They　missed；　bumped　off　course　by　their　target's　protective　enchantments。　Pharaun　pleted　his　incantation　and　so　inflicted　a　hundred　stabbing　pains　upon　himself。
His　body　grew　as　large　as　an　ogre's；　and　his　hide　thickened　into　scaly　armor。　His　teeth　lengthened　into　tusks；　and　his　nails　into　talons；　while　long；　curved　horns　erupted　from　his　brow。　A　hairless　tail　sprouted　from　the　base　of　his　spine；　and　a　whip　appeared　in　his　hand。
The　transformation　only　took　a　moment；　and　the　disfort　was　gone。　With　a　beat　of　his　leathery　new　wings；　Pharaun　hurled　himself　at　his　foe。
The　wizard　raised　his　monstrous　arms　high　and　bellowed　an　incantanottion。　Pharaun　felt　a　surge　of　churning　vertigo。　The　scene　before　him　seemed　to　spin　and　twist；　and　despite　himself；　he　veered　off　course。　He　smashed　down　on　the　dais；　and　time　skipped。　When　he　came　to　his　senses；　he'd　reverted　to　his　natural　form　and　felt　as　weak　and　sick　as　Smylla　Nathos。
The　lich　was　staring　down　at　him。
〃What　an　idiot　you　were　to　return；〃　Syrzan　said。　〃You　knew　you　were　no　match　for　me。〃
Pharaun　realized　he　could　hear　again；　albeit　through　a　jangling　in　his　ears。　He　wouldn't　die　deaf；　for　whatever　that　was　worth。
〃Stop　preening；〃　said　the　Master　of　Sorcere。　〃You　look　ridiculous。　This　isn't　your　pathetic　dream　world。　This　is　reality；　where　I'm　a　prince　of　a　great　city　and　you're　just　a　sort　of　mollusk；　and　a　dead；　putrid　one　at　that。〃
As　he　taunted　the　creature；　he　groped　for　the　strength　to　cast　a　final　spell。　No　doubt　the　attack　would　fail　like　all　the　others。
So　why；　he　thought；　bother　to　attack？　Try　something　else　instead。　Shaknoting　with　effort；　he　cast　a　spell　off　the　side　of　the　platform。　Blue　scintilla　of　power　glittered　briefly　in　the　air。
〃You　call　me　pathetic？〃　Syrzan　sneered。　〃What　was　that　supposed　to　be？〃
If　you　were　wearing　the　ring　you　stole；　Pharaun　thought；　you'd　know；　but　I　doubt　it　would　fit　on　your　bloated　fingers。
The　alhoon　hoisted　him　off　the　ground；　then　wrapped　dry；　flaking　tennottacles　around　his　head。
You　re　still　going　to　serve　me；　Syrzan　said　directly　into　the　mage's　mind；　holding　up　one　gnarled　finger　to　reveal　the　silver　ring。　When　I　devour　your　brain；　I'll　learn　all　your　secrets。
〃Perhaps　the　infusion　would　even　cure　your　stupidity；〃　Pharaun　wheezed；　〃but　I　fear　we'll　never　know。　Look　around。〃
The　lich　turned；　and　he　felt　it　jerk　with　surprise。
The　lens　of　illusion　he'd　formed　in　front　of　the　dais　made　Syrzan　look　exactly　like　a　certain　witty　Master　of　Sorcere；　and　Pharaun　himself　renotsemble　yet　another　humble　ore。　Once　the　Mizzrym　created　it；　he'd　willed　the　hand　of　ice　to　release　the　illithid's　head；　and　there　came　the　construct；　swooping　straight　at　its　originator。
Syrzan　threw　Pharaun　down　and　faced　its　creation。　No　doubt　if　left　unmolested；　it　could　have　averted　the　construct　somehow；　but　Pharaun　found　the　strength　for　one　more　spell。　His　labored　incantation　shattered　the　floor　of　the　dais；　staggering　the　alhoon　and　breaking　its　concentration。
The　huge　tentacles　scooped　Syrzan　up　and　conveyed　it　to　the　maw　behind　them；　whereupon　the　strangely　shaped　mouth　began　to　suck　and　chew。　The　alhoon's　own　magic　mangled　him　as　Pharaun's　never　had。　The　lich　faded　for　a　moment；　then　became　opaque　and　solid　again。　It　was　t