war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第9部分

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ght。〃
〃Wonderful。〃
The　echoing　cries　led　Quenthel　into　a　spacious　candlelit　hall　filled　with　towering　black　marble　sculptures　of　spiders；　set　there　to　make　the　temple's　entryway　as　impressive　as　possible。　The　battered　valves　of　the　great　adamantine　double　door　in　the　curved　south　wall　gaped　crookedly；　half　off　their　hinges；　affording　a　glimpse　of　the　plateau　outside。　Several　priestesses　lay　battered　and　insensible　on　the　floor。　For　a　moment；　Quenthel　couldn't　make　out　what　had　caused　the　mess；　then　the　culprit　scuttled　across　her　field　of　vision　toward　another　hapless　servant　of　Lolth。
The　intruder　was　a　gigantic　spider　bearing　a　close　resemblance　to　the　gleaming　black　effigies　around　it；　and　upon　seeing　it；　Quenthel　scowled　at　an　unfamiliar　and　unwele　pang　of　doubt。
On　the　one　hand；　the　demon；　if　that　was　what　it　truly　was；　was　attacknoting　her　pupils　and　staff；　but　on　the　other；　it　was　a　kind　of　spider；　sacred　to　Lolth。　Perhaps　it　was　even　her　emissary；　sent　to　punish　the　weak　and　heretical。　Maybe　Quenthel　should　simply　step　aside　and　permit　it　to　connottinue　its　rampage。
It　sensed　her　somehow；　turned；　and　rushed　toward　her　as　if　it　had　been　looking　for　her　all　along。　Though　many　spiders　possessed　several　eyes；　this　one；　she　observed；　was　exceptional　beyond　the　point　of　deformity。　The　head　behind　the　jagged　mandibles　was　virtually　nothing　but　a　mass　of　bulging　eyes；　and　a　scatter　of　others　opened　here　and　there　about　the　creature's　shiny　black　bulb　of　a　body。
Its　peculiarities　notwithstanding；　the　spider's　manifest　hostile　intent　renotsolved　Quenthel's　uncertainty　in　an　instant。　She　would　kill　the　freakish　thing。
The　question　was；　how？　She　did　not　feel　weak…she　never　had　and　never　would…but　she　knew　it　was　scarcely　the　optimal　time　for　her　to　fight　such　a　battle。　On　top　of　any　other　disadvantages；　she　wasn't　even　wearing　her　mail　tunic　or　piwafwi。　She　rarely　did　within　the　walls　of　Arach…Tinilith。　For　the　most　part；　her　minions　feared　her　too　much　to　atnottempt　an　assassination；　and　she　had　always　been　confident　that　she　wouldn't　need　armor　to　disappoint　any　who　did　not。
As　she　backed　away　from　the　charging　spider；　her　slim；　gleaming　obsidnotian　hands　opened　the　pouch　at　her　belt；　extracted　a　roll　of　vellum；　and　unnotrolled　it　for　her　scrutiny；　all　with　practiced　ease　and　likewise　with　a　certain　annoyance；　for　the　magical　scroll　was　a　treasure；　and　she　was　about　to　use　it　up。　But　it　was　necessary；　and　the　parchment　was　scarcely　the　only　magnotical　implement　hoarded　within　those　walls。
Rapidly；　but　with　perfect　rhythm　and　pronunciation；　she　read　the　verses；　the　golden　characters　vanishing　from　the　page　as　she　spoke　the　words。　Dark；　heatless　flame　leaped　from　the　vellum　to　the　floor　and　shot　across　that　polished　surface　faster　than　a　wildfire　propagating　itself　across　a　stand　of　dead；　dry　fungus；　defining　a　path　that　led　from　herself　to　the　demon。
The　black　conflagration　washed　over　the　demon's　dainty　bladed　feet。　It　should　also　have　driven　the　many…eyed　creature　helplessly　backward；　but　it　didn't。　The　arachnid　kept　ing　nimbly　as　before；　which　was　to　say；　considerably　faster　than　the　best　effort　of　a　drow。
〃The　spirit　has　defenses　against　the　magic！〃　cried　K'Sothra；　perhaps　the　least　intelligent　of　the　whip　vipers　and　certainly　the　one　most　inclined　to　belabor　the　obvious。
Quenthel　wouldn't　have　time　to　attempt　another　spell　before　the　spider　reached　her；　nor　could　she　outrun　it。　She　would　have　to　outmaneuver　it　instead。　Dropping　the　useless　sheet　of　parchment；　she　turned　and　dived　beneath　the　belly　of　one　of　the　statues。　Unless　it　had　the　power　to　shrink　or　shape　shift；　the　invader　wouldn't　be　able　to　negotiate　the　same　low　space。
She　slid　on　the　floor；　rubbing　her　elbows　hot。　One　of　the　snakes　cursed　foully　when　its　scaly；　wedge…shaped　head　rapped　against　the　stone。　She　rolled　over　and　saw　that　she　had　only　bought　herself　a　moment。　No；　the　demon　couldn't　slip　under　the　statue　but；　clustered　eyes　glaring；　it　was　rapnotidly　clambering　over　the　top　of　it。　Up　close；　it　had　a　foul；　carrion　smell。
Quenthel　knew　that　if　she　permitted　the　spider　to　pounce　down　on　her；　the　monster　would　hold　her　down　and　snip　her　apart　with　its　mandibles。　She　sprang　to　her　feet　and　swung　her　whip。
The　vipers　twisted　in　flight　to　bring　their　fangs　to　bear。　Those　poisonnotous　spikes　plunged　deep　and　ripped　downward；　tearing　gashes　in　some　of　the　demon's　bulging；　clustered　eyes　before　yanking　free。　The　organs　gushed　fluid　and　collapsed；　and　the　serpents　thrashed　in　joy。
Quenthel　could　feel　their　exultation　through　the　psionic　link　they　shared；　but　she　knew　it　was　premature。　The　spider　had　plenty　of　other　eyes；　and　the　stroke　had　only　balked　it　for　an　instant。　It　was　still　going　to　spring。
Though　caught　without　certain　of　her　protections；　Quenthel　was　at　least　wearing　the　necklace　of　dull　black　pearls。　She　reached　up；　slipped　one　of　the　enchanted　beads　from　the　specially　crafted　fine　gold　chain；　and　threw　it　at　the　spider。
White　light　blazed　around　her；　seemingly　emanating　from　all　directions　at　once。　Thanks　be　to　Lolth；　this　time　her　magic　had　an　effect。　The　spider　slipped　and　floun