war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第24部分

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　　　〃You　hunger　for　this　knowledge。〃
　　　Yes。　Have　you　seen　such　a　ship？
　　　〃I　have　not　consumed　it。〃
　　　Valas　frowned；　puzzled。　The　slime　the　aboleth　had　smeared　across　his　face　was　back　in　his　left　nostril　again。　He　pinched　the　other　one　shut　and　blew。
　　　You　have　seen　this　ship…but　not　eaten　it？　he　signed　again。
　　　The　aboleth　fluttered　its　tentacles　in　what　might　have　been　a　sign　of　irritation…or　the　equivalent　of　a　drow　shrug。
　　　〃I　have　not　seen　it。　Nor　have　I　consumed　any　knowledge　of　it。〃
　　　Consumed？　Valas　didn't　like　the　sound　of　that。
　　　How　do　you　consume　knowledge？　he　asked。
　　　〃From　our　parents；　after　we　hatch。　From　other　creatures；　such　as　yourself。　We　consume　them。〃
　　　You　。　。　。　eat　them？　Valas　asked。　Are　you　going　to　eat　me？
　　　〃That　is　not　my　privilege；〃　the　aboleth　said。　Then；　〃Do　you　have　knowledge　of　this　ship？〃
　　　Valas　quickly　shook　his　head　and　backed　it　up　with　an　emphatic　sign。
　　　No。　I　was　told　that　the　aboleth　knew　of　such　a　ship；　so　I　came　here　to　learn　if　it　was　real　or　rumor。
　　　〃Where　are　you　from？〃　the　aboleth　asked。　〃How　did　you　e　here？〃
　　　Valas　considered　how　to　answer　that。　Was　the　aboleth　trying　to　find　out　whether　he　had　e　to　Lake　Thoroot　alone…or　was　it　weighing　the　potential　information　stored　in　Valas's　mind；　prior　to　devouring　him？　He　tried　to　think　of　an　answer　that　wouldn't　make　him　sound　like　an　appealing　snack；　at　the　same　time　sizing　up　his　chances　of　escape。　The　fact　that　he　was　in　a　cage…that　the　aboleth　hadn't　consumed　him　immediately…was　promising。　Valas　thought　that　perhaps　he　was　being　saved　for　some　other　aboleth；　one　with　more　〃privilege。〃
　　　At　least；　that's　what　he　hoped　was　true；　if　the　aboleth　left　to　report　the　results　of　its　initial　questioning　to　its　superior；　Valas　could　use　the　star…shaped　amulet　that　was　still　pinned　to　his　shirt　to　escape。
　　　I　am　from　Menzoberranzan；　Valas　signed。　I　am　a　soldier　in　service　to　one　of　the　Houses　of　that　city。　The　matron　mother　used　her　magic　to　send　me　here；　to　inquire　about　the　demon　ship。　Shortly　she　will　use　that　same　magic　to　summon　me　home　again。
　　　Thus　explaining　my　impending　disappearance　from　the　cage；　Valas　thought。　And；　hopefully；　causing　the　aboleth　to　think　that　any　search　for　me　will　be　futile。
　　　Once　again；　he　noticed　that　his　nostril　had　filled　with　mucus；　and　he　blew　it　out。　He　scrubbed　his　face　furiously　with　a　sleeve；　but　it　only　served　to　spread　the　tentacle　slime　across　his　face。　Growing　worried；　Valas　stopped　scrubbing。　The　image　of　the　drow…thing　that　had　been　herding　the　jellyfish　loomed　large　in　his　mind。　Was　his　left　ear　tingling？　He　resisted　the　urge　to　reach　up　and　touch　it；　fearful　that　it　might　already　be　melting　away。
　　　〃You　will　not　return　to　your　city；〃　the　aboleth　said。
　　　Valas　shuddered；　fighting　down　the　sick　feeling　that　filled　his　stomach。
　　　Am　I　to　be　made　a　slave？　Does　your　city　have　no　matron　mother…　no　ruler　whom　I　can　appeal　to？
　　　A　ripple　passed　through　the　aboleth's　body。　Valas　wondered　whether　it　was　a　sign　of　annoyance　or　pleasure。
　　　〃It　has　been　many　flows　since　Oothoon　met　with　one　of　the　dry　folk。　You　are　merely　a　servant　among　your　people　and　do　not　warrant　her　attention。　As　for　your　question；　you　are　a　slave　to　Oothoon　already。　When　your　transformation　is　plete；　you　will　begin　to　serve　her。〃
　　　This　time；　Valas　did　touch　his　ear。　Its　tip　was　still　pointed；　but　it　was　definitely　tingling；　as　was　the　left　side　of　his　face；　and　his　left　hand　and　wrist。　The　fingers　of　that　hand　felt　sticky。　Trying　to　spread　them；　he　found　that　his　forefinger　was　starting　to　fuse　with　the　one　beside　it；　and　the　little　finger　with　the　finger　beside　it。　A　web　of　grayish　skin　was　growing　between　the　two　malformed　digits　and　was　already　up　to　the　first　knuckle。
　　　How　long　will　the　transformation　take？　he　asked；　his　left　hand　already　clumsy。
　　　〃No　longer　than　three　boorms；〃　the　aboleth　said。　〃When　it　is　finished；　I　will　return　to　release　you。〃
　　　With　a　powerful　flick　of　its　tail；　it　swam　away。
　　　Valas　had　no　idea　how　long　a　〃boorm〃　was。　It　might　be　as　long　as　one　cycle　of　Narbondel…in　which　case；　he　still　might　have　time　to　make　it　back　to　the　others　if　Pharaun's　spell　didn't　run　out　first。　Or；　for　all　he　knew；　a　boorm　might　be　as　short　as　a　heartbeat。　Glancing　at　his　left　hand；　he　shuddered。　The　sooner　he　started　back；　the　better。　The　aboleth　was　swimming　strongly　back　toward　the　city；　no　longer　looking　at　him。
　　　Valas　touched　the　nine…pointed　star　on　his　chest　and　felt　the　familiar　wrench　of　its　magic。　He　found　himself　standing　in　the　spot　he'd　chosen…a　good　hundred　paces　away…but　the　cage　had　been　transported　there　with　him。　It　landed　on　a　fresh　patch　of　kelp；　raising　a　knee…high　cloud　of　dirt　and　scattering　a　school　of　tiny；　frightened　fish。
　　　Had　part　or　his　body　touched　the　cage…was　that　why　it　had　slid　sideways　between　the　dimensions　with　him？　The　cage　was　far　too　heavy　to　have　been　included　in　the　talisman's　magic；　but　it　was　the　only　explanation　Valas　could　think　of。
　　　Sculling；　he　positioned　himself　exactly　at　the　center　of　the　cage；　and　tried　again…a　shorter　hop。　Once　again；　the　cage　came　with　him。
　　　Valas　frowned。　The　cage　was　obviously　somehow　enchanted　to　contain　him　no　matter　where　he　went。　If　his　brooch　had　been　more　powerful；　he　might　have　used　its　magic　to　transport　himself　across　the　lake　in　a　series　of　short　hops…following　the　predominant　current　of　the　lake　back　to　the　waterfall　that　must　be　its　source。　But　the　brooch's　magic　was　limited。　After　two　more　hops　like　the　first　one；　it　would　fall　dormant　for　a　full　cycle。
　　　Meanwhile；　the　slime　left　by　the　tentacle　was　creeping　across　his　face　and　up　his　left　arm。　He　breathed　in　a　deep　lungful　of　water；　then　blew　it　out　through　his　nose；　clearing　his　nostrils。　How　much　longer　did　he　have？　As　least　his　mind　was　still　his　own；　and　he　suspected　that　it　was　one　thing　he　would　probably　retain。　The　drow…thing　had　exhibited　free　will。　It　had　been　able　to　warn　Valas　away　from　Zanhoriloch…for　all　the　good　that　had　done。
　　　Time　to　try　something　else；　the　scout　thought。
　　　Valas　plucked　another　of　his　magical…items　from　his　shirt：　a　short　mithral　tube　no　longer　than　his　finger。　Sculling　with　his　left　hand…the　webs　had　already　grown　up　to　the　second　knuckle…he　tapped　the　tube　against　one　of　the　bars　of　the　cage。　A　bright；　clear　note　carried　through　the　water；　but　nothing　happened。　Whatever　door　there　might　be　in　the　cage　was　not　responding　to　the　chime's　magic。
　　　Slipping　the　chime　back　to　a　pocket；　Valas　reached　for　his　last　hope；　a　brooch　set　with　a　dull　gray　stone　that　was　surrounded　by　a　dozen　tiny；　uncut　gems。　Made　by　the　deep　gnomes；　the　brooch　had　the　power　to　wrap　its　wearer　in　illusion；　giving　him　whatever　appearance　he　could　imagine。　It　didn't　actually　transform　the　wearer；　nor　did　it　have　the　power　to　manifest　more　plicated　illusions…like　making　a　drow　appear　to　be　an　aboleth；　for　example…but　it　would　allow　Valas　to　create　subtle　changes　in　his　appearance。
　　　He　twisted　the　gem　in　its　facing；　and　felt　a　warm　shiver　run　through　his　body。　Looking　down；　he　〃saw〃　webbed　hands　and　feet　and　a　fluked　tail。　The　brooch's　magic　had　worked；　giving　him　the　appearance　of　the　drow…thing。
　　　Everything　depended　on　his　guess：　that　the　magic　of　the　cage　would　be　negated；　once　his　transformation　was　plete。　Kicking　his　legs；　he　propelled　himself　up　toward　the　roof　of　the　cage；　praying　that　it　would　disappear。
　　　His　head　struck　bars　with　a　crack　that　made　sparks　dance　in　front　of　his　eyes。　Grimacing；　he　drifted　back　toward　the　center　of　the　cage。
　　　That　was　it　then。　The　brooch　had　been　his　final　hope。　Even　the　illusion　magic　of　the　deep　gnomes　was　powerless　against　the　cage　that　held　him。　He　was　trapped。　All　he　could　do　was　wait　until　his　body　caught　up　with　the　illusion　he'd　just　created。　Until　he　turned　into　a　drow…thing　himself。
　　　I　won't　let　it　happen；　he　thought。　I　deserve　a　good　clean　death。　A　soldier's　death。　Not　this。
　　　He　yanked　out　one　of　his　kukris…the　one　that　sent　a　jolt　of　magical　energy　through　whatever　it　struck。　The　magic　wouldn't　affect　him　if　he　was　holding