war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第29部分

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tedly　at　Tier　Breche。
　　　Glancing　up；　Gromph　could　see　the　illichid's　tentacles　ripple　as　it　shook　its　head。　The　gray　dwarf；　who　obviously　thought　he　was　addressing　another　duergar；　pointed　at　the　sphere。
　　　With　a　suddenness　that　surprised　Gromph；　the　illithid　bent　over　the　dwarf。　Its　four　tentacles　lashed　out；　wrapping　themselves　around　the　duergar's　face。　The　dwarf　flailed　with　his　axe；　but　the　illithid　had　anticipated　that　move　and　countered　it　with　magic。　The　dwarf's　body　went　suddenly　rigid；　the　axe　poised　above　his　head。　Tentacles　flexed；　and　the　duergar's　head　split　open　like　a　ripe　fungus　ball。　One　of　the　tentacles　relaxed；　and；　while　the　remaining　three　held　the　head　in　a　vicelike　grip；　it　began　scooping　pinkish　gobs　of　brain　into　the　illithid's　mouth。　Gromph；　sickened　by　the　sight；　turned　his　face　away　from　the　glass。
　　　The　other　duergar　turned；　shocked　looks　on　their　faces。　One　or　two　reached　for　their　weapons；　took　a　look　at　the　illithid's　blank　white　eyes；　then　all　of　them　suddenly　relaxed。　Gromph　could　only　imagine　how　easy　it　was　for　the　illithid　to　cloud　the　simple　minds　of　a　gang　of　duergar　soldiers。　He　wondered　what　the　duergar　saw　when　they　looked　at　the　illithid…one　of　their　own；　most　likely…and　they　were　pelled　not　to　think　about　their　dead　officer；　his　broken　skull；　or　his　half…eaten　brain。　One　by　one；　the　magic…addled　gray　dwarves　simply　went　back　to　what　they　had　been　doing。
　　　Finished　with　its　meal；　the　illithid　plucked　the　axe　from　the　dwarf's　hand；　then　let　the　body　drop。
　　　Now；　it　said；　you　will　tell　me　how　to　enter　Sorcere。
　　　Gromph　eyed　the　greataxe。　It　was　obvious　that　the　illithid　cared　less　about　the　war　than　it　did　about　personal　gain。
　　　You　want　magic；　Gromph　sent　to　the　illithid。
　　　Yes；　the　mind　flayer　replied。
　　　You　want　to　get　inside　Sorcere　before　the　duergar　do。
　　　The　illithid's　next　thought　was　more　tentative；　as　if　it　was　admitting　a　guilty　secret。
　　　Yes；　it　said。
　　　Gromph　smiled　and　replied；　You　want　to　know　if　there's　a　back　door　into　Sorcere；　but　if　you　try　to　get　that　information　from　me　by　force；　it　will　take　too　long。　By　the　time　you　find　it；　the　duergar　will　be　inside。　You'll　be　left　with　whatever　scraps　they　don't　destroy　or　loot　for　themselves。　But　I　can　offer　another　alternative。　Help　me　to　get　free　of　this　sphere；　and　I'll　reward　you　well。　I'll　willingly　give　you　the　magic　you　crave。
　　　What　magic？
　　　In　my　centuries　of　experimentation；　I　have　developed　powerful　spells　that　other　mages　and　wizards　have　yet　to　even　imagine。
　　　Gromph　felt　the　tendrils　of　the　illithid's　mind…probing　magic　root　even　deeper　in　his　mind。
　　　Those　spells　are　no　longer　in　my　memory；　he　told　it。　They're　in　my　private　quarters；　in　Sorcere。　In　these。
　　　Gromph　let　his　mind　dwell　on　his　office；　on　the　enormous　desk　that　dominated　the　windowless　room。　Made　of　polished　bone；　it　had　a　number　of　drawers　that　opened　onto　extra…dimensional　spaces。　The　front　of　each　drawer　was　inlaid　with　a　different　skull。　Gromph　pictured　himself　sitting　in　his　chair　behind　the　desk　and　reaching　down　to　a　certain　skull；　then　placing　his　fingers　in　its　eye　sockets。　The　drawer　slid　open；　revealing　a　rack　that　held　two　bottles。　Each　was　of　cast　gold；　its　sides　set　with　a　sigil…shaped　〃window〃　of　moss…green　glass；　through　which　came　a　glow　that　originated　from　inside　the　bottle。　Each　of　the　sigils；　in　the　drow　script；　represented　the　same　word：　〃remember。〃
　　　What　are　they？　the　illithid　asked。
　　　I　call　them　〃thought　bottles；〃　Gromph　said。　Each　contains　a　powerful　spell…and　all　of　the　thoughts　that　led　to　its　creation。　Spells　so　powerful　even　I　dared　not　use　them；　but　so　unique　that；　once　created；　I　could　not　risk　losing　them；　either。　In　order　to　avoid　temptation；　I　created　these　bottles　to　hold　them。　Anyone　who　consumes　their　contents　will　gain　not　only　the　spell　itself　but　every　stage　of　the　process　that　led　to　its　creation。
　　　Once　I　am　inside　Sorcere；　I　will　take　them；　the　illithid　said。
　　　Not　unless　you　free　me；　first；　Gromph　said。　The　drawer　will　only　open　to　my　touch。
　　　The　archmage　let　his　mind　dwell　on　an　experiment　he'd　conducted　back　when　he'd　first　constructed　and　ensorcelled　the　desk。　He'd　deliberately　left　the　door　to　his　office　lightly　warded；　then　observed　with　clairvoyant　magic　as　an　apprentice　forced　his　way　into　the　office　and　tried　to　open　the　desk。　No　sooner　had　the　drow　placed　his　fingers　inside　the　eye　sockets　than　he　stiffened　and　tried　to　scream。　No　more　than　a　hoarse　croak　came　from　his　throat；　however；　before　a　horrible　wilting　began。　White　hair　broke　off　in　clumps　from　his　head　like　dried　straw；　and　his　eyes　shriveled　in　upon　themselves　like　heat…cured　fungus　and　fell　from　their　sockets。　His　skin　chafed；　then　erupted　in　a　series　of　cracks；　from　which　brown　dust…dried　blood…trickled。　Slowly　he　crumpled；　shrinking　in　upon　himself　until　all　that　was　left　was　a　pile　of　dusty　clothes　where　a　drow　had　once　stood。
　　　Impressive；　the　illithid　said。
　　　Thank　you；　Gromph　answered。
　　　Yet　another　fireball　arced　over　the　siege　wall　and　landed　a　short　distance　away；　scattering　gobs　of　molten　lava。　The　liquid　rock　slid　off　the　illithid　like　water　running　down　glass。　The　illithid　had　obviously　cloaked　itself　in　a　protective　spell。
　　　Do　we　have　a　bargain；　then？　Gromph　asked。　Will　you　free　me　and　receive　the　thought　bottles　as　payment？
　　　You　must　show　me　a　way　into　Sorcere；　the　illithid　said。　It　is　protected　by　wards　that　prevent　magical　entry；　is　it　not？
　　　Gromph　smiled　and　sent；　A　good　guess。　But　there's　a　portion　of　the　building　that　is　not　protected　by　these　wards；　because　it　exists　in　its　own　pseudoplane：　a　vertical　shaft　that　gives　access　to　my　office。　If　you　could　gate　us　into　it；　I'll　show　you　how　to　find　the　door。
　　　Bring　it　to　your　mind；　the　illithid　manded。
　　　Gromph　fought　down　his　irritation　at　being　ordered　about。
　　　Of　course；　he　answered。　Ah　。　。　。　what　is　your　name；　anyway？
　　　Sluuguth。
　　　Assuming　the　illithid　had　told　the　truth；　Gromph　had　a　weapon　he　could　use　against　the　creature。　Certainly　the　mind　flayer　knew　that　too；　which　meant　that　Sluuguth　had　no　intention　of　letting　Gromph　live。　All　that　passed　through　Gromph's　mind　in　a　fleeting　thought…hopefully　too　fleeting　for　Sluuguth　to　notice…then　Gromph　began　to　concentrate　on　the　access　shaft。　He　could　feel　Sluuguth　mentally　looking　over　his　shoulder；　studying　the　spot　they　were　about　to　gate　to　with　great　care。
　　　A　circle　of　purple　light　shimmered　into　being　next　to　them。　Sluuguth　fell　into　it　and　an　instant　later　was　levitating　inside　the　shaft。　It　seemed　to　extend　infinitely　upward　and　downward　and　had　walls　of　utter　blackness　that　had　a　somehow　palpable　look　to　them。　Had　Gromph　not　been　trapped　in　the　sphere；　he　knew　his　nostrils　would　have　been　assaulted　by　the　rank；　foul　odor　of　the　pseudoplane；　the　stench　of　the　malformed　creatures　that　called　it　home。
　　　Where　is　the　door？　asked　Sluuguth。
　　　Gromph　indicated　a　patch　of　darkness　that　seemed　more　solid　than　the　rest　and　sent；　Dispel　its　magic；　then　push。
　　　Sluuguth　did　as　instructed。　Previously　invisible　runes　sparkled　as　light　burst　inside　the　diamond　dust　that　had　been　used　to　inscribe　them。　When　the　light　vanished；　Sluuguth　pushed　open　the　door；　revealing　Gromph's　office。
　　　The　chamber　was　a　mess…the　aftermath　of　Gromph's　battle　with　the　lichdrow　Dyrr。　The　enormous　desk　at　the　center　of　the　room　was　gouged　in　several　places　by　the　whirling　blades　the　lichdrow　had　conjured；　and　the　marble　flagstone　floor　was　cracked　where　Dyrr's　staff　had　struck　it。　One　of　the　bookshelves　was　a　smashed　ruin；　and　the　scrolls　that　had　tumbled　from　it　had　been　trampled。　As　a　sign　of　his　disdain　for　the　archmage's　wizardry；　the　lichdrow　had　left　them　where　they　were　after　trapping　Gromph　in　the　sphere。
　　　The　perpetually　burning　red　candles；　set　into　wall　sconces　made　from　skeletal　fists；　still　provided　illumination；　and　a　plushly　upholstered　chair　behind　the　desk　had　survived　relatively　unscathed。　A　harder　wooden　chair　on　the　other　side；　where　a　visitor　would　sit；　lay　on　one　side；　its　legs　splintered。　Beyond　it　was　a　door　of　black　marble；　incise