war of the spider queen 4 extinction-第36部分

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d　it；　a　curious　taste　filled　his　mouth…a　strange　blend　of　ancient；　desiccated　insect　and　the　sharp　tang　of　ground　amber。
　　　Memories　burst　into　his　mind　with　the　suddenness　or　spores　exploding　from　an　overripe　fungus。　Included　among　them　was　a　spell…one　that　needed　no　verbal　ponent；　merely　a　somatic　one：　the　act　of　swallowing　the　last　of　the　bottle's　contents。
　　　The　illithid；　sensing　that　something　was　wrong；　leaped　forward；　one　misshapen　hand　lashing　out；　but　it　was　already　too　late。　The　last　of　the　bottle's　contents　slid　across　Gromph's　tongue　and　was　swallowed；　triggering　the　spell。　A　ripple　of　magical　energy　passed　through　the　room　quicker　than　thought；　leaving　Sluuguth　frozen；　eyes　bulging　in　fury；　tentacles　halted　in　mid…lash　a　finger's　breadth　from　Gromph's　face。　The　thought　bottle　hung　in　mid…air　where　it　had　been　knocked；　and　the　duergar　axe　the　illithid　had　been　carrying　was　frozen　between　Sluuguth's　outstretched　hand　and　the　ground。　He'd　dropped　it　in　surprise　the　instant　Gromph's　thoughts　told　him　what　was　about　to　happen。
　　　Gromph　stood　up；　steadying　himself　with　one　hand　on　his　desk　as　the　room　blurred　slightly。　Unsticking　oneself　in　time　was　always　disorienting。　He　felt　dizzy；　slightly　off　balance；　as　if　the　world　was　solid　but　he　was　not。
　　　With　his　memories　restored；　all　was　clear　to　him。
　　　So　that　was　why　I　erased　everything　but　a　single　memory；　the　archmage　thought；　that　I　should　offer　these　bottles　to　any　creature　who　could　dominate　my　mind。
　　　It　wasn't　because　he　hoped　to　trick　the　creature　into　drinking　their　contents　but　because　he　expected　it　to　read　that　thought　and　make　him　drink　from　one　of　the　bottles　first；　as　a　safety　precaution。
　　　Just　as　Sluuguth　had　done。
　　　Gromph　wasted　no　time　basking　in　his　foresight；　however。　He　had　to　move　quickly。　The　time…stopping　spell　was　a　powerful　one；　but　it　was　brief。　It　would　hold　for　no　more　than　a　few　heartbeats。　Bending　swiftly；　he　picked　up　the　battle…axe。
　　　After　a　slight　tug…inertia　made　the　weapon　feel　as　though　it　was　stuck　in　mud…Gromph　grasped　the　axe　firmly　in　both　hands　and　swung。　Its　blade　bit　cleanly　through　the　illithid's　neck；　severing　it　with　a　single　stroke。　Pulled　by　the　blade；　blood　bulged　at　the　exit　wound；　but　the　head　itself　remained　on　the　shoulders。
　　　As　Gromph　laid　the　weapon　on　his　desk；　the　spell　ended　and　time　lurched　forward　again。　Blood　sprayed　against　the　wall；　Sluuguth's　head　flew　from　his　body；　and　the　illithid　crumpled　in　a　heap。　An　instant　later；　the　thought　bottle　thumped　against　the　wall　and　clattered　to　the　floor。
　　　Looking　down　into　the　blade　of　the　axe；　Gromph　saw　a　frenzied　swirling　as　the　enchanted　blade　added　Sluuguth's　soul　to　those　it　had　already　stolen。　The　illithid's　face　stared　out　in　horror　from　the　flat　of　the　blade；　tentacles　lashing。　Eventually　it　turned　transparent　and　was　gone。
　　　〃What　a　useful　weapon；〃　Gromph　said；　setting　the　duergar　battle…axe　down　again。　He　chuckled。　〃Perhaps　I　should　hang　it　on　the　wall　as　a　souvenir。〃
　　　Kneeling；　he　chanted　the　words　to　a　spell　and　passed　his　hands　over　the　corpse　of　the　illithid。　His　palms　tingled　when　they　passed　over　the　illithid's　out…flung　hand。　The　gold　signet　ring　on　Sluuguth's　middle　finger　was　magical；　imbued　with　protective　enchantments。　He　slipped　it　off　the　illithid's　finger　and　laid　it　on　his　desk。
　　　His　hands　tingled　a　second　time　as　they　passed　over　an　elongated　leather　carrying　case　that　hung　at　Sluuguth's　belt。　Opening　it；　Gromph　saw　a　tube　inside。　He　eased　out　the　tube…a　length　of　hollow　bone　with　a　plug　of　wood　at　either　end…and　shook　it。　He　heard　the　rustle　of　paper。　Scrolls；　perhaps？　He　would　study　them　later；　after　taking　the　appropriate　precautions。
　　　Laying　the　tube　down　beside　the　ring；　he　pleted　his　pass　over　the　illithid's　body。　One　of　the　pockets　in　Sluuguth's　robe　made　his　palms　tingle　a　third　time。　Reaching　inside　it；　Gromph　pulled　out　a　finger…length　piece　of　quartz　that　had　been　cut　into　a　prism。　Tiny　yellow　sparks　danced　in　its　depths。
　　　Gromph　had　seen　similar　devices　before。　They　were　magical　constructs　of　the　surface　elves；　who　needed　light　to　find　their　way　through　the　Underdark。　He　spoke　a　word　in　their　tongue…the　surface　elves　were　so　predictable　and　almost　always　used　the　same　mand　words…and　the　prism　reacted　as　he　expected　it　to；　shedding　a　pale　cone　of　candle…bright　light。　A　second　mand　word　shaped　the　light　into　an　eye…hurting；　wand…thin　beam　of　intensely　white　light。　Had　it　not　struck　the　wall　of　Gromph's　office；　it　would　have　shone　for　some　distance。
　　　Squeezing　his　eyes　shut　against　the　glare；　Gromph　spoke　a　third　mand　word；　and　the　harsh　light　disappeared。　The　prism　was　as　it　had　been　before；　still　cool　as　stone　against　Gromph's　palm。
　　　〃A　useful　trinket；〃　he　said；　slipping　it　into　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi。　〃Handy　to　read　scrolls　by；　if　nothing　else。〃
　　　He　almost　ended　his　search　there；　but　when　he　passed　his　hands　a　final　time　over　the　illithid's　corpse　he　felt　the　tingle　once　more。
　　　Something　was　tucked　deep　into　the　pocket　he'd　just　pulled　the　prism　from。　Digging　into　it；　he　pulled　out　a　silver　chain　with　a　flat　oval　of　green　jade　hanging　from　it。　He　recognized　it　at　once。
　　　〃So　that's　where　the　jade　spiders　disappeared　to；〃　he　muttered；　slipping　it　into　his　own　pocket。
　　　Standing　again；　Gromph　used　magic　to　levitate　the　illithid's　head…no　sense　touching　those　limp；　foul…smelling　tentacles　if　he　didn't　have　to…and　positioned　it　on　the　chest　of　the　corpse。　Then　he　pulled　a　pinch　of　dust　from　a　pocket　of　his　piwafwi　and　sprinkled　it　over　Sluuguth's　body。　He　chanted　a　brief　spell　and　pointed　a　finger。　A　harsh　sizzling　filled　the　air　as　a　beam　of　green　energy　sprang　from　its　tip。　It　washed　over　the　corpse；　illuminating　it　in　a　blaze　of　crackling　light。　An　instant　later；　all　that　was　left　of　Sluuguth　was　a　thin　smudge　of　dust　on　the　floor。
　　　Crossing　the　room；　Gromph　picked　up　the　empty　thought　bottle。　One　of　its　sides　was　dented　slightly；　but　the　sigil…shaped　pane　of　glass　was　still　intact。　It　could　be　reused。　He　removed　the　dent　with　a　mending　spell；　then　set　it　on　the　table　beside　the　second　bottle　and　cast　a　minor　spell　that　caused　the　spray　of　blood　that　had　landed　on　the　desk　to　dry　to　dark　brown　dust；　which　he　blew　away。　He　placed　the　unopened　bottle　carefully　in　the　drawer；　then　picked　up　the　one　that　had　been　uncorked。
　　　He　turned　to　the　wall；　and；　with　a　wave　of　his　fingers；　released　the　fire　elemental　that　Sluuguth's　spell　had　frozen　in　place。　The　elemental　rushed　out　with　an　angry　roar；　filling　the　room　with　heat。
　　　〃Wherrre　is　he？〃　it　said；　flaring　as　it　twisted　this　way　and　that；　looking　for　the　vanished　illithid。　〃He　must　burrrn。〃
　　　〃The　illithid　is　gone；〃　Gromph　answered。
　　　The　elemental　flared　white…hot　with　anger。
　　　〃You　said　I　had　only　to　burrrn　an　intruder　to　be　free；〃　it　growled。　It　pointed　at　the　soot…smudged　spot　on　the　wall　where　the　magical　sigil　had　been。　〃Am　I　then　to　be　put　back　in　bondage？〃
　　　Shielding　his　face　from　the　heat；　Gromph　said；　〃No。　Your　task　has　been　altered；　that's　all。　After　you　perform　it；　you　are　free　to　go。〃　He　showed　the　elemental　the　thought　bottle。　〃In　a　moment；　I　will　use　this　magical　device。　When　I　am　done；　you　will　relay　the　following　information　to　me　。　。　。〃
　　　A　few　moments　later；　Gromph　found　himself　seated　behind　his　desk；　holding　a　corked　bottle　in　his　hand。　A　drawer　containing　a　bottle　identical　to　it　was　open；　and　a　fire　elemental　hovered　on　the　other　side　of　the　desk。　Glancing　at　the　wall；　Gromph　saw　that　the　sigil　that　had　held　it　had　been　activated。　An　intruder　must　have　entered　the　office…Gromph　cast　a　quick　detection　spell；　but　his　magic　revealed　no　trace　of　any　creature；　living　or　undead。　Whoever　the　intruder　was；　he　or　she　had　left　a　gold　ring　and　what　looked　like　a　spell　tube　on　Gromph's　desk…and　an　impressive　battle…axe；　leaning　against　the　side　of　the　desk。
　　　Suddenly　worried；　Gromph　realized　that　the　last　thing　he　could　remember　was　being　trapped　inside　the　sphere；　floating　on　the　lake。　He　had　obviously　made　it　back　to　Sorcere　somehow；　found　his　way　into　his　study；　and　escaped　the　imprisonment　spell。　But　how？
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